Into the Fire

Do you as a reader and even as a writer approach Christian Fiction differently from General Market fare that you know won’t contain many if any spiritual references in the story? Do you have a built-in reservation that the Christian novel you’re about to read might contain some cheesy Christian-ese, stereotyped church people, a happily-ever-after conclusion?

Have you established criteria for what you expect to find when reading Christian fiction? Have you done the same for general market novels?

Do you think there could be a personal double standard to how you approach these sometimes very diverse reading selections?

Most of us accept the fact that if we venture into general market novels, we will encounter some bad language and the possibility of gratuitous violence and sexual explicitness. Might not happen but nobody’s surprised when it does. When some readers approach Christian fiction via CBA publishers, they expect no bad language, some violence depending on the genre, and no sexual explicitness. Violate these (CBA) expectations/restrictions and look out for the wrath of some “Christian” readers.

Since these expectations/restrictions are for the most part adhered to in the library of Christian fiction, does that provide the impetus to insist on a higher level of writing to overcome a stereotypical “Christian” novel? Does it seem like in the process of putting out “Christian Fiction” that editors in publishing houses are seeking similar novels and not looking for initiative or genuinely “fresh” voices?

We could all state (and have stated): Just give me a good story—but written well. And throw in some gold bullion while you’re at it. Our tastes in literature differ not only in content and genre but in style and voice and even format. From fluff to horror we approach reading with expectations according to what we’ve come to like and appreciate. It could be argued we sometimes “settle for” novels in either market because we find so few that are exceptional. What I wonder is if there is a double standard applied to accepting less in the general market than there is in accepting the same grade of novel in Christian fiction? 

Father, help us to write that which honors you, however that is. Help us put you first in all of our endeavors. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.