For most authors, this may sound like a silly question. If they're Christian, then of course they're featuring the God of the Bible, the Father who sent His Son into the world. There is only one God they could possible feature in their writing...right? Well, not exactly. I just read three different novels that I … Continue reading What Kind of God is in Your Christian Fiction?
Category: Christian Aesthetic
I've been thinking about characters and their appearances in preparation for the "Characters in Costume" blogfest for the end of October, and I've also been reading some of the classic Disney stories to my two sons. As a result, I've been thinking about the way Cinderella's stepsisters come across in the books and film. Anastasia … Continue reading Cinderella’s Stepsisters: Ugly or Mislabeled?
Earlier this week, we looked at C. S. Lewis' thoughts on Christianity and Culture, which discusses his philosophy of writing--why he wrote what he wrote. He felt that "The abuse of culture is already there, and will continue whether Christians cease to be cultured or not. It is therefore probably better that the ranks of the ‘culture-sellers’ should include … Continue reading C. S. Lewis’ Philosophy of Writing
I wanted to spend some time looking at Christian engagement in culture and the arts, and naturally, I turned to C. S. Lewis to see what he might have to say on the matter. In his article, "Christianity and Culture," he explores whether Christians ought to be involved in producing culture in the first place. In response … Continue reading C. S. Lewis in Defense of Culture and His Vocation
It sounds audacious, but it is largely the premise of Dorothy L. Sayers' The Mind of the Maker. Because writers, like other artists, are "sub-creators," they can give us a unique perspective on the Creator Himself, which can simplify questions of how one can make good and evil, and how miracle, free will, and the Trinity might … Continue reading What Writing Can Tell Us About God
As Patrick from patrick's thoughts reminded me in his comments on my initial post on writing as a Christian, Christian authors have a standard to uphold. We cannot approach novel writing just as non-Christian novelists do. 1 John 1:6 says, "If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and … Continue reading Should Christian Novels Should Be Different?
This isn't a guide to writing typical "Christian fiction," but an exploration of how one writes fiction as a Christian. After writing my last post about "What Makes a Christian Author 'Christian'?," I realized there was still some unanswered questions. What does fiction written by Christians look like? How is it different from fiction by … Continue reading Developing a Novel as a Christian
I have come across a few readers, at various times, who avoid certain fantasy books just because the authors are Christian. No other reason is given; they even admit that, until they read a remark in another reader's review, they didn't know the author's religious beliefs. And it made me wonder why this matters. Can … Continue reading What Makes a Christian Author “Christian”?
Fantasy as a genre has become extraordinarily popular with young adults, movie makers, and television viewers. Its unique abandonment of the world we know lets you have complete control of the world you create--there are no true rules in fantasy. Which should make writing fantasy easier...right? I don't think so, and having read and reviewed … Continue reading On Writing Fantasy #atozchallenge #amwriting
I recently came across the existence of Jane Austen's prayers while reading the annotated Pride and Prejudice. Before that, I'd never known such a thing existed, despite having read numerous biographies and books about her and her writings. I knew we had many of her letters; I'd even read the deleted chapter if Persuasion, but … Continue reading Jane Austen and Christianity, Part Two
Andrea Lundgren 