Writing for faith publications not your faith?

[skylarburris]

Anyone here submit work to religious themed publications even though you do not practice that particular religion (or denomination)? Just curious. I have submitted to Catholic, Jewish, and even new-age spiritual publications although I am a traditional Protestant. I find there is much overlap in spiritual markets and that a poem can speak as well to a wide variety of religious audiences. I wonder how publishers and editors feel about this, however. (I know I don't mind for my own publication, provided the works are appropriate in context.) I never identify my religious background when submitting, unless specifically requested to do so.

[Inspired]

I've personally drawn a line. I will submit to faiths or denominations that are similar to mine. I just can't submit to a publication that is contrary to my personal beliefs. I feel I would be promoting that church. If I don't agree with their teachings, and the publication is clearly promoting that church, then I won't publish with them.

If it's looser, like a generic Christian publication, I would submit to them.

That's my personal plan. Others may not see a need to draw boundaries like that.

[JenNipps]

Anyone here submit work to religious themed publications even though you do not practice that particular religion (or denomination)? Just curious. I have submitted to Catholic, Jewish, and even new-age spiritual publications although I am a traditional Protestant. I find there is much overlap in spiritual markets and that a poem can speak as well to a wide variety of religious audiences. I wonder how publishers and editors feel about this, however. (I know I don't mind for my own publication, provided the works are appropriate in context.) I never identify my religious background when submitting, unless specifically requested to do so.

While I think it's possible to do so for a short time, I think to do it for very long would open yourself up for making mistakes and/or showing your biases and beliefs. No one can truly hide who they are for long. At least, that's how I see it.

I'll be honest. Though I have tried, I don't see myself as being of any certain denomination. There's too much left unaccounted for, in my opinion. I consider myself more ... spiritual than religious. Going to church isn't necessary for me to have a good spiritual life/relationship with God. (Though there are some in my family who are positive I'm going to hell in a handbasket for such thoughts.)

That said, I could probably write for general Christian markets and "general" spiritual ones. I'd be leery of writing anything for markets that are more denomination/religion specific, though. But that's just me.

[skylarburris]

Well, I never hide who I am, I just submit work I've already written that seems to fit in with the market or that I think might speak to the audience!

If you are writing fiction or poetry, denominational distinctions rarely matter, unless you happen to be cramming doctrine-specific theology in there.

[JenNipps]

Well, I never hide who I am, I just submit work I've already written that seems to fit in with the market or that I think might speak to the audience!

If you are writing fiction or poetry, denominational distinctions rarely matter, unless you happen to be cramming doctrine-specific theology in there.

I don't think anyone said anything about hiding who they are. I agree with you on the fiction-or-poetry distinction, though.

[Betty W01]

Actually, even things that don't seem religious can matter. One example that comes to mind - a devout Muslim does not drink alcohol or eat pork, so the recreational use of alcohol or the serving of ham or pork chops in your piece would probably make it unacceptable to magazines geared for devout Muslims. It may seem like a small thing to you if you're not Muslim, but it is important to the devout. Things like that can make it hard to sell your work when you don't share the religion or clutoral background of a particular market. In those cases, you'd be wise to run your article, story, or poem by someone who knows the in's and out's or the kind of market you're aiming at. I've even done that when I'm submitting a secular piece to a magazine based outside the US, just to make sure my writing translates OK.

[mdin]

I've written and published in multiple religious markets under psuedonyms or for no credit. I'm an agnostic. I've written for Jewish, Baptist, Catholic and Mormon markets.

Is it wrong? I suppose. But I usually know the subject well enough, and the editors never seem to care. In the end, it's all about the paycheck.*
















*If there is a God, that was a joke. If there isn't, it wasn't.

[skylarburris]

Well, X, since you're an agnostic, at least you're probably not violating any deeply held beliefs by writing for these publications. Now, if I as a Christian were to write an article for a Jewish publication about how Jesus does not meet the requirements to be considered the Messiah...that would be wrong for me to do. But if I as a Christian write a poem for a Jewish publication about, say, the friendship of David and Jonathan, that would be fine, in my opinion. These are the kinds of works I write for non-Christian religious publications--multi-faith religious themes. But what kind of articles do you write? I mean, do you yourself believe the things that you write, or are you just giving the publication what you think it wants? I'm curious.

[mdin]

errr, well...

It depends. Most of it revolves around church history, how this story in the Book of Jarom relates to current world events, how to approach your boss about time off for obscure holidays etc. But I also write stuff where the reader would assume I'm of that faith, like how to deal with a crisis in faith, how to handle your children wanting to leave the church, how to introduce god's word to your co-workers, as dicated in the Bible, without getting fired.

I haven't done it in a while, though. It was a lot easier to pound that sort of thing out when I was in college and had no money.

[skylarburris]

But I also write stuff where the reader would assume I'm of that faith, like how to deal with a crisis in faith, how to handle your children wanting to leave the church, how to introduce god's word to your co-workers, as dicated in the Bible, without getting fired.

Yeah, that seems a bit sketchy to me...but I admire your talent in being able to pound out something convincing enough to get scooped up by an editor, even when what you are writing doesn't relate to your own world, so to speak.

[jackie106]

You could use being of a different faith to your advantage.

About two months ago, I met a writer for the local Jewish paper who had written articles for a couple of Christian publications explaining Judaism. He was able to stay true to his religion and promote religious tolerance.

Jackie