Balancing Writing What You Know with Writing What Is Marketable
When you decide to write a Christian book, you have to let your faith guide the process from the very beginning. No matter how your book turns out, you will represent your devotion to the Lord from your unique perspective.
That being said, there is a fine balancing act in all books between writing what you know versus writing what will sell the most books. Often, these two motivations can co-exist, and each has its place in the writing process for faith-based books. You can show your devotion in a crowd-pleasing book without compromising your religious or professional integrity.
Along your journey as an author, your writing style and inspirations can shift and evolve. You may begin as an author writing only what you know before transitioning to a more market-forward author covering topics in the cultural zeitgeist. Only you and your faith can dictate that road, but this article will briefly overview some sources of inspiration.
Using Your Background and Life to Inform Your Writing
On its face, writing about things you are familiar with may seem the easiest and most natural for new authors. For some, that will be true. When writing Christian works, in particular, your faith is crucial to creating a book that showcases your relationship with God. The interplay between your faith and your life story is a compelling combination that will yield powerful results.
Devotionals, Poetry, and Memoirs
Writing inspired by your faith can be most natural when writing non-fiction. When writing devotionals, for example, you will guide the reader’s own spiritual journey. The entries in your devotional can be anything you want, so long as it provokes some faith-based introspection. That can come in the form of prayers you know or stories from your life. Devotionals are one of the most personal pieces an author can write.
Poetry is also deeply personal and will nearly always be informed by the author’s experiences and spirituality. When writing thought-provoking poetry, an author lays their heart on the page, resulting in highly individualized work.
Memoirs are the most clearly informed by one’s own life experiences. Often, Christian memoirs will highlight the author’s relationship with God, whether lifelong or newfound. The result is something that is vulnerable for the author to release. Your faith will guide the aspects of your life that you share with the world.
Fiction Works
Authors can also filter their life through the lens of a fictional story, for adults and younger audiences. When telling a faith-based fiction, it can be helpful to incorporate real-life elements to make the world of the story feel real. This is especially helpful for new novelists entering the field who need an entry point into the field.
The start of the writing process is always the hardest, and it can be an extremely vulnerable time. The book you write based on what you know, no matter the genre, will be personal. Remember, you will have this book to look back on for the rest of your life.
Writing for a Wider Audience
Your faith-based book can still be written for a larger audience while maintaining a strong Christian backbone. Your more personal work might be highly emotionally rewarding, but a book with more mass appeal can be more financially successful. You can still incorporate both elements to create a larger product.
Presumably, it is more natural to write a Christian fiction book with a wide appeal. You are able to craft a new narrative from your imagination, all while incorporating your faith. The story itself can be anything you see fit, just make sure it aligns with your Christian values. You can find success in any fictional genre or topic. The key to a successful Christian story is to create fleshed-out characters who espouse strong faithful values. It is then imperative that the plot these characters travel through is interesting and keeps readers invested.
You can still write a non-fiction Christian book with the market in mind. Using your faith as a throughline, you can write an audience-friendly book that will inspire others. This can include a well-researched historical text or a specific spiritual self-help guide to overcome strife. You can still represent your authentic self when writing a book outside of your initial base of knowledge.
Evolving as a Writer
As you keep advancing in your life as a published author, your writing will naturally change over time. Just make sure to do this without losing the identity or faith in your writing. Some of the most engaging writing a person can do is that which explores the author’s background and faith.
All sorts of audiences are naturally drawn to faith-based works, so there is an audience for any book you choose to write. The first step in getting your book into the world is to start writing. From there, your book can grow and evolve with you as a writer and throughout the editing process.
