Into the Fire

There's a particular mindset permeating the overall style of Christian fiction. Editors do allow an individual's voice, but do they allow the individual style and sometimes different perspective to accompany it? The appointed "rules" stiffen and prevail more often than not when an author willingly decides to break them. In doing this the novels come out in cookie-cutter mode, thereby training the authors to comply with a particular and unimaginative style in order to be published. As always, there are exceptions to this type of editor. Kudos to them.

Much of the reason for this is the now-typecast demographic that comprises most of Christian fiction. Those of us who initially chose to read Christian fiction for the spiritual aspects which added three-dimensional viewpoints to character development and worldview, but were trained in the diversity of the novels now considered classics, now grow weary of technically astute but boringly precise styles of story delivery. 

The divide created by readers of Christian fiction and enhanced by publishers seems to be expanding as evidenced by the two opposite reactions of significant proportions created by recent elements in Becky Wade's novel My Stubborn Heart. I've seen it before with less publicity applied to a few other notable novels in Christian publishing but none as noticeable and provocative as the opinions attached to this book.

Controlled by the Chicago Manual of Style, the precision of the printed word in book form governs some of the grammar and technical choices (i.e. numbers being spelled out until they're in large digits). The unrestrained and relentless echoes of "Show don't tell" resound like gongs. These and the incessant demand for the elimination of adverbs and dialogue tags, pound away at subduing styles and insist these methods always work better. Which they don't.

Although I understand the necessity for a uniformity in general grammatical style for print purposes, I fail to see the merit in enforcing some of them. Readers enjoy all different kinds of books and adapt to many kinds of literature including fantasy novels with author-created languages.

Maybe this is an added advantage to the e-book revolution. Break-out styles which aren't so different from the norm but dare to rock the stifling boatload of rules can find an audience in the cyber world. It's no wonder some writers are going this route.

Father, your plan is the one I want. Whatever it is. However it goes. Instruct me, Holy Spirit. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.