Ensuring Biblical Accuracy in Christian Literature

Christian readers are always on the lookout for new faith-based books to read. Whether fiction stories with strong values or spiritual guides, there is a whole literary world out there. Ultimately, people look to books to reinforce different parts of their faith. However, it is of utmost importance that all references to Scripture are accurate and truly reflective of His word.

No matter what shape your biblical reference takes in your book, always ensure it is accurate. If you write a book that misrepresents the Scripture, readers will not be able to trust your opinions. Of course, much of Scripture is open to interpretation — that is why there are so many new books analyzing it.

Each book, chapter, and verse of the Bible is sacred. Here at Cloverly Christian, we want you to have the tools necessary to express your faith through your writing. This article briefly outlines some issues surrounding ensuring biblical accuracy in all types of Christian books.

Authors’ Backgrounds and Personal Faith

Your book is always your book. No matter what topic or topics it covers, you know best what goes into your story. As such, you are always in control of the biblical content you decide to write about. You can share specific parables or quotes, or you can use it as a basis for another story.

Your unwavering Christian faith and background with His word guides your writing from the first page. Only you know what to include in your book. That is a fantastic place to start when it comes to ensuring biblical accuracy.

When referring to Scripture or any other faith-based text, the first step is to read and understand it. You cannot write about something without reading and digesting the material. From there, your interpretation of the text can form the basis of your own book. Commenting on and dissecting religious teachings is the basis of Christian literature.

Everyone practices their faith differently. That includes individual interpretations of the Bible. Writing your book using guidance from Scripture creates a conversation with the reader that strengthens their own faith. However, always make sure your interpretations are based in His word to create as strong of an argument as possible.

Citations and Bible Translations

Whenever you quote any material, you must cite and attribute the quote to its source. That goes for the Bible as with every other book. Having accurate citations allows readers to efficiently see where you got your information. Also, you may be citing material that is protected under domestic or international copyright. It is especially important to properly cite this material to avoid any potential legal trouble.

At Cloverly Christian, our standard style guide for editing is the Chicago Manual of Style, or CMS. The CMS is long and has rules for every element of grammar, style, and citations. Throughout the editing process, our editors use the CMS for accuracy and consistency in our catalogue of books.

The Bible has a unique citation format from other books and resources. The format used by the CMS is also slightly different than others. The most important elements to include are the book, chapter, and verse of what you are quoting. Since there are multiple translations and versions of the Bible, you also should include which one you are using.

For example, “And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee” (Psalms 39:7, KJV). This quote is from the King James Version of Psalms, chapter 39, verse 7.

Using a uniform citation style will keep your book coherent and easy to read. Do not let stylistic aspects of your book distract readers from your deeply faithful material.

Cloverly Christian Review Process

As a deeply devoted Christian publisher, Cloverly Christian has high expectations for all its authors. We trust that you are well-versed in all of the Bible’s teachings and messages. Therefore, we maintain high standards of accuracy for each and every book we publish.

Before agreeing to publish your book, it must go through a thorough review process. Besides just meeting general publishing norms, our review process will ensure your work accurately highlights His teachings. Any work that does not meet our standards of morality and faithfulness could be rejected.

The goal of Christian publishing is to share Christian thoughts with all readers. Fellow Christians will be able to dig deeper into their faith, while non-Christians can explore a new way of thinking. These meaningful conversations are key to successful Christian publishing.

Cloverly’s publication standards are reflected in the importance of biblical accuracy. Without a high degree of biblical accuracy, your work will not be taken seriously as a piece of Christian literature.

How to Amplify a Wide-Array of Christian Voices in the Publishing Industry

When people are reading, across genres, they gravitate towards books that resonate with them. There are many different reasons that books attract their audiences. One big reason is the representation and diversity they offer. People can read all kinds of books written by different authors, but seeing themselves boosts engagement with the material.

It is left to publishing companies to push and advocate for a wide-range of voices in their rosters. Authors can write, but if there is no publisher there to release the book, their perspective will not be shared. In particular, the Christian publishing industry relies on diverse voices to achieve success.

How Christian Books Are Diverse

Diversity comes when people from different backgrounds share themselves with the world. In the media, this can come from writing books or movies, preaching the gospel, or otherwise sharing their story. Representation can come from different cultures, ethnicities, races, genders, or religious denominations, all of which have their larger purpose.

Across the spectrum, Christian books truly come in all shapes and sizes. From novels following virtuous characters to spiritual guides to empowering memoirs, faith-based literature is full of diverse voices. No two people practice their faith in the same exact way. That is why as many Christians should get to express their faith as possible.

For children’s books, highly representative books can foster a fundamental love of reading. They can latch onto stories that they can relate to and understand at a base level. As readers grow, their library also expands with age. Continued diversity and representation throughout one’s life as a reader continues to encourage engagement with literature.

Diversity does not just mean a book is about a diverse group of people. Sure, that is one meaning, but it also refers to the bigger picture. The people that are given platforms to tell their stories should come from a variety of backgrounds. Hearing the same voices and perspectives over and over again is repetitive for everybody.

Authors tell different stories because they come from diverse backgrounds that inform their writing. Different backgrounds and life stories make writing richer and more complex. In addition to sharing with similar readers, it also allows other groups to gain different perspectives.

Advocating for Representation

There are innumerable reasons to advocate for increased representation in the Christian publishing industry. At its base level, a variety of voices allows more readers to feel seen in the media. This increases involvement in reading Christian literature, while also encouraging more people to share their own thoughts.

There are some groups, depending on the area of the world and time in history, that have been more underrepresented. No matter who needs more platforming, there are ways to advocate for more voices in the literary world. The more life experiences and unique backgrounds that are shared with the world, the better.

Members of groups who are historically underrepresented often have alienating upbringings. They may not feel like their background has been properly showcased throughout their lives. More representation and diversity in all types of books balances that inequity. When there is a wide-range of viewpoints available, more people can be included.

The Role of a Publisher

Publishers are the biggest roadblock new authors face in the publishing world. Often, traditional publishers will have barriers to entry that make releasing new books difficult. Individual publishers can platform new writers from a variety of backgrounds, encompassing viewpoints from all groups. Even without purposely increasing representation, more books inherently boosts diversity of viewpoints.

Here at Cloverly Christian, we understand the importance of a variety of viewpoints. It is what strengthens all of our readers’ and authors’ faiths. We empower all of our writers to share their voice with the world without compromising their integrity. Literature that is not accessible to the masses is not successful at increasing representation and diversity.

How writing and publishing your book promotes spiritual growth

Everyone experiences and practices their faith differently. Your relationship with God is completely unique. Through this faithful relationship, you are in a unique position to share your truth with others. That is where Christian book publishing comes into play.

There is such a wide array of voices in the Christian publishing industry. These books range genres, across fiction and non-fiction, and each shares the author’s specific point of view. Writing and publishing a Christian book is an unparalleled opportunity to add your voice to the pantheon of faith-based books.

What to Include in Your Book

Your Christian book can take whatever shape you are envisioning. You can even publish a book with Cloverly Christian that is not explicitly about your Christian faith. The most important thing to do is keep your Christian values at the forefront of your entire book. What you decide to include in your book depends on what kind of book you are writing.

Some of the most directly faith-based Christian books to write are prayer guides, devotionals, and Bible studies. These are nonfiction books that are directly designed to promote spiritual thinking. In these books, you can discuss various aspects of the Bible, your faith, and direct readers in prayer.

You could also write a memoir or autobiography about your own journey with Christ. Sharing your story is a personal endeavor that can inspire others to follow your journey or embark on their own. Your autobiography can take whatever form you wish and cover years of your life or one specific incident.

Another option is writing a fictional story with overt religious themes. This can take form across genres, telling a story like any other with plot and characters with strong Christian values. The ultimate goal is to promote the virtues of Christianity while telling an entertaining story. The characters do not have to be perfect, so long as you craft an overall faithful text.

How Does Writing Grow Your Faith?

The Bible itself says quite a bit about writing. “Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this” (Revelation 1:19, ESV). Using His word as a starting point, you can strengthen your relationship with God.

No two authors experience writing in the same way. Your writing process will be individualized to your needs as an author. You can use this journey as a way to explore your identity as a writer and as a Christian.

When you write a Christian book, whether fiction or nonfiction, you are using your God-given creativity. Your creative mind is a muscle, and writing flexes that muscle. Through writing, you can explore different avenues of your faith, unlocking new possibilities and realizations.

What Will Audiences Gain from Your Book?

Just as writing strengthens your faith, readers who read your book will get to explore their relationship with God. The type of book you write will inform what messages and morals your readers will take away. The stronger you explore Christianity in your text, the more use the readers will get from it.  Your book can provide thought-provoking questions, comforting faith-based tales, and inspirational journeys.

Having your book on shelves of Christian bookstores around the world adds an exciting new voice in the industry. Readers cannot get the information in your head unless you write and publish it. You will dictate what path your book will take to promote Christian values.

Why Publish Your Faith-Based Book with Cloverly Christian?

Books that promote spiritual growth are the backbone of the Christian publishing industry. There is no one set way to write a Christian book, and our roster of authors reflect that. Here at Cloverly Christian, we will review any kind of manuscripts from Christian authors. As long as the book is well-written and within the parameters of living and espousing Christian values, your book could be published with us.

Our team works endlessly to share God’s word with audiences around the world. We ensure our books conform to the highest of moral standards to nurture spiritual growth for our authors and readers. There is no one way to be a Christian author, but no matter what, it will be spiritually rewarding.

An Overview of the Methods and Purposes of Creating a Storyboard

When writing your book, your number one priority should be creating a well-structured story. Even in nonfiction memoirs, autobiographies, or devotionals, your book should be plotted out with care and diligence. To do this, create a storyboard throughout your writing process to guide you through it.

Effective storyboards can come in all shapes and sizes, customized to your specific project. Whether creating a storyboard before you begin writing or after your first draft, you should fully embrace the process.

Storyboard Overview

A storyboard is exactly what it sounds like: a board with your story on it. This process is not limited to book writing; it is often used across the entertainment industry. This practice allows you to visualize your story from top to bottom. Often, a storyboard is created by hand and on physical paper. Conversely, you might be able to do it on your computer. The general principles are the same either way.

The most important part of a storyboard is separating each individual component. If crafting it by hand, this likely means having a stockpile of index cards or Post-it notes handy. You would then write the individual elements on the cards. These pieces of paper are then arranged to project the flow of your book from start to finish. Once this map is created, you will see the important elements of your story in front of you. You can then reorganize, add to, or take away from it as needed.

Storyboarding is most useful for organizing the racing thoughts in one’s head. You might have a general direction for your book, but putting it on paper will help structure it for you. You will be able to clear the thoughts from your mind and build the story from there.

Plot, Characters, and Drawings

As mentioned, your index card or sticky notes contain the elements of your book. But what are those elements? Three of the most common elements to include are plot beats, characters, and illustrations to guide your visualization. Your storyboard can feature whatever elements you see fit, but here are some common ones.

Plot

Almost every storyboard is going to include significant parts of your book’s plot. This is the crux of a storyboard at its most basic level. You want to see how your story moves from beginning to end, with all the conflict in between. You cannot truly gauge the flow of your story until you see it laid out in front of you.

Once you can visualize your story, you can adjust it as needed. This can take the form of rearranging elements, filling in gaps, or removing extraneous details. You can also see where conflict is needed to add stakes to your story. Your vision guides the entire process.

Characters

Strongly written characters are the backbone of fiction storytelling. Without engaging characters, readers can be left in the dust. When creating a storyboard, include cards for each of your main characters. On them, you should detail as much relevant information about the character as possible: their motivations, background, relevant character arcs, relationships to other characters, etc.

Seeing your characters stripped down to their basic parts can guide you in developing them further. From there, you can see which need more characterization to feel like real people. You can also see if you have too many characters crowding the story, or conversely, too few. The ultimate goal is to create a balanced story filled with realistic characters.

Drawings

Another common element of storyboarding are illustrations. This is obvious for books that will actually include pictures, but it can be used otherwise as well. For picture books, even if you have a separate illustrator, your pictures can direct the entire process. Your words have to match the illustrations.

Having a visual representation of action or scenes can guide your writing in unexpected ways. You cannot control how readers will visualize your story, but you can use your images to influence your writing. You want your audience to see the story as you do.

Nonfiction Storyboarding

Storyboarding for nonfiction books follows a similar logic as for fiction books. It is all about structuring the flow of your book and any important elements in it. Instead of characters, you can include prominent figures you want to quote or reference. You can also include prayers or quotes from Scripture that are spiritual influences in a given segment.

For devotionals and other spiritual guides, you can use a storyboard to create a cohesive vision. This can allow your entries and sections flow into one another naturally. You never want your reader to feel confused by the direction your book is taking.

Three-Act Structure

Most, but notably not all, stories follow a three-act structure. This is not limited to books; movies almost always contain three acts, even if you don’t notice. Simply, these are known as the beginning, middle, and end. Each “act” has a larger purpose in the story. But, the text is not necessarily divided into sections. 

Act One: Beginning

Opening your book with a compelling introduction sets the scene for the rest of your book. Usually about a quarter of your book could be considered the first act. In this section, you will introduce your main characters and their motivations, set up the plot, and set the action in motion.

Act Two: Middle and Climax

The middle of your story will take up the bulk of your pages and contain more action. This is where your characters go on their journey, even if not a literal one. It can be an emotional journey, so long as they experience events that allow them to grow.

This will all build to the climax of your entire story, which usually comes towards the end of act two. If you think of an action movie, the climax is the big battle at the end. Of course, other genres have different climaxes, but it should be something the entire story is building towards. This is the largest segment of your story and can be more than half of the overall length.

Act Three: Ending

A strong ending sticks with viewers. This is your final impression to leave the audience with, so make it a good one. You are the only one who knows how your story should end, but make sure it is a satisfying conclusion. You do not want the third act of your book to be too long — the bulk of the action is over. But, you can still have an open ending that leaves room for more stories in your book’s universe.

Post-Writing Storyboarding

You know your writing style better than anyone else. Some authors with a looser writing style find storyboarding more helpful after completing a draft of their book. This serves a different purpose than doing so before you begin writing.

Where earlier storyboarding guides the writing process, later storyboarding helps with revisions and editing. The process and methods of creating a storyboard after finishing a draft are the same as outlined above. You will still physically map out the elements of your book to visualize it. Once you do this based on your writing, you will be able to see areas of improvement. Maybe you notice a plot hole. Maybe you notice an underdeveloped character. From there, you can make adjustments to incorporate into your text while editing.

Individualize Your Storyboard

No matter how and when you use it, creating a storyboard can help make your book more cohesive. There are no hard rules to follow, and you guide your storyboarding as you see fit. There is no “right” kind of storyboarding, just make sure it helps you on your writing journey.

Cloverly Academy has just released a new edition to our Cloverly One-On-One podcast series. We interview recent and notable published authors about their inspiration and publishing journey. Click here to listen to the podcast on your favorite platform

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.

A short guide of modern marketing and promotional techniques for new books

Publishing your book is just the start of your life as an author. Now it is time to build your audience and spread positive word of mouth as far as you can. You can promote your book as much or as little as you see fit, but Cloverly Christian will help jumpstart your book’s marketing.

Promoting your book in the 21st century requires a combination of online and in-person marketing. Here at Cloverly Christian, we will help you throughout the process to reach as wide of an audience as possible. Here is a brief rundown of what to consider when doing promotion for your book.

Cloverly Christian’s Launchpad

While most of the heavy lifting of promotional work will be up to you, Cloverly Christian is here to start the process off on the right foot. Each of our published works gets an individual web page, as shown in our catalog of recent releases. This will be the easiest place to direct readers to purchase your book online. There are direct links to purchase the physical or digital book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple.

We also write and distribute a press release for each and every book we publish. These releases are sent to a global distribution service. Our team of professional press release writers will draft a personalized release for your book, which will only be published with your approval. Rest assured, no artificial intelligence will be used in any of this marketing material.

Your work will also be promoted on Cloverly’s social media pages. This includes content posted on Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Often, that will include an announcement post and a video teaser dedicated to your new release. This is all a baseline to set you up for success for your own promotion.

Building Your Support System

It is not easy to market your book. That is why it is of the utmost importance to have a support system behind you from the beginning. Recruit friends and family to be your “launch team” and promote your book alongside you. These should be people you trust who will actively help you every step of the way. It especially helps if they have expertise or experience in a specific area that you do not.

Churches and Other Groups

As a published author with Cloverly Christian, we know how important your faith is to you. Therefore, sharing your book with your church will be one of the most effective ways to target readers. This applies to any other religious, community, sports, or affinity groups you may belong to. Sharing your book with these groups will be some of the most successful promotions you can do. This, however, means it is important to make sure your finished book is something you are proud of.

If your book would be of interest to any other groups, feel free to reach out for an invitation. People are always looking for new avenues to explore their interests, especially when it comes to their faith. Be proactive and get your book in front of as many potential readers as possible.

Using Social Media to Your Advantage

Today, authors use social media to advertise their book more than ever before. And it’s not just books; social media drives sales for all industries. Whether you are a first-time author or a seasoned pro, understanding the social media landscape is crucial for success.

To fully grasp social media’s potential, you have to know how each individual platform works. Once you understand the platform, you will be able to tailor your content to the audience you are targeting. No matter what, you have to sell your book as engagingly as possible. Make sure your content is accurate, compelling, and capable of mass appeal. Your target audience will not be able to buy your book if they don’t know about it.

You can use whatever social media you are most comfortable with, but feel free to try out new ones. Some of the most popular platforms today are TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and X. If you already have an account or use these, you are off to a strong start. If you don’t, make a new account and get a feel for it before promoting your book. You can ask family and friends for help or find an online resource to show you the ropes.

Once you have a grasp on a given platform, you can start to target and grow your audience. Generally, people like to be recognized, so engage with your followers as much as possible. That will give them another incentive to buy your book.

Hosting a Launch Party

What better way to celebrate your new book than by throwing a party? You spent so much of your time on perfecting your book, you should be proud to share it. Your launch party can be as big or small as you want, but it could be a valuable promotional opportunity. You can just invite your friends and family, extend it to your larger church or community organization, or make it open to the public.

When choosing a venue, keep your expected audience in mind. You can choose what your party will be, but don’t forget to bring books to sign and sell. Giving people an opportunity to buy your book will be a golden opportunity to make sales. As part of your contract with Cloverly Christian, you receive 10 complimentary print copies of your book. You can buy additional copies at a wholesale price from our printer — we can reach out on your behalf. If you run out of books or don’t bring any to your event, you can share the link to your Cloverly web page where people can purchase it from an online retailer. 

Getting Your Book Reviewed

When you are buying a book, you usually want to know what other people think of it. For a new author, getting your book in front of readers can be a daunting task. But, this is crucially important to build your audience. The first thing you want to do is ask friends and family to read your book then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, etc. This also applies to anyone you may meet at a launch party or book signing.

To gather additional ratings and reviews, there are online services that legitimately help facilitate the process. Some websites — NetGalley, BookSirens, Booksprout, HiddenGems, BookFunnel, and StoryOrigin, among others — allow you to submit your finished manuscript to real people who read and review all types of books. For more specific information, check each website individually and assess their prices and packages. These sources do not make up reviews; real people read your book.

The elements of creating an effective Christian devotional that showcases your faith

Christians all around the world use devotionals to strengthen their relationship with God. A devotional is a book that guides faithful Christians in daily prayer or meditation. Often, a successful devotional features passages from Scripture, contemplative quotes, or other thought-provoking passages to inspire introspection.

Devotionals are never one-size-fits-all. Each author has their unique perspective and expression of their faith they imbue into their work. Since devotionals lead readers on a daily spiritual journey, authors have a lot of room to make their mark. This guide will help you jumpstart the writing process for your own successful devotional.

Write to a specific audience

The first step in writing your own devotional is deciding on a target audience. Devotionals are for readers of all ages looking to build their relationship with God. The audience you are writing for affects what themes or passages you decide to include.

Children’s devotionals can be shorter, feature illustrations, and feature less complicated quotes and passages. As you increase the age range of your target audience, the themes you cover can mature and evolve. However, readers of any age can read most devotionals to strengthen their faith.

The themes you feature in your devotional can include relationship growth, grief, parenthood, healthcare, and general ease of mind. Some devotionals can cover multiple themes, while others can be about a singular topic. Let your relationship with God guide your writing process.

Make entries short and sweet

Devotionals are different from standard books because they are not separated into chapters — instead, entries are divided into days. Readers should read one entry a day to guide their spiritual journey. Therefore, the individual entries should be relatively limited in length and targeted for a specific train of thought for the day. The only requirement is that the entries are thought-provoking and inspire faithful contemplation.

Devotionals can vary greatly in length, based on the author’s intention. Some devotionals are intended for short-term use, only a handful of months. Others can be for a full year of spirituality. The length of your devotional is up to you and the journey you are leading.

Choosing the right passage or piece of Scripture

The crux of your devotional is the piece of writing that spurns the reader’s thoughtfulness. When choosing a Bible quote to include, you can go in any direction you see fit. In a general devotional, it is always a safe bet to go with your favorite passages or those that offer a specific type of guidance. The Bible is full of inspirational quotes and compelling passages, so it will be hard to go wrong with nearly any section you choose.

Instead of a passage from Scripture, you can include a quote from a person, a prayer, guided meditation, or a personal anecdote. When choosing what is going to lead a given day’s entry, consider what the reader will take from the material. Anything that will increase the reader’s understanding of their faith is appropriate for your devotional.

Infuse your own humor and personality

Just because your devotional will largely consist of quotes and more insightful material, you could still inject your personality and humor. Doing so will make your devotional stand out from others and give the reader an insight into your life and story with God. Readers can see different representations of faith to strengthen their own. Humor, in particular, can be a powerful tool to connect with many readers. Depending on the intended audience, humor can also be a strong entry point into reading more about Christianity.

At the end of the day, you are writing a devotional to use your relationship with God to help others along their spiritual journey. Everyone’s journey with the Lord is unique, and writing your own devotional will add a new entry to the ever-growing Christian book industry.

Write a love story that highlights Christian values

Romance is one of the most popular genres in literature, domestically and around the world. The romance genre dates back thousands of years to ancient civilizations — the spiritual importance of finding love was always clear. Love stories come in all shapes and sizes, blending genres and themes to tell a larger story.

Writing a Christian romantic story is no different than writing any other. Where non-faith-based novels may emphasize racy content, your Christian work can highlight a strong relationship with God and a powerful emotional connections with one’s partner.

Writing to Christian Audiences of Different Ages

Faith-based romance books can target audiences of every age. From picture books for the youngest children to powerful religious adult love stories, you can write a romantic story for anyone. As long as you know who your audience is, you can tailor your book to them. This way, you will not catch anyone off guard. The Christian themes in your book can be as overt or subtle as you want, so long as the overall message is faithful.

Adults and Young Adults

Adults are the most natural fit for a romantic story, and when the book is Christian, teenagers and other young adults can also read it without fear. Whereas secular books may feature characters that engage in risqué or unseemly behavior, characters in your Christian romance can proudly practice the values of their religion.

Books for adults and young adults can feature grown-up love stories that expressly promote Christian values. Writing characters that are devoted to their faith and showcase a strong moral center can set a strong example to your community of readers. These books can be perfect for instigating interesting book club conversations, sharing with community organizations and centers, or just entertaining individual readers.

It is important to remember that even though you are writing a Christian romance, the topics can still be mature and sophisticated, even defying genre expectations, without alienating the faithful audience you are hoping to reach. It is okay to challenge your readers, as long as the overall impact is that which supplements the reader’s faith.

Young adults and teenagers are at an especially impressionable age. Writing romance that caters to them can teach them valuable lessons and set a good example for their future relationships.

Children

You can also write love stories for children, but this love may be different than what you write about for older readers. Children’s books in this genre can be charmingly illustrated tales about Valentine’s Day, maybe even St. Valentine himself. Many schools and families celebrate Valentine’s Day with hearts and candy, but children can learn about the saint behind the holiday. Alternatively, a faith-based children’s story about love can focus on non-romantic love, such as within the family, with friends, for their pets, or for God.

Building Your Characters

Readers enjoy books for their engaging characters. People tend to know the basic tropes that many romances follow. But, writing fully developed characters is crucial to keeping your audience invested in their love story. Further, the relationships between the characters are of the highest importance in romances because that is the crux of the story.

Generally, strong protagonists are those in which the audience can relate to or understand. This can be a literal similarity (same morals, similar lifestyle or background, etc.) or just something that the reader knows in their personal life (similar to a friend or family member, like the reader at a different point in their life, etc.). Main characters can start off as imperfect people who learn lessons that change them over the course of the story. Or they can be the strong guiding force in others’ lives throughout. Either way, it is important to add complexity to each and every character.

Specifically when writing Christian characters in a romance novel, you want to emphasize the faith-based elements of the characters. For antagonists, that can be the lack of morality. For the protagonists, this can be overt (they are devoted to church, have an ongoing relationship with God, etc.) or implied (they act with a strong moral compass, have strong values, etc.).

It is most important, however, that the characters portrayed in a positive light adhere to basic Christian standards and are not crude or crass, set good examples for readers, and highlight the importance of a strong relationship with God. While secular romances often indulge in the physical components of love, Christian romance focuses more on the emotional love between partners without resorting to explicit sexual content.

Writing Dialogue for Faith-Based Romance

Every Christian has their own relationship with God, so no two people will speak about God in the same way. You want this reflected in your dialogue, both about faith and not. Readers want your dialogue to transport them into the love story you are telling, but it is crucial that each character has their own unique identity and voice. It would be boring to read a conversation in which two characters are repeating the same information to each other with little plot or character development. Romances rely on characters falling in love, which often involves speaking to each other.

A good rule of thumb for making sure dialogue sounds natural is to speak it out loud. Listening to your written dialogue spoken can guide you in tweaking anything to sound more realistic. Characters should have a different identity, but if you listen to your dialogue and it sounds completely unlike what a reasonable person would say in a given situation, you might want to rewrite. Additionally, if you are planning on converting your print book into an audiobook, the listener will only hear the dialogue — it has to sound completely natural.

Structuring Your Plot

All stories must follow a dramatic trajectory to keep the momentum of the story moving forward. For romances, this often means that we watch the characters meet, fall in love, have conflict that will potentially tear them apart, then overcome all obstacles to find their way to one another. This is by no means a requirement, but it is a common structure that audiences are used to.

The details of these basic plot beats are completely up to your imagination, especially at which points you incorporate Christian tenets. At the end of the day, it is just important to infuse your love story with conflict that keeps the reader coming back for me to see how it gets resolved because they are rooting for the couple to triumph over the forces that separate them. However, with faith-based novels, remember to never let your main characters become unredeemable. You do not want the audience to have to completely suspend their disbelief at an undeserved redemption arc.

Highlighting God

In any Christian book, it is of paramount importance to make sure God and Christian values are front and center. With romance, in particular, keep these virtues imbued throughout to keep readers on a morally sound ground to read and enjoy your story. Use your own relationship with God to inform your writing, and let Him guide your journey.

Every author has their own unique process for writing their book. Divine inspiration comes in many forms, and sharing your faith-based story with the world can result in a manuscript that is unconventionally assembled. Whether it is handwritten pages or assorted pages of a Word document, Cloverly Christian will make sure your manuscript is ready to go from the very beginning of the editorial process.

After getting in touch with one of Cloverly Christian’s literary agents, you will receive information about submitting your work for approval. After we receive and approve your submission for publication with our Christian platform, our team makes sure your manuscript is properly formatted for our editors to review.

Manuscript format for submission

We understand that you might not have a conventional manuscript ready to submit to us. As long as we are able to clearly read and understand your writing as you send it, we will be able to begin the review process. Further along in the process, however, we will need your manuscript in a Word document.

Cloverly Christian is here to help those who need it. If you submit a handwritten manuscript to us and we accept your submission for publication, our transcription team will work with you to create a single Word document. That is why it is always preferable, but not mandatory, to initially submit your book as a Word document.

The importance of a Word document for editorial review

All of our books go through a thorough editorial review. Our experienced team of editors reviews your manuscript from top to bottom to make suggestions, both with grammar and content. This process is done directly on Microsoft Word.

No edits to your manuscript will be finalized without your approval, which is where Microsoft Word comes in handy again. Directly on Word, our editors can track their suggested changes in real time. You then receive the updated document with the suggested comments or corrections then have the choice to approve or reject each and every one.

It’s time to submit!

No matter where you wrote your story down, it can be submitted, just make sure we can clearly read it. We will work with you from the moment you sign your agreement with us to get your manuscript in the proper format for review.