I am a Christian, and have a strong faith in God, and my characters never seem to think the way I do, at least not in the beginning. My book, by definition, is a sci-fi cross YA realistic fiction without being 100% realistic. In my previous writings (fanfiction, other attempted stories, and written roleplays), I've had very dark themes and characters, and they all seem to be way down, raw, and emotional. And although I always have a plan to "save" them, or at least make them feel less hopeless and see the light, I never seem to get to writing it.
And now that I'm really trying to finish a story for once, I want it to be meaningful and reflect what I believe and be honoring to God, not just melodramatic bad attempts at writing like my favorite YA authors. Someone who inspires me in her ability to write mostly realistic, non-sugarcoated, Christian fiction is Melody Carlson. She is my favorite current author, but her stories ring true, yet her characters put God in the center of their lives.
I want an amount of Godly spirituality in my story, but I don't know how to make it subtle and real yet. I've prayed over it, but I guess... I just don't know. And my only decidedly Christian character was dead before the book started. I don't know how well my story's being written right now, but this has been bugging me... I don't want to omit the truth from my novel, but I don't want to seem too ulterior-motively like it does in my head and sometimes on the page (hardly in the matter of Christianity yet, but in political things and I don't know, I feel jerkish and not informed enough...)
What do you guys think? Any advice?
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Nano '09 (my first year): "Interference"- currently at 22408 words
40,010 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 17 36
Hello my friend!
Originally, I wasn't going to have Christianity/Catholicism take a huge part in my story. But, as I was writing, I realized... it can't ignore it. Religion is a huge part in my character's lives. (Well, at least the main ones). God isn't the center of their lives because, I mean, face it, a 8-11 year old has "better" things to put in the center of their lives.
I know a little bit about your story, and well.. it's the subtle things. Like, having your characters pray to God, or have them think about what He wants. I mean, they don't have to go around preaching, but if they can just do little things that show they are devout and love God... it's very easy to pull off subtly.
Sometimes, characters just don't want to do it. They can be very headstrong and they are like people. Some people, just like in real life, refuse to see the light. You can't force them into anything, but if you find a time where they are alone and they desperately need help, try asking them to pray. If they don't know what to do, tell them to think about God.
I'm probably totally unhelpful, but that's all I can really think to say.
40,148 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 17 55
No, you're really helpful. Yeah, I see where you're coming from there. And it's true, characters ARE like people. Mine... well, they're never really outright Christian. In the society they live in now, it's very unacceptable to be Christian, or even to believe any "religion", though having a religion is mostly accepted as long as you don't let it overtake your "logic" or say that you believe that everything is true in its own right, or having no absolute truth, etc.
----------Michelle Nichol/Abbort was/is the only outright Christian so far in the book, and I haven't really expanded on her faith, but I want it to be a significant part of the way she lived. The only problem is, she is the biggest victim of the novel so far, and it may later make it look like the way she died was because she believed what she did and was not wise enough to walk away from Alexander Abbort (corrupt leader of America with a dark and similar lineage, trying to take over the world) or expose him, or was an easier victim for brainwashing because of what she thought. Parts of her journal will be featured in the chapters of the story, because that is how her son figured out where she was "located" to try and prevent her from meeting or being in a relationship with Alexander. I want her to be hopeful and faithful throughout all of her negative circumstances, and her death being an honorable, albeit dark and violent, one, something she did in order to defend her child.
Like I said, the story's dark, but I've known this story since literally, January 2007, and it's changed and developed during that time. Michelle and my other characters never had an apparent or specific beliefs system. The importance of the Lord in my stories seemed to be undermined or unreferenced previously. And now I want to change it up a lot. I want it to be subtle, but not so subtle that the meanings are ambigous, but subtle so that the message is right there between the lines. Michelle isn't going to be the only Christian character, nor the only character-form influence of the Truth in the story, yet she'll probably be an integral part.
I want my book to be able to be sold in a Christian bookstore, yet still sold in Barnes and Noble without being put in a section that will turn non-Christians off from reading it. Like the bands Switchfoot and Flyleaf. They have very apparent messages, yet some people don't realize immediately that the members are Christian, and they use their talents to serve God and reach out to others, without being preachy or obvious. While being raw and real.
Nano '09 (my first year): "Interference"- currently at 22408 words