Should Christians Write For the General Market? Guest Post by Abigayle Claire

Today on the blog I have invited the lovely Abigayle Claire to discuss a controversial topic near and dear to my heart, should Christian writers produce content for secular markets? Thanks for stopping by today, Abi, I'll hand the conversation over to you!

If you've been around the writing world for long, you've probably come across writers who are Christian but don't publish Christian fiction. Sounds like a bit of an anomaly, doesn't it?

All that means is that the book isn't explicitly Christian. There's no character who becomes a Christian, and often there's no God at all. Therefore, the general market (instead of just Christians) can enjoy the book without feeling preached to. 

I know lots of Christian writers who get flak from other Christians for writing a general market book. I don't think that's fair simply because what someone writes should be a matter of personal conviction.

Some Christians treat writing for the general market as a compromise when, in reality, it's a way to get Christian concepts into more people's hands.

Do you think The Lord of the Rings series would still be widely popular over sixty years since publication and have made billions as a movie series if it had been explicitly Christian? Probably not. Yet Tolkien was Christian, and so the stories convey truths that everyone needs to hear. (Not that Christian market series can't be similarly successful; look at Left Behind.)

So there's another reason the condemnation needs to go out the window: Christian market or not, it's impossible for a Christian to write a non-Christian book. The author's beliefs and experiences, whatever they may be, always trickle into their writing. 

Now, sometimes a book written for the general market will also include things like profanity that wouldn't be acceptable in a Christian market. Yet even though I have my preferences about what I'll read and write, other people have different standards. Writing is personal, so we shouldn't be shocked when it's personalized. Content is still a matter of personal conviction.

To finally answer the title question, I don't think there's anything wrong with Christians writing for the general market if that's what they feel led to do. I also don't think there's anything wrong with Christians who publish only Christian fiction. It depends on the person.

What I do think is wrong is all this condemnation. Just because a Christian writes a book that might cross lines you wouldn't cross (as a reader or a writer) doesn't necessarily make them a bad person or a poor Christian. 

With all my emphasis on personal conviction, I do think every Christian writer should be careful to follow God's leading. Your first inclination might not be what God has in mind. Ultimately, Christians are representing God in their writing whether He's a character in the book or not. Writing is not something to be taken lightly, but nor is it something to be stuffed into a box.

Abigayle has been a writer ever since her mother taught her how to hold a pencil. Inspired by a literal dream at the age of sixteen, she set off on a journey to self-publish her first novel. Since then, Abigayle has devoted herself to sharing what she has learned through her blog and affordable editing services. None of her successes would be possible without the support of her Savior, large family, and online community.

Website: www.abigayleclaire.com

Blog: www.theleft-handedtypist.blogspot.com

Social Media: @abitheauthor

What are your thoughts on this subject? Let us know in the comments below!