There’s a rule-breaker in all of us

Do you ever get tired of the rules? I know I do. As a writer, I try to keep up with as many writing blogs as I can, and if there’s one thing the blogs like to preach endlessly on it’s the rules. I guess it provides for good material since there are apparently so many, but I sometimes find myself reading these posts and thinking, “Who makes this stuff up?” Granted, there are some things that are perfectly legitimate. Grammar and spelling, for instance, are norms that writers shouldn’t depart from without good reason. There are also great rules about story cohesion, such as the need to take your character from his/her original point to a point of change, usually through crisis and conflict. Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, and Denouement represent a proven order for plot progression. Proper use of adjectives and adverbs, not boring a reader to death with description, watching for narrative quirks, etc, are all good rules that authors should consider while writing.

But there are others that baffle me. One I saw recently is called “floating body parts.” Apparently characters cannot roll their eyes or throw their arms up in the air. The argument here is that eyes do not literally “roll.” You can’t literally “throw” your arms in the air if they are still attached to your body. Thus, floating body parts. Though why common euphemisms should be forbidden in writing, I can’t explain. The use of cliches is another “rule.” But this seems to ignore the fact that your characters might live in a real world where these cliches are used. Why, then, wouldn’t they be present in their dialogue or internal thoughts? Another is scene structure: some people want scenes to begin with action; others want establishment of setting; still others want a clear introduction of the POV character, if it is shifting. All the more impressive if you can accomplish all of this in the first sentence…every single time you start a scene. Wow, not asking for much, huh? Especially since the overwhelming majority of readers care very little for craft, so long as it is at least average. They come for story.

That’s not to say craft doesn’t matter. It does. And neither is it to say that some of these “rules” aren’t in your best interest to follow. Perhaps they are. But, a little eye-rolling and arm-throwing shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying a great story. If it does, you are taking your reviewing skills WAY too far.

By the same token, if you pay too much attention to the rules while writing or editing your book, you might suck the soul right out of it. You’re not writing an essay, after all. The best “craft” you can ever learn is how to bleed your heart and soul onto the page (figuratively, of course). Learn to follow the rules when they should be followed, bend them when they should be bent, and break them when they must be broken.

As a writer I see myself first and foremost as a storyteller. Do I want to tell it well? Of course! But that doesn’t mean that I should follow every single nuance of writing craft. Then my writing might become indistinguishable from that of other writers out there, and where’s the fun in that?

What character are you in the story, and what does it say about you?

Today’s post is a little bit about writing and a lot about life. In any novel, whether one you’re reading or one you’re writing, there are characters that help shape the plot of your story and get your readers invested. The main character is your protagonist (or hero), and generally the story is going to revolve around this character. How he sees the other characters will be how we see them. While in the novel both his failures and his victories are ours, and if the author is really good we might even see a bit of ourselves in him.

But there are other characters besides the protagonist, and they are no less important to the story. How they interact with the hero influences the way we see them. If they oppose the character they may be either villain or rival. If they help the character they may be friend or guide. If they care deeply for they character they may be the love interest(s). You get the idea.

So let’s apply this to real life for a minute. Obviously, we are each the heroes of our own stories. We have friends, enemies, rivals, and lovers. We have leaders who guide us, encouragers who lift us up, haters who tear us down, and occasionally other heroes who save us. No doubt most of you could place multiple names to each of those descriptions. That’s the easy part.

The hard question that I want to ask is not who you are in your story, but who you are in the stories of others. This will say more about who you really are.

I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but there was a point when I was a kid that I finally realized the truth that people don’t stay in our lives forever. Sometimes we meet in passing, sometimes we know each other for years before life takes us elsewhere, sometimes we fall in love and then say goodbye, and then sometimes we find those relationships that last a lifetime, parted only by death.

How do all these people remember me? I often wonder. There are many I still count among my favorite people that I haven’t seen in years–and may not see again this side of Heaven. But I know they left an impact on me, and I hope I left one on them.

In realizing this concept, and thinking long and hard on its implications, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to make the maximum positive impact on every person I met. Encouragement, empathy, and compassion were the things I wanted them to think of when they remembered me. And I wanted them to remember that those things flowed not from me, but from the Grace of God flowing through me to them.

A tall task, and challenging considering that I’m the quiet one in the room until you get to know me. But if God can use me to affect even one life, it is time well-spent.

So I challenge you to consider this of yourself: what character are you in the stories of those around you? How will they remember you if down the road you must part ways? Most importantly, how will they remember the power of Christ in you?

Are you the character you want to be?

A Clash of Kings, by George R. R. Martin

So I obviously came late to the Song of Ice and Fire party, but as I just finished the second book of the series I thought I would post my thoughts. Beware, spoilers ahead.

One thing that’s intriguing to me is just how much the history of Westeros is similar to the history of Britain. There were no dragons in ancient Britain, of course, but there were certain parallels I couldn’t help but notice. The major premise of the series so far is that there are various factions/houses vying for the Iron Throne, which symbolizes absolute rule over the united Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. At the end of A Game of Thrones, it seems clear that the Seven Kingdoms will fragment into several warring factions. The lord of the north, Robb Stark, is the first to officially break away and resurrect the ancient style of his House as Kings in the North, while the two brothers of the recently deceased king each claim the throne for their own. Then, in book two, we learn of another faction: the Greyjoys of Pyke, who hail from an island off the western coast of Westeros and have an affinity for plundering its shores. Not to mention that several hundreds years before the timeline of the books there was this guy named Aegon the Conquerer who came from across the sea to conquer the Seven Kingdoms and unite them. Oh, and there’s a huge wall of ice along the northern border of the kingdom meant to keep out the wildlings and other mythical creatures. Even the shape of Westeros is slightly familiar.

Anyway, you can definitely see some parallels there in the form of Ireland, Hadrian’s Wall, William the Conqueror, and the various times when Scotland tried to break away from its more powerful southern neighbor, England. But these things really serve to make the plot more interesting, at least for me. There are several threads online about this very topic with some taking the parallels so much farther than I ever would have, but if you like both history and fantasy then it’s an interesting study.

I read A Clash of Kings much faster than A Game of Thrones, so I suppose in that sense I was more drawn into the story. There is definitely more action and suspense in the second installment, not to mention a fair share of unexpected surprises. I really enjoyed the novel and at times could hardly put it down, but I do have a few complaints.

First off, I renege on my statement that the descriptions of sex in A Song of Ice and Fire are not gratuitous. While I still hold that it served some purpose in key scenes of A Game of Thrones, I don’t think that is the case in A Clash of Kings. Here I am in this beautiful, sweeping epic of a story, and suddenly it descends into a porno. I don’t like it, George, I don’t like it at all. All descriptions should serve a purpose, sex included. It’s not out of some prudish aversion that I say this. When I arrived at those scenes, it was more like me rolling my eyes and thinking, here we go again. Like Robert Jordan describing teacups in The Wheel of Time, we don’t need it spelled out for us every single time. Most of us know how sex works.

My other large complaint was that there was a good deal of action taking place outside the reach of the POV characters. The result of the final battle, for instance, is told to us after the fact rather than shown while in process. Perhaps Martin was trying to convey how actual combatants and bystanders might experience a battle like that, but as a reader it annoyed me.

Those are my two biggest complaints, yet I would probably still give the book a 4 1/2 out of 5.

Now, for my predictions. I’ve thought since about a quarter of the way though A Game of Thrones that something is up with Jon Snow’s parentage. I don’t think he is Eddard Stark’s illegitimate son, as he is introduced to be. After the second book and some clues that have been dropped along the way, my guess is that he is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. I also suspect that Daenerys will forge an alliance with the Starks as a result of their mutual enmity against the Lannisters. Looks bleak for everyone but Joffrey right now, and I presume that has to change somehow. In any case, don’t tell me if I’m right or wrong. I don’t want to know yet.

Want to publish a novel? Know what you’re getting into

So you’ve written the next big thing. Congratulations! After all the hard work, all the sweat and the tears, you finally get to do more hard work, cry different kinds of tears, and sweat some more. Yes! Alright! Wait…what? But isn’t the hardest part of being a writer the writing itself? I mean, my book is awesome! And I’m awesome! Line up, agents! Get behind them, publishers! Let’s hear those bids for the next phenomenon!

And then there’s the silence. No one is clinging to your leg and drooling for the chance to crack open your manuscript. In fact, you have a hard time finding someone to read it at all. And that’s when the disappointment sets in and you wonder what in the world you’ve gotten yourself into. You might have poured years into this novel, and no one wants it. Bummer.

Just from things I’ve heard and seen from people talking about writing, there seems to be a belief floating around that if you write a novel it will of course be published. Almost like being published is as easy as walking into a club. All the bouncer needs to see is “The End” written on the last page. I’m not sure where this idea came from, but it simply isn’t true, and you’ll save yourself a lot of heartache later if you know it on the front end.

So, if you’re looking to get published or are just starting into your dream of writing, here are some things you should probably know. First off, there are a LOT of people who think they can write well. A lot a lot a lot. And every single one also believes they have written the next great title in their genre. This is crucial to understand, because it is basically the reason why agents do not seek, they are sought. There are already an infinite number of good, great, mediocre, and terrible writers begging them for a contract. Most don’t have time to seek out talent. Therefore, the talent must come to them. Don’t take it personally.

Also, publishing a novel typically takes forever. The industry moves like molasses, so if you’re taking the traditional publishing route you need to be prepared for the long haul. Patience is a virtue here. If you don’t have it, get it, because you’re definitely going to need it.

Everybody has an opinion. Once your book is out there you will receive negative reviews. I’ve heard stories that just make my mouth hang open where authors will actually track down their poor reviewers via the web and hassle them to take down the review. People…that is not professional. It isn’t even honest. Receiving negative feedback is part of the risk in publishing. If you don’t like it, don’t publish. Plus, as you’ll see here, those negative reviews are important to me if I want to read your book. “Haters gonna hate,” and if a book is good I expect it to have some haters. Backwards thinking? Maybe. But if you have twenty good reviews and two bad ones, your book is more legit than one with ten five-starred reviews.

Don’t take yourself too seriously. I consider myself an unpublished author despite my brief stint with vanity publishing, and I hope eventually to be able to write full time. But whether I do or I don’t doesn’t matter. When I stand before God’s throne he isn’t going to ask me how many books I’ve sold. He’s going to be concerned with whether or not I was a good steward of the talent he gave me. So, if you have success, don’t let it go to your head. You’re still the same person whether you’ve sold 1 book or 1 million. And in all probability, someone took a chance to get you to that success. Don’t forget to give those chances as well.

Overall, we just need to keep in mind why we do what we do, and for writers of Christian fiction that purpose should be pretty clear. If God has given you a dream to be a writer, trust him to get you where he wants you to be. Just know that it won’t always be smooth-sailing.

Genre: help, hindrance, or both?

For those of you who may not know, I am an author. I write Christian fiction…more specifically I write speculative Christian fiction. My current project is a dystopian epic (epic the noun, not epic the adjective…that would just be arrogant ). It is also a romance. It is a war drama. Its themes range from love and vengeance to sin and redemption, honor and betrayal to law and politics. Its characters are soldiers, rebels, warriors, dreamers, noblemen, assassins, traitors, and unlikely heroes. It speaks to the legacy a generation leaves for posterity, and the hopes a parent leaves behind for their child.

Melodramatic description? Probably. But I say all that to illustrate this point: despite the fact that the novel (or series of novels, as in this case) explores so many different things in so many different areas, whenever my book is published you are likely to see only two words in the genre line. Christian. Speculative. Or maybe Religious. Science Fiction. Which of course tells you very little about the book.

The Helps of Genre
So what is genre for, exactly? You may have been reading books your entire life and never even noticed those words above the barcode, let alone considered what part they played in getting that book from an author’s finished manuscript to the copy you hold in your hand. We all have different ways of selecting our reading, but let’s say you walk into a bookstore with the general desire to pick up a new fantasy novel. On the shelf you see three different books that interest you: A Game of Thrones, The Eye of the World, and The Fellowship of the Ring. All are high fantasy, but thats really where their similarities end. So you pick up each in turn, read the back cover copy, maybe check out some online reviews with your phone, and then make your final decision. Ultimately you base your choice on which most interests you, but genre is what first got you to those books. So as readers genre helps us narrow down what were looking for. But what about as writers? Well, to state the obvious it helps readers find you. If you write science fiction, your main audience is readers of that genre…easy marketing, right?

The Hindrances of Genre
So here comes the problem, briefly stated above. What if your genre has the potential to scare away a good portion of readers who might really enjoy your book because of its other content? For example, you write a story about a man on a spaceship fleeing from his destroyed world. Amidst the struggles of survival, he falls in love with a woman who has a mysterious past. The main plot elements of your book may be romance and intrigue, but because of the setting it may get labeled science fiction. Now, there may be many women who would thoroughly enjoy your story, but chances are a good portion of them wouldn’t be caught dead in the science fiction section. So unless your book becomes popular and makes it to that coveted place in the front of the store, those readers will never learn of it. The opposite is true as well. Same book is classified as a romance. Sci Fi readers might enjoy the “fleeing from the destroyed world” part along with the woman’s “mysterious past.” But they don’t shop in the romance section. Get real.

Once upon a time this was a problem with no answer. It simply isn’t practical for a store to shelve a single title in two separate sections of the store. But with the rise of the digital age, browsing for a new book to read is an entirely different experience. Chances are good that even many of those who walk into their local Barnes & Noble have a pretty decent idea what they’re looking for, because they researched it online before coming in. And digitally, it is no problem to classify the theoretical book above as both science fiction and romance. You can even tag it with other words that will attract the right readers as well.

So what’s the point of this post? I’ve just identified a problem that is no longer a problem, or so it seems. Unfortunately, while the genre gap is closing on the reader/consumer side of the equation, it is still an issue on the writer/publishing side. As I mentioned before, my current work falls in the category of speculative Christian fiction. It’s a genre that has made some great strides, but mostly you only see the standout titles in stores. They’re viewed as more of a risk in Christian stores because speculative readers don’t typically shop there (part of the reason for this in my opinion is that the fiction sections in most CBA stores are not divided into genres at all, so the overbearing amount of Historicals and romances swallow up the few speculative titles, but that’s a post for another day). So, then, what I’ve been finding during my search for publication is that the overwhelming majority of Christian publishers flat out refuse to review speculative fiction. They even list it in their guidelines.

But going back to what we saw about the closing genre gap on the reader/consumer side due to ebooks, is this a fair–or even wise–decision on their part? Sure, it might be set in the future or in an alternate world…but is it well-written? Does it have aspects that might attract romance readers? Suspense readers? Christians? How can we market this book to appeal to an audience clamoring for more speculative fiction and also reach out to our current pool of readers? These are the questions authors and publishers should be asking. “What genre” is still an important question, but as we head further into the digital age it may not be wise for publishers to make it their first one.

Then again, I could be way off base here. What do you think? How important a factor is genre when you look for a new book to read or a movie to see? Is it less important than it used to be?

The Waiting Game

I hate waiting. There, I said it. Feels good to get that off my chest.

Actually I consider myself a very patient person in most areas, but there are some things that just keep me on the edge of my seat. Writing, for instance. If I could just stare at my computer and have my entire book appear on the screen it would be the best day ever. I’d even take pulling a couple of all-nighters to finish the thing, just to have it done. Then there is editing, writing proposals, waiting for responses on said proposals…it never ends. So I got to thinking this morning not just about the value of patience, but the value of waiting. Why is it necessary? Why shouldn’t we just have everything right now?

Aside from the fact that the world simply doesn’t work that way, when we are forced to wait on something we discover how valuable it is to us. My best illustration of the joys of waiting is this: I waited on my wife for many years before we met. I had no idea where she was, who she was, or how I might find her. I just knew she was out there somewhere and that one day in God’s timing our paths would cross. That’s not to say I didn’t search for her. Also, it would be lie to suggest I wasn’t tempted at times to settle for less than what God had in store for me. In fact, I would even go as far as to admit that sometimes I just didn’t want to believe she was out there at all. This speaks to a lack of faith, I think. We want to take control of our own lives and direct them as we please, rather than trusting God to lead us into what is best. We want it now, not realizing that now might not be as good as what comes later. Waiting is an exercise in faith, trusting that the thing God has placed on our heart is right around the corner despite having no proof to back up that claim.

Looking back now, I laugh at myself. If I had known in the beginning what waited for me on that day when I met my wife I would never have considered settling. In fact, I would have waited twice as long if that’s what it took to be with her. Now I see the value of it, for it wasn’t just that we were perfect for each other. We were perfect for each other at that specific point in time. In sharing our personal histories with one another, we learned that had we met earlier our relationship might have turned out very differently. But because of God’s timing, we met at the perfect moment to entwine our lives and move forward together.

But we never realize these things until the waiting is over. Once we reach our goal we can say with confidence “now I understand what it was all about.” So why is it that while in the midst of waiting we are always so frustrated and impatient? Has God not shown us how much better things are in His timing?

I’m going through a period of waiting right now, and it is difficult. Even though I know all of what I just said above is true, it’s been hard to let go and have faith in God’s perfect timing. Often I find myself focused on what I want alone, instead of allowing God to prepare me for what might be ahead. Instead of asking myself “Will I get it?” I should be asking questions like, “What will I do when I get it?” and “How is God preparing me in this time to be used mightily for Him?”

I challenge you to consider what you are waiting for today. Is it that perfect relationship? The perfect career? Whatever it is, I encourage you to place it in God’s hands and trust in his perfect timing.

That’s what I’m trying to do

A Game of Thrones, by George R. R. Martin

Quite literally, I just put down A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin, and I’m pausing for just a moment to write this blog before rushing to pick up A Clash of Kings. It was an excellent book…so X-Rated, but excellent. I’ve had the series since Christmas, but was in the middle of The Wheel of Time (and still am–that series just does not end). I ended up watching the HBO adaptation of A Game of Thrones on DVD, and then I knew the series had to be next on my list.

I really don’t recommend seeing the TV show if you intend to read the book. The TV show is also incredible, but part of the reason for that is that it follows the book very closely. I wish I had read the book first and then watched the show, but oh well…can’t turn back time, I guess.

Let me first say that this series is not for the faint of heart. Martin doesn’t shirk away from descriptions of anything, and I know many will probably claim it is gratuitous. However, I think I know why he did it and it enhances the book for me. The novel is almost entirely in third person limited, but point of view switches between characters throughout the novel. In real life, our minds do not censor what we see. Martin moves setting and descriptions through the thoughts and actions of his POV characters, completely uncensored, as they see their world, this fictional place that Martin has created. So is all the sex and violence gratuitous? Some, maybe. But most, I think, is just him being true to the characters and the world in which they live. My advice is to read with discernment, however. This is an adult book.

For those who live under a rock and don’t know about A Song of Ice and Fire, it is a fantasy series set in the kingdom of Westeros, where various Houses vie for control of the Iron Throne and by proxy, the right to rule the entire kingdom. Very heavy on politics, including gender and sexual politics, it is also about questions of morality in the face of hard decisions. Should you cast aside honor and morality to spare lives and avert war, for instance? It is also interesting that the protagonists can be divided onto three completely different sides of the conflict. I know who I’m rooting for, but I’m curious to see if other readers felt the same.

In any case, if you like high fantasy this is definitely one you won’t want to miss.

I give it five stars, and long live House Stark!

Further thoughts on the gospel in fiction…authors who did it well

In a previous post I talked about how the gospel still has a place in fiction despite those who say it can’t be done well, so today I want to expand on that a little bit. I talked about some things authors do wrong when they approach the gospel in fiction, so for more on that click here. Now, to talk about what a story that presents the gospel should look like. Let’s look at a few examples.

Allegory: Narnia and Albion
No surprise to find C. S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia in any discussion about incorporating the gospel into fiction. Why? Because he did so very well. While his messages became more overt in The Last Battle, throughout the majority of the series he used symbolism to make his points. However, even in making those points he left certain things up to the reader’s interpretation. To anyone familiar with Christianity it is obvious that Aslan represents Christ in the story. However, Aslan’s speeches aren’t sermons. Lewis moves his symbolism through the actions of the characters. Because the action of the story remains paramount and the message is at best secondary, he maintains suspense throughout and manages not to let his symbolism become overbearing. There are real stakes for the characters, and that is something that some allegories fail to grasp, instead giving us a story whose end we already know from the first paragraph.

Though beloved by people of all ages, I will admit that Narnia has a slight advantage in the sense that it is a children’s story. Expectations are lower in the sense that you expect a story written so children can ‘get it.’ But when you see that Lewis weaved in massive amounts of theology and eternal questions along with this children’s tale and somehow made both work, it’s astounding enough to declare a classic.

So how about an adult example? There are a few, but the one I want to hone in on is Stephen Lawhead’s Song of Albion. I picked up the first novel in the trilogy, The Paradise War, soon after reading Lawhead’s first two King Raven novels, which were current at the time. And while I enjoyed King Raven enough to look for more by Lawhead, those novels turned out to be nothing next to Albion. Very similar to Narnia, The Song of Albion follows a man who stumbles into an alternate universe called the Otherworld, which though distinct from ours is also tightly woven together with it. Steeped heavily in Celtic mythology, Albion presents a medieval world of warriors and bards that comes under threat when an age-old terror long held at bay by the Phantarchs returns and lays waste to the Kingdom of Prydain. What develops afterward is a stunning tale of betrayal and heroism that made it hard to put the novels down. The Silver Hand, part two of the trilogy, remains one of my favorite novels of all time, and is told from the perspective of a blind man. Intriguing, yes? However, in between all of the epic battles and shocking betrayals Lawhead also managed to weave a great allegory–all the more interesting because the Christ figure that emerges isn’t really the one you might think at first. But again, the action of the story and the development of the characters remains primary. You never get the feeling that the plot takes a character by the neck and forces him into line with the allegory, like some do. It flows well, it makes sense, and it gets you thinking. He doesn’t treat you like an idiot at the end, either. Certain things are left up to reader interpretation. If you haven’t read it, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Explicit Reference: This Present Darkness and Redeeming Love (SPOILERS LIKELY)
Both of these books are well-known in Christian fiction, so chances are you’ve heard of them. Frank Peretti’s This Present Darkness is a novel about spiritual warfare, and incorporates speculative scenes that depict that struggle as seen through the eyes of angels and demons. These scenes are interwoven with those of humanity’s view of the conflict, which is cool. There are certainly some questionable assumptions and oversimplifications in the novel, but what I appreciate about This Present Darkness is the way it allows its main character to develop into a man who chooses to follow Christ, in stark contrast to the widely used formula where the character spends the majority of the novel running from God (despite knowing He is probably real from the get-go) and then finally succumbs to His pursuit, with no real character evolution at all. Attention all Christian writers: a conversion to Christianity does not equal character development! You can’t have a completely flat character and then call him dynamic because he finds Christ at the end. When it comes to character development, Peretti did very well. I believed the main character’s journey, and I believed his conversion experience. Therefore it made the presentation of the gospel more powerful.

Another arguably better example of explicit reference to the gospel in fiction comes from Francine Rivers in Redeeming Love. It is my opinion that any author who aspires to write in the CBA, regardless of genre, should read at least one Francine Rivers book. Despite not being an enormous fan of straight-up Romance, I’ve read four, and let me tell ya: she knows how to bring it. Not just in an “aw, how sweet” kind of way…more like clinging to the page while mentally (or verbally) shouting at the main character “Kiss her! Kiss her!” Kudos to Francine Rivers for being able to elicit that reaction from at least one of her male readers. Another thing to be said about Redeeming Love is the progression of the characters. It would have been easier, probably, to write the male character as static and the female as dynamic, since she is the one who undergoes the most transformation. However, she paid attention to his development as well, slowly moving him from a man loving her only because he felt God had asked it of him to loving her of his own accord. And I think when you read the book that change in the male character has a profound effect on the female character’s transformation as well. But, that being said, Redeeming Love is about much more than the romance between the two leads. The main character has so much to overcome in her personal history before she can even think to love anyone, and the presentation of this comes off as very believable. The spiritual stake is not understated, yet at the same time it doesn’t overshadow the huge emotional stakes and social themes of the book. Another that I highly recommend, though I suggest you check out some other reviews first. It is very adult-themed for a christian novel.

Use Your Best Criticism
I suppose the bottom line is that weaving the gospel into your story is a matter of craft. If you’re going to do it then do it well. There are plenty of examples out there of authors who have (and infinitely more of those who haven’t). Just like any other part of craft, you have to be willing to tear down your own work. When you look at the book objectively, how does it measure up? If it had been written by another author instead of you, would the gospel presentation seem powerful or trite? Does it enhance the plot or hinder it? If you don’t like what you see, alter it. There’s no shame in going back to the drawing board. In fact, I’d imagine most of the best authors find themselves back there quite often.

The Hunger Games: are movie-goers missing the point?

There’s been a lot of buzz about the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, which released last week. The movie has grossed in the hundreds of millions thus far, and will likely retain its number one spot at the box office this weekend. I read all three books not too long ago and was excited to see the film, but only got around to it earlier today. I walked out of the theater deeply affected, which doesn’t often happen to me, so I thought I would share some of the things on my mind in this unplanned blog post.

For starters, it was a great adaptation of the book and also an extraordinarily well-done film–a combination that rarely happens. There are so many moments I could point to and say that I was completely drawn in to the intense depth of emotion that fills this entire story. But, there are plenty of reviews out there you can look for on the quality of the movie. What I want to talk about is the reception of the film, and how I think people have completely missed the message of the story.

For starters, The Hunger Games is a dystopian work. It portrays a post-apocalyptic society in which oppression has become the norm and teenagers must fight to the death in an arena for the viewing pleasure of the ruling Capitol. The Hunger Games also serve the purpose of punishing the 12 districts for their rebellion generations prior and reminding them how much power the Capitol has over their lives. Brutal, yes? That is one of the purposes of dystopian fiction: to show us worlds that might exist sometime in the future. But there is another purpose, and that is to warn.

Many dystopias (The Hunger Games being one of these) are not telling stories simply to entertain. They are trying to say something about the society in which we live, to warn us of present issues that may one day grow into something truly terrifying. One of the issues facing us in the first novel/film is, ironically, that of entertainment. Throughout the story we see citizens of the Capitol clamoring and clapping at the prospect that these 24 children and teens will be placed in an arena where they will fight to the death. And we look at that and say “yes, that is horrible, but of course we identify most with the protagonist and want her to win.” I read an article the other day where one movie-goer witnessed others in his theater cheering at the death of other tributes. My very own Twitter and Facebook feeds are filled with comments about how amazing the movie was and how people are going to see it multiple times and how they just love that dear Katniss Everdeen! She’s such a strong and magnificent character! I wonder which boy she will pick, Peeta or Gale?

I walked out of that theater today, and I didn’t have that excited feeling I get whenever I see a movie I want to tell my friends about and see again and again. Instead I felt…sobered. Which then, of course, led me to the question of: are people completely missing the message of this story? Are they going just expecting a Transformers/Harry Potter blockbuster experience and not paying attention to the underlying themes? Maybe it’s just my bias since I write dystopia, but unfortunately I think it’s true. The Hunger Games is not about a romance between a girl and the two boys who care about her, a la Twilight. It’s not even really about the struggle between good and evil, a la Harry Potter. The Hunger Games is a different kind of story, where we as an audience have partaken of the very same sins for which we so abhor the Capitol citizens. We have watched a film where 24 12-18 year-olds are placed in an arena (most against their will) to fight to the death, and we have been entertained by it. Am I the only one seeing the irony here?

True, we know as we sit in the theater that these are all just actors. None of them are really dying. But again, the dystopian warning: does this highlight something in our society that could one day grow into something truly terrifying? Probably not on the scale in The Hunger Games, but…don’t we already watch people half starve to death in Survivor? Aren’t our television shows and movies becoming increasingly more violent (I’m talking blood and gore, here, not just choreographed sword fights)? We always clamor for more! more! Make it seem more realistic! Wow us with something new and exciting! Just how far will we go?

All that said, the movie is what it is. It obviously appeals to a broad audience because there is so much going on in the story, from romance to action to thrills and chills. I did love the movie and will eagerly await the next one. But I can’t help but feel that if you leave the theater and you aren’t seriously moved or sobered by what you have seen, maybe you missed the point Suzanne Collins was trying to make.

Your thoughts?

Thoughts on the gospel in fiction

Right or wrong? Hokey or powerful? There are many different opinions about the presence of the gospel in Christian fiction, from some who believe writers should only stick to symbolism and tales of morality to others who say “if there ain’t an altar call, it ain’t Christian.” So what’s the correct answer? Or is there an answer? Should we even be asking the question?

The Question of Purpose
I suppose a lot of the disagreement can be traced back to the question: what is the purpose of fiction anyway? Some might say to entertain. Others might say to present truths through the medium of story, or to present certain worldviews through the thoughts and experiences of made-up characters. Still others, that fiction should make us think about certain issues and situations in ways that non-fiction simply cannot.

All of these are valid purposes that authors use in fiction, and I would argue that authors come to each novel with purpose even if they can’t quite put their finger on what that purpose might be (sometimes, those are the most fun). So I guess the point is that fiction wears many faces, from straight up entertainment to an all-out crusade to change the lives of readers forever.

An Unapproachable Subject?
So where does the gospel fit in here? Is it possible to have a powerful story that clearly enunciates how to find salvation in Jesus Christ? Strangely, the wider consensus at this point seems to be no. Disappointing, I know, but not without reason. The unfortunate thing is that a good bit of authors these days use the gospel as a crutch, rather than integrating it powerfully into their stories. Why is this? I’m not sure, honestly. Part of me wants to say it has a lot to do with how shallow our vision of the gospel is in the culture at large (a hot topic in and of itself). The formula for the majority of these stories is: girl meets boy, girl is sad either because she doesn’t deserve boy or because boy is not her normal “brand of man,” some huge tragedy or event happens, one character finds Christ as a result so that they can be together, and boy and girl ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after with a little dose of Jesus in their back pockets. They might even kiss and say something like “I’m so glad God brought us together” or “God always knew we were meant for each other.”

I’m going to tread lightly here, because I do still hold to what I said earlier about supporting authors in other CBA genres. Not all Christian Romance is like this, but it wouldn’t have this reputation unless a good portion was. And my response is: what are they thinking?

A Means to an End
The problem with the above approach is that is treats the gospel first as the obstacle (girl and boy can’t be together because one or both are not believers) and then as the Deus Ex Machina (God has intervened in the story and set everything on a path to perfection). Gee, how grand. There’s just one problem: the gospel don’t work that way in real life (poor southern grammar intended). Never, ever, in all my years in the church have I heard a true story where someone found salvation for the sole purpose of falling in love with their dream spouse. Is that why Jesus died? So you could get your happy ending here on planet earth? Maybe we’re not reading from the same Bible, cause that’s not what mine says. So why is the gospel being presented as a means to an end in our fiction? And why is everyone okay with that? Salvation should never be a means to an end in our stories, because it is never just a means to an end in our lives. The gospel is about God reconciling us to Himself, not making us worthy to be in a relationship with the opposite sex. No wonder people call Christian fiction hokey.

Other Missteps
After or perhaps equal with the “hokey” complaint is “too preachy.” Granted, we go to church to hear sermons, read them in Christian Living, and even listen to them on podcasts. We don’t need them disguised in our fiction as well. This causes a great deal of writers to back off of “religious talk” completely and instead of a salvation experience we’re left with an awkward epiphany scene that comes off as kind of hollow. Not that the penultimate chapter conversion would have been any better necessarily, but when you know an author is skirting around what he really wants to say, it kind of ruins the book. Lots of Christian thrillers and suspense novels do this. They get you going with a great nail-biter but then pause to stick in an epiphany or conversion experience as though it’s something they needed to check off their to-do list. Then they just get right back to the main story leaving me to wonder: why was that scene necessary at all? Just so you could tack “Christian” on the front of your genre?

The Greatest Story Ever Told
So the three rules: don’t use the gospel as a means to an end, don’t tell your story from the pulpit, and don’t skimp on truth just to gain a few more readers (they know what you’re doing!) But what else? Well, my only other advice would be that if you’re going to present the gospel in your story then you had better bring it home. We’re all tired of hokey cultural American Christianity. Give us something real, and weave it through your narrative in such a way that it belongs there. Also, recognize that when you incorporate the gospel into your story you stand alongside a giant. There never has been nor will there ever be a story greater than how God reconciled us to himself. There is no greater love story, no greater drama, and no greater tale of sacrifice and war as there is in the tale of Jesus Christ. Accept it…embrace it, and pray that God will use his own story in your story to resonate with readers. If you can’t, then my advice is to leave it out. Not all CBA fiction has to present the gospel, but there should be a standard when they do. Make it real, make it potent, make it powerful…because honestly it already is those things. If you don’t present it that way then the failure is your own.

One last word: when you are dealing in matters of salvation and eternity there will always be naysayers. The word “Jesus” is simply too religious for some people, and you are never going to make them happy. But I wonder often if there will be a library in the New Jerusalem, and if my books will be on those shelves. Will yours? No matter what kind of stories we write, who is it we’re writing for anyway? Something to think about…