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Christianity & Creativity Writing

5 Myths About Christian Fiction

I have recently noticed some Christian authors are backing away from the “Christian fiction” label. Some writers don’t want to write “Christian fiction” or at least are reluctant to call their novels that. Some believe they can reach a wider audience by avoiding the label, and others have just had so many bad experiences with reading Christian fiction in their past that they just have no interest in writing it.
Okay, just to get this out of the way, I certainly am not trying to say that Christian writers should only write Christian fiction. My debut was not technically Christian fiction, and neither are the vast majority of my short-stories and poems. Neither do I think God doesn’t use non-Christian art to his glory. I’m an advocate for both.
Here’s the real problem, and I think it’s important. When I find out why these Christian authors are avoiding the “Christian Fiction” label, I discover their reasons are often based on false assumptions. Myths. I’m going to break down the five big ones here, as far as I understand them.
Let’s get to it.
Myth #1 Christian fiction is a genre

A lot of authors, myself included, really dislike the idea of limiting themselves to a genre. We want our freedom and flexibility. We don’t want to get strapped down to one genre and be expected to write that for the rest of our lives.
  What if I told you Christian fiction is not a genre? Neither is YA or MG. Christian fiction is an audience label. It can be contemporary romance, spy thrillers, who-dun-it mysteries, space opera, historical war stories, and, yes, even cyberpunk dystopia set in near-future Budapest. The term “Christian fiction” defines the expected audience.
  Now, a Christian audience will expect a few things. Probably no ultra-graphic content or excessive language. They’ll also probably appreciate it if at least some of the main characters are Christians, and that Christian values are presented in a positive light, but beyond that, the genre is entirely your choice. 
Myth #2 Christian fiction is preachy

Yes. Badly-written Christian fiction is often preachy. So is some non-Christian fiction, actually. But preachiness is not and 100% should not be essential to Christian fiction. It’s actually a writing flaw to be avoided. Nobody really wants to read that.
Saying you don’t want to write Christian fiction because it’s too preachy is like saying you don’t want to write YA fiction because the characters are too whiny. Yes, a lot of YA characters are annoyingly whiny, but who controls that? The author. Who controls the tone of Christian fiction? Also the author. 
So, rather than calling out the bad writing in Christian fiction and saying you can’t write it because you will suddenly acquire the same lack of skill if you try it, maybe you could be a part of the solution and start writing non-preachy Christian fiction. It is possible, and you are that good.

Myth #3 Christian fiction must have a salvation plotline

There needn’t be a salvation story included at all. This is absolutely not an essential part of Christian fiction. In fact, I think we need more Christian fiction that focuses on all the crazy stuff that happens after conversion. That’s something we really need to see.
I’ve noticed a flaw in a lot of contemporary Christian thinking these days. There is an unspoken lie out there that all that really matters in the Christian life is “that moment” when you “get saved.” We’ve put so much stock in the alter call that we turn around and neglect new believers—and mature believers—in favor of going out and grabbing for more and more of those “decisions for Christ” that can be tragically transient. Christian readers really need to see the rest of the story. It’s a journey. It doesn’t end with walking out the door.
People seem to think you have to set up a Christian story like you would plot a romance. She’s lonely, she meets the guy, they struggle, he proposes, she finally accepts, ding-dong wedding bells, the end. Christian fiction can, and should be showing more of the narrative. It should expand to include all parts of the Christian spiritual journey, not just the very brief event of accepting Jesus.

Which leads into our next myth.

Myth #4 Christian fiction is an evangelism tool

This one is controversial, but the more I think about it, the firmer I take my stand, here. I do not believe Christian fiction should be created as an evangelism tool. I’ve talked about this on this blog before. I just don’t think it’s worth it to orient your whole novel around trying to convert your reader (who is most likely already a Christian) and potentially losing all interest and nuance as a result. The work of a Christian novelist is not to storify Romans Road or whatever your favorite get-‘em-saved formula is. Our goal is to create a deep, compelling, and enjoyable work of art that happens to be pretty bold about the truest thing in the universe.
I strongly believe that Christian novels have a purpose separate from a gospel tract. There is so much power in art, and so much good work to be done in this world. Use your imagination. That’s what authors do best. Explore new scenarios and learn how to confront the lies and difficulties of living through your writing. There are so many themes, so many ways to uplift and empower your fellow Christians.
Christians have so much more growing and learning to do after they convert. Christian fiction can help them. And it can help them in a fun, interesting, engaging, world-changing way.

Myth #5 Christian fiction is limiting and irrelevant

As I’ve kind of already stated, I don’t think Christian fiction should be limiting at all. I would love to see more authors who are dissatisfied with the current offerings of Christian fiction get to work broadening the field of options. There is so much that hasn’t been explored, but that doesn’t mean exploration is impossible. You have a chance to create something new. 

You don’t have to write Amish, historical, or contemporary romance with a pat little massage and a quick conversion scene. Write in any genre that calls your name. Write what you love the most. Create the flavorful, non-preachy, hard-hitting, actually creative Christian fiction you’ve always wanted.

“Irrelevant” is one of those dreaded words when it comes to creating something for the world at large. I don’t think the risk of Christian fiction being irrelevant is actually that high. I think if the world thinks Christian stories and themes are irrelevant, that’s kind of a sign that the world doesn’t know what is relevant. Your Christian story matters. It can help someone. Don’t be afraid to put it out there.

The fact is, we really need some young blood in Christian fiction. We actually could kind of do with an all-out revival. For those of you who grew up hating Christian fiction because it was generic, preachy, lacked substance, lacked variety, and just overall never spoke to you—I feel you. Some of my least favorite novels I ever suffered through have been Christian fiction. But that is not because there are unavoidable problems with the whole category. It’s because of the above myths. Too many authors continue to believe them and write accordingly.

So many times have I come to the end of a really good secular story and paused to think, “Man, it was great…but there was something missing.” We, as Christian authors know exactly what the missing piece is. We have the power to put it in.

Christianity needs to keep its voice. The world is so full of antagonistic voices. I’m seeing more and more ugly twisted depictions of Christianity in mainstream fiction. We need to keep speaking for ourselves—speaking for God, through our art. 

So, if you feel called at all—and if these myths, or others have been holding you back, it’s time to blast through them. You have a mission. You can write Christian fiction and make it amazing.

Categories
Fiction Writers' Advice

Writing in the Dark

Writing takes a lot out of you. Writing a novel is no easy task, and makes huge demands on your time and energy. I wish there was a way to log the hours I spend just thinking through my story, without even getting into the time I spend with my head in a notebook or my hands on a keyboard. It’s definitely a full-time job.

When life itself becomes complicated, uncertain, heavy, and exhausting, it takes a toll on my writing life. In the midst of these troubled times, when many of us don’t have any idea what life will look like next week, somehow, we have to find ways to keep calm and carry on. But with all these new demands on our minds and emotions, we all know how easily writing can fall through the cracks.

But I know and you know we can’t stop writing. We can’t give up on what brings us joy and satisfaction just because it’s harder than usual. So, what should we do about it? I hope to offer a morale boost as well as share with you some practical tips on dealing with discouragement, overwhelm, and artistic frustration in your writing when life gets hard.

I want to ask you something. It’s kind of a personal question, but why are you writing at all? Answers will vary. Maybe you have a beautiful message of hope and courage the world needs to hear. Maybe you’ve created a fascinating world in your mind and you want to invite others to explore it. Maybe you have a cast of crazy characters partying in your brain who just can’t wait to get out and change society for the better. Never mind the specifics, what you must have as a writer is a passion that drives your work. Take some time to identify it. That’s your secret weapon.

You’re not just a writer. You’re a beacon of light. The world needs your story, and if you think about it, you know why. But even with that deeper reason to press on, sometimes your mind is just too exhausted to produce anything. I’ve recently had this go on for days at a time. But I’m learning how to cope with it.

 

One way is to switch to another project. Not just another writing project, but something else altogether. Writing shouldn’t be all you do. I’ve found that switching to drawing when I’m stuck in my writing can be refreshing and a good way to shake the doldrums that can set in when I’ve been staring at a blinking curser for too long. If you’re one of those people who claims they have only one talent, cut that out. You don’t either. Sure, you might not be as good at other things, but you could definitely improve and enjoy them if you tried. Find some hobbies. This is a great time to do that. Branch out and find other ways to let out your creativity and get in touch with your playful side. Believe me, you’ll surprise yourself.

Sometimes I feel like I’ve just kind of lost touch with a writing project. One of the best and simplest ways to get back into it is to read back over what you’ve written so far. Dive into your world with both feet, observe your characters, feel the rhythm of the plot. Give yourself permission to edit some of it, even. Don’t get carried away, but just restructuring a sentence here and there can give you the feeling of being in control of what you create again, and hope that you do, in fact, know how to improve it. Sometimes you can trick yourself into writing again if you do this enough.

Another tactic is to try writing about your project. Don’t write the book itself, open up a fresh document, or a notebook or journal and just start writing about it. You could write about where you think you’re stuck or what feelings are holding you back from going on, or you could do what I’ve found to be especially inspiring, which is to look at it more from the outside. Try writing an analysis of one of your favorite characters or subplots and talk about how you’ve woven in the themes and your imagery. This is how I convince myself that my story actually makes some sense or is genuinely interesting.

Maybe you feel like your writing is weak or missing something. First off, it probably isn’t as bad as you think, and second, you’re probably right. Improvement is always an option. Grab some writing books or find a YouTube channel for authors and learn something new. Take notes, and try to identify the areas where you think you could get better. I recently started watching Abbie Emmons’ channel and her emphasis on using inner conflict to drive the plot finally really clicked for me. Look out Nightstare. You’re going to be the strongest Dronefall book yet.

Finally, remember it’s okay to rest. You’re not an unbreakable machine in a word factory pumping out perfect novels seven days a week, fifty-two weeks a year. That’s not the goal of an author. You don’t have to beat out 10,000 words a day every day. Give yourself days off. Take time to enjoy life, even when you haven’t hit your writing goals for the week. Dream about your book, brainstorm, play around with wacky possibilities and unlikely alternatives for your plot as you chill out on your porch swing or play fetch with your dog. Sometimes things just take time. Life can be overwhelming. Don’t force the joy out of writing by having unrealistic expectations for yourself.

I hope something on this little list is helpful to you if you find yourself discouraged over your writing today. I’ll have to keep it around to remind myself sometimes. Stress and chaos can drag you down and depressing turns of events in the world really do have effect on creativity. But there are ways to keep your spirits up ad keep writing. So, remember why you write, and keep shining in the dark.

Categories
Fiction Writers' Advice

On Breaking the Rules

Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules for Writing:

  1. Never open a book with weather.
  2. Avoid prologues.


Okay, so I’ve seen this floating around the internet, and I get annoyed every time I read through it. I thought I would finally raise my objections here. First off, I’ll admit I had to google this Elmore chap. I had never heard of him. Apparently, he was writing crime thrillers and suspense in the 1950s. Cool. Probably why I never heard of him.

But anyway. I have nothing particularly against Mr. Leonard. Thriller writers are typically quite good at what they do. But I sometimes wish fewer writers would blindly follow “rules” set by pulp authors. In fact, in my opinion, anybody in a creative field who claims to have actual rules rather than guidelines is probably bluffing.

Okay, but before this post becomes a formless rant, let’s get to the main content, shall we? I want to take these “rules” and examine them one by one. Let’s take a closer look and see how much good advice we actually have here.

#1 Never open a book with weather.

This is a classic. Speaking of classics, you can probably name one or two that open with weather. As I find with most of these rules, there is a right and a wrong way to break it. Why are we so persistently cautioned against talking about the weather? Being a reader who loves atmosphere, I tend to have few complaints when an author sets the scene with a heavy summer rain, or a dark autumn day with a storm looming in the west. Also, don’t forget that weather effects characters’ moods and plans, so it can actually become a plot-mover in a lot of cases.

#2 Avoid prologues.

I know why people say this. Too often authors will use the prologue as a backstory-dump. It can also delay our meeting with the protagonist, since they often take place in a setting remote from that of the main plot. But a prologue doesn’t have to be dry and unrelated. I like to think of a prologue as the pre-credits scene in a movie. Keep it short, keep it intriguing. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with prologues. You just have to do them right.

#3 Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.

I use “said” the vast majority of the time. I also use “asked” when appropriate. Sometimes it just sounds odd to use “said” for something that isn’t a statement. Also, if someone is whispering or screaming, I will mention that as well. You know those “Said is Dead” infographics you see hanging around the internet? I am with Leonard here, to a degree. Words like “wondered”, “warned”, or “mused” are usually redundant if the dialogue is written strongly enough to indicate that the character is, in fact “warning” another character, for example. I will, however, use words like this when I’m taking a slightly ironic or humorous tone now and then.

#4 Never use and adverb to modify the verb “said.”

So, I think the modern horror of adverbs is reactionary and slightly unreasonable. There are legitimate times and places for adverbs. But let’s talk about the reasonable side of this. People tell authors to avoid adverbs because it is sometimes a sign that the verb you’re using isn’t strong enough. As we just discussed, Leonard doesn’t want us using any verbs stronger than “said” here. So…I think what he’s getting at is, you must use the dialogue itself to convey how it was delivered. Not a bad goal. But what about cases when the words and the way they are delivered actually contradict each other? This is a place where I will often use an adverb. Once again, it depends on your voice. For me, adverbs help me write ironically.

#5 Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.

I’m kind of hoping he’s excluding dialogue, here. I consider myself very stringy with my exclamation points. My WIP is around 112k words long. I did a quick search and found it to have 88 exclamation points—all in dialogue. So, you’ve got a 13-year old girl and her unruly Irish wolfhound. A storm is coming. The dog won’t come home. So, I guess she’s like, “Here boy. Come.” Okay. Why? A burning drone hurdles out of the sky. “Watch out.” “Run.” “Ow.” I think I might have made my point. You know when you can totally exclamation points? When someone makes an exclamation.

#6 Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”

Never. Okay, so “suddenly” can be a crutch word. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its place. If something actually is happening suddenly—as in, the characters are jolted by it—you can say it happened suddenly. Just use discretion that you aren’t just using it as a quick transition. Don’t say the character suddenly went to make a sandwich. That probably wasn’t that sudden, actually. But if the sandwich suddenly explodes, you probably don’t have to delete “suddenly” in that case. “All hell broke loose” is a cliché. Yeah, avoid it in your narration, but remember clichés are perfectly fine in dialogue.

#7 Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.

If he’s talking about spelling out accents and dialect here, I actually really agree with this one. I really don’t like seeing accents spelled phonetically. It never sounds right in my brain when I’m reading it, and sometimes I really don’t know what the character was supposed to be saying. This also is going to make no sense if the POV character actually has the accent. In the character’s mind, that is how the words are pronounced when written correctly. You’re confusing everybody here. Sorry, this is one of my pet peeves.

#8 Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.

 Oh boy. Here we go. I think this big ugly myth right here comes from the lie that everyone should imitate Hemmingway. Don’t try to be Hemmingway. There is literally no reason to imitate someone else’s style. I would argue that this lack of physical description of characters is actually making characters’ personalities flatter. I’m not talking about in Hemmingway here, I’m talking about in the multiple generations of non-descriptive underwritten characters that followed. Guys, description is your friend. Please describe your characters. You’re an artist. You paint images with words in other people’s minds. Paint your characters. Go beyond hair and eye color and approximate age. I want to see what you see when you write. All you have to do to avoid hurting your story with “too much” character description is make sure you don’t drop it all in one place. Make a first impression. Tell us what we would notice on first meeting your character. Then start weaving it into the action. You’re going to do fine. Don’t be afraid of description.

#9 Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.

You guys have my permission to ignore this list. Leonard has basically told us now that it is not an author’s job to describe people places or things. Great. You know I think Van Gough would have been a lot better if he hadn’t used so many colors in his paintings. Probably why he did to poorly. I can’t help but wonder how good this guy really was at writing suspense, now. I don’t know how you write suspense without any visceral sensations. That’s what description is for. You use it to put your readers in this incredibly sharp-focus setting you’ve created. You use it to create a movie in your readers’ heads so they can literally see what’s happening on the page. Call me an upstart for challenging this. I’m just not a fan of underwritten novels, and I think people like this expert here really have pushed their opinions on newer writers and intimidated them with their elitism to the point where everyone is really skimping on artistry. Do what you want at the end of the day, but I really like descriptive writing. And I think if you can do it in this day and age you’ve got quite an edge on your competition.

#10 Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

 Let’s wrap this up on a positive note, shall we? This is solid advice. You’d be surprised what you can get away with just not including. Often, if you’re bored with what’s going on, your readers are going to be too. So, avoid the infodump, the dull backstory, the commute to work. Get to the good parts as fast as you can and look for ways to cut filler. Your readers will appreciate it. Good job Leonard. This was a good tip.

So, see how I feel about rules? I understand we have to have rules in certain parts of our lives. If you don’t follow the rules as a brain surgeon, people could die. But as an artist, you’re probably not going to kill anyone by experimenting. As an author, you have to find your own voice and your own style. You’re doing nobody a favor by trying to be the next Hemmingway. You have to be the first you.

Thanks anyway, Elmore Leonard.

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Uncategorized

How We Rise Cover Reveal!


Now is the time for dystopian fiction. When the would starts to go dark and strange around us, we often, as readers, fly to books for a safe place to find relief from the stress of reality. And yet, sometimes what we need the most is a story that shows us just a bit of our own situation. We need to see something that sheds light on our shadowy existence and proves that we can face it—and much more. We need hopeful dystopian stories. Stories of flawed, troubled people stumbling through the chaos and learning to stand up to it all.

That’s why I’m so excited to be hosting the cover revel for Brooke Riley’s How We Rise. The novel will be coming out on July 15th—sooner than you think. I know time is a little odd right now, but here getting there.

Anyway, enough with the talk. You’re here to see the cover. Here it is.

Epic, right? I love it. It’s got so much atmosphere. And, in case you don’t know what How We Rise is about, here is the blurb.

When the truth gets you killed… will you still Rise?


Raegan MacArthur is content with her simple life. But lately, her life hasn’t been all that simple. She can’t drown out the screams in the night coming from the military base up the road. And she can’t ignore the truth behind them.


Peter Daniels thought moving back to Texas with his mom for senior year was a good thing. A chance to reconnect with old friends and finally feel at home again. But his life now can never be the same as it was six years ago. 


Signs of government overreach are everywhere, and an unknown- yet familiar- enemy lurks in the shadows, watching their every move. The government is clamping down tighter and tighter on anyone who resists their ways. Raegan and Peter have to make the hardest decision of their lives: will they go quietly to save themselves… or will they rise?

I can’t wait for this book to rocket out into the wide world. Brooke Riley is one of those authors that isn’t just a good writer, but also an awesome person. She has a real passion for using her fiction to reach people and lift them up. We need more authors like her. I highly recommend you get behind her. Be ready to nab this book when it comes out. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

Check out her links here:


Thanks, Brooke, for including me in your cover reveal celebration. Best of luck with your release!

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Uncategorized

An Author’s Guide to Surviving Quarantine

I kind of like the world shutting down. We should do it more often. 
Since I’ve been off work (and gloriously free from all social obligations) I’ve been feeling oddly motivated. I kind of enjoy breaks in routine, and learning to adjust to strange conditions, so this hasn’t been as trying for me as it might be for some. 

Of course, it won’t be the same for everybody, but for me, this downtime has triggered my enthusiasm for Getting Things Done™ and I’ve been able to clear my head a bit in the middle of all this. I’ve seen a lot of encouragement going around the internet for people to get into this mindset, but also for people to not force themselves to be highly productive and beat themselves up for feeling unmotivated.

I’m not saying everybody needs to be highly productive every day. Our worldly expectations have been removed. Our time is our own, to use as we actually want to and need to use it. For me, that means doing what refreshes me most—creating.
In this time of social distancing and boredom, for a lot of people, go ahead and make a list of the things you want to prioritize. Your list will look different than mine. But I thought if I posted some of my items here, it might inspire you and help you brainstorm what you might like to do with this time.

·         Journal about this experience Not every day. Maybe just an entry or two. I’m not much of a journal-keeper, to be honest. But I think this would be a great time to record my personal experiences and thoughts, since this is, in fact, a historic event that I and others will probably want first-hand accounts of in the future.

·         Catch up on my bible-reading I was doing really well and moving right along in January and February, but all my reading kind of slowed down in March, for unknown reasons. I’d like to get back into reading both the bible and other books during my free time.

·         Camp NaNoWriMo There’s a Camp NaNoWriMo event in April, and I’m kind of I the middle of it right now. I’m editing Dronefall 4, Nightstare, which is really quite a handful. I’ve never edited for a NaNo event before, so this is new to me. Not sure that I’ll work all the way through the second draft in April, but here’s to trying.

·         Finish out an old sketchbook and start a new one I’ve been really working on my drawing lately, and am nearing the end of a sketchbook I started years ago. I have a brand-new one waiting for me, and I can’t wait to get started on it.

·         Write some poetry I haven’t written much poetry since I published Songs from the Small Hours, and, April being Poetry Month, I thought I might make that a priority. After all, I would like to put out another collection soon.

·         Various other artistic pursuits Woodburning, painting, art journaling, origami—I have a lot of things I’d like to improve on.

So, I hope you have some ideas of how you’d like to spend your extra time now. Most importantly, relax. Reconnect with your family. Take time to deepen your faith. Watch some good movies. Listen to some good music. Read some good books. (The Dronefall Series is all 99c in ebook, and free on Kindle Unlimited 😉) 
Stay home, stay healthy, and take this crisis for what it could be—a blessing in disguise.

Categories
Fiction Writers' Advice

The #1 Mistake Christian Authors Make

Set aside your author identity and think about your reading life for a minute. I have a question for you. How many times have you been frustrated, unsatisfied, or downright bored by Christian fiction?
Let me say something right now: Christians do not have an inherent disability when it comes to creative pursuits. There isn’t something wrong with us spiritually that should hinder our ability to create, neither is there something wrong with our worldview that makes it destroy art whenever it is at its foundation. In fact, God gave Christian artists the opportunity to create things of eternal beauty and value. So, why is it that so much Christian fiction is glaringly sub-par?
I see one mistake at the root of the problem. One. That should be good news. The solution is a simple shift in mindset and a re-evaluation of your mission. So, here’s what I think it is. It might sound a little off at first, but hear me out.
You’re over-spiritualizing your work.
I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I definitely view my art as a mission and a ministry. I try to involve God in everything I do, and I want what I do to make an eternal difference. But what am I doing exactly? I’m writing stories. Making things up. Playing with imaginary friends and dreaming up imaginary worlds for them to interact with. When it’s time to write, it’s time to throw my agenda out the window, forget who’s going to read it and how it might change their lives, and focus on some serious goofing off.
As a Christian fiction writer, you can be a lot of things. You may be a healer, a teacher, a prophet, or a warrior poet. But first and foremost, there’s one thing you’ve got to be to write great fiction. Are you ready? This is going to be hard to swallow.
You need to be an entertainer.
That sounds really profane. To Christian ears “entertainment” can have negative connotations. This culture worships entertainment. Entertainment is an idol, a drug, a distraction. It leads us away from what’s important in the pursuit of mindless or even godless pleasure. Here’s one of the lies that builds the foundation of Christian fiction’s problem.
Entertainment is not always evil. It can actually be good. It would be, more often, if Christian authors could realize this. Entertainment is a powerful and beautiful medium for truth. Through entertainment, truth can penetrate and blossom in ways it never could in a cold dry textbook. Entertainment captures the reader’s imagination and immerses them in a new world. If you’re a Christian, and a writer, that world will naturally and organically be permeated and undergirded by the ultimate truth and love of God. 
I have a practical step for you, if you think you could improve your writing with this kind of mindset-shift. Think about how you decide to write a story. What’s your process? Do you sit down to plot and say to yourself, “I’m going to write a story about (insert moral, value, or message)?” Please don’t do that! Do everyone a favor. Don’t start with your moral or theme. Start with your character, your setting, your situation, maybe even just your atmosphere. Don’t even think about what you want to teach your audience until you’re halfway into the story. I’m serious.
Christian authors, by and large, need to lighten up and allow God to work through them in his own good time, in his own way. There’s a very good chance, if you put your story first, the message is going to change a few times. That’s not a bad thing. That’s proof that your story is alive, not just a machine that does one thing stiffly and mechanically. A person picking up a novel, no matter how spiritual their interest in it is, really hopes it’s going to entertain them. They want to enjoy watching your characters, explore a fascinating setting, freak out over your plot-twists—they might even want to laugh now and then.
If this doesn’t really sound like what you want to do with your writing, I have some advice for you: don’t write fiction. You could write sermons, devotionals, bible-studies, Christian lifestyle blog-posts…but if you don’t think entertainment is a worthy occupation, you shouldn’t be writing fiction. Fiction can be instructive, thought-provoking, and awareness-raising, but it won’t get a snowball’s chance if it isn’t entertaining.

So, Christian fiction-writers, and Christians who want to be fiction-writers, dive in and write a fun story, or a thrilling story, or a humorous story, or a story that stirs emotions and makes you fall in love with your own characters. Trust God to write a deep meaningful story that springs from your love for him. He will. 

Categories
The Artist & The Audience

The Great Audience Question

Over the weekend I read a book by another Christian dystopian author named Angela R.Watts. The book is called The Divided Nation and is the first of a series called The Infidel Books. I’d been watching this book for a while as it made its way around Goodreads, reading review, visiting the author’s blog and website and learning about her mission. All authors should have a mission. There needs to be something bigger under the stories you tell that you want to reach the world with. Watts has a well-defined mission, and that’s what attracted me to her book. 


Having a mission can help you overcome what might be the biggest hurdle of being a writer. That’s the question of who you’re speaking to—The Great Audience Question.


A lot of times, authors go in thinking finding an audience is simple. I did this, for sure. There’s a market for dystopia, right? Christian dystopia is a growing thing, isn’t it? What young Christian reader isn’t tired of the same-old same-old in Christian fiction. People will flock to my work.


Yeah. No. Finding your audience is complicated, and it’s complicated for everyone. There are way too many kinds of people in the world who are interested in way too many kinds of books for way too many different reasons. I discovered, pretty quickly that—though Christian dystopia is a growing thing, it’s still pretty fringe among readers. You get out on the street and start talking to Christian readers, and half of them (mostly the older half) don’t even know what dystopia is. 


I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been standing in a Church lobby with a table of books and the conversation goes: “So, you write science-fiction, huh?”


“Yeah, kinda.”


*chuckles, walks away*


Slightly discouraging.


Then there’s the younger set. Dystopia is kind of a YA genre anyway. But is Dronefall really YA? Guys, I actually still don’t know for certain. In a lot of ways, it breaks too many norms. It certainly doesn’t involve much in the way of coming-of-age, romance, or any of the more recognizable “teen issues” most YA is expected to include. How off the beaten track is too far?


I started this post out by mentioning Angela R. Watts’ Divided Nation on purpose, because I believe it is another case of a slight conflict between what audiences might expect and what they get. If you’ve heard anything about The Infidel Books, you probably know the series is described as “gritty.” It includes some mild swearing and a lot of content a good percentage of the Christian readership prefers not to deal with in fiction. Because of this, the author seems to be trying to market the books as secular fiction, not intended for a Christian audience.


There’s a problem with this, though. Divided Nation is definitely Christian. I can’t imagine a non-Christian reading through it comfortably. So, we have another case where a book seems to be sitting in an uncomfortable place between potential audiences. So, who is the book for?


This will likely be a problem for any artist who steps outside of what’s expected and does something unique. The moment you step outside of expectations, you take a risk. You have to ask yourself “is this risk really worth taking? Do I really love this elements enough to possibly throw my readers for a loop by including them?” For me, the answer is yes. I love my genre and the way I’ve decided to subvert expectations with my plot and characters. I think, if people will give my work a chance, they might find they enjoy it too.


I think that’s how you have to approach audience expectations. Figure out what they are. Evaluate them. Decide what you can get away with and then go forward in faith. In the end, if you have a mission, it’s your call to follow it. Even if no one comes with you.

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Dronefall My Books

Dronefall Halftime Tour Wrap-Up

This post is a bit late but there you have it: my first-ever attempt at running a blog-tour for my books. Once again, many thanks to the wonderful bloggers who volunteered to collaborate with me for this event. If you missed it, here’s the roundup:

Feb 3rd: Nicki Chapelway at Myths, Magic, and Madness (spotlight)
Feb 4th: SHINE at hauntingghosttown (interview)
Feb 5th: Bree Dawn at The Long Voyage (interview)
Feb 7th: Oceane McAllister at Oceane’s Writing Rambles (interview)
Feb 8th: Elizabeth at Elizabeth’s Corner (interview)
Feb 9th: Nicole Dust at Legend of a Writer (interview)
I also want to take the opportunity to thank my readers and friends and followers who have supported me up until this point in the adventure of writing and publishing the Dronefall Series. I hope you had some fun learning a bit more about me, and about Dronefall and the story behind it. 
I’m really excited to move on to the second half of the series. I promise, if you’ve gotten this far, it only gets better. All those crazy clues I’ve been scattering all over the first three books are about to start exploding, and all those odd little hints at subplots are going to start expanding and weaving into the main narrative. Your patience will be rewarded.
I thought now would be a good time to give you some updates on my progress on book four, Nightstare. 
My current word-count for Nightstare is 93,118. (My anticipated final word-count is ~120,000, making it the longest Dronefall book yet, and bypassing End of the Saros as the second-longest novel I’ve ever written.
I’m a couple of pages into chapter nineteen, which is tentatively titled “Clearing the Sky.” Nightstare will ultimately be twenty-two chapters long, if I don’t cut or add anything too drastic.
After finishing the first draft, I’ve got a few edits I know I have to make before going on to my alpha and beta readers. I’ll be seeking a small army of beta readers when the time comes, so stay tuned. I might call on you. 
Oh, and two more quick announcements: I have an Instagram now. @albuehrerauthor. And the Dronefall series is now on Kindle Unlimited! You’re welcome. 

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Uncategorized

Introducing…The Dronefall Halftime Tour!

This is going to be my first-ever blog tour for anything I’ve written. I have to say, organization, particularly when it involves other people, is definitely not my strong point. (Note that this opening post is a couple of days late.) Neither is self-promotion. I think a lot of authors can relate.
I decided that 2020 was going to be different, and I was going to go ahead and attempt some promotional activity, weather it actually went that well or not. So, here’s my first try. I’m putting on a blog tour celebrating the release of book three of six in the Dronefall series.
Many thanks to the amazing bloggers that volunteered and put up with my panic-inducingly last-minute scrambling to get this thing scheduled. Your time and energy are greatly appreciated. A round of applause, please.
Dronefall has been a major endeavor so far. I think about it every day, and there have been loads of unforeseen roadblocks and hurdles. But check it out, I’m three books in—halfway through. And I’ve overall had a lot more fun than frustration, I think. 
So, my awesome readers, or would-be readers, may I introduce The Dronefall Halftime Tour. Seven days of spotlights, interviews and reviews from bloggers you may or may not know, but soon will. Here’s the all-star lineup: 
Feb 3rd: Nicki Chapelway at Myths, Magic, and Madness (spotlight)
Feb 4th: SHINE at hauntingghosttown (interview)
Feb 5th: Bree Dawn at The Long Voyage (interview)
Feb 7th: Oceane McAllister at Oceane’s Writing Rambles (interview)
Feb 8th: Elizabeth at Elizabeth’s Corner (interview)
Feb 9th: Nicole Dust at Legend of a Writer (interview)

Be sure to stop by all these blogs and give them a read. They do good work.

And, should the urge strike you, skip over to Amazon and pick up any of the three Dronefall books. They’re currently just 99c each. You’re welcome. 

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Dronefall My Books The Birth of Dronefall

The Birth of Dronefall: The Story

I’ve had a lot of dreams like this: Who are they? We don’t know. What do they want? Can’t say. But they’re peeping at the windows, and we’ve got to hide.

I was researching for a project in college when my interest in drones and mass-surveillance solidified. I started to conjure up a future where drones ran the world. They dominated the airspace, delivered the packages, cleaned the chimneys, kept the peace, and few questioned it. This was a world that believed constant surveillance was the only way to protect the public. But in the end, humans still had to call the shots. Someone had to decide who was a threat.
For my main character, I picked out a cynical young woman who believes she’s irrelevant and invisible to society—until someone behind a monitor (or is it just an algorithm?) seems to target her as a threat. So, she takes off and joins her only friend in a neighborhood full of Christians that have their own reasons they wish they were invisible.
I don’t know. A story about a gang of people who hunt surveillance drones just sounded kind of fun to me. There was just enough escapism in the sci-fi concepts to pull me in. I wanted to write a dystopia, but I didn’t really want it to be a non-stop bummer story. The fact that so much of my thematic material was going to hit a lot of readers close to home made me want to make an effort to try to add some contrasting material—explosions, fascinating technology, unusual settings, vibrant characters, and even a decent bit of humor, if I could really pull all that off.
Most importantly, I wanted to give something great to Christian readers. I never meant Dronefall to be an evangelism tool. Life goes on after you get saved. It isn’t easy, either. I wanted to write as a ministry to other Christians, like me, who wanted to step back from the chaos and confusion of life and see life’s spiritual battle from a new vantage-point. I wanted to show them people they could identify with in a world rougher and scarier than their own still standing up for the things we believe in.  
I don’t think the goal of Christian dystopia is to be alarmist or get everyone dreading the future. Instead I want to make Christians aware of the direction the world is headed around us. Because no matter how it looks, it’s a good direction. It’s God’s plotline. You’re a hero in his story and a part of the most thrilling and magnificent epic imaginable. 
If you read the Dronefall series, you’re going to start recognizing elements of it in the world around you. But I hope, beyond the pain the state of history gives you, you’ll discover a sense of exhilaration. Now is the time to stand up, speak out, and shine brightly with the truth of Jesus Christ. This is what you’re on earth for.      

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