Okay, how many people "write across the board" (in various genres) as I do? I write religious essays, slice-of-life stories, romance, and horror/psychological thrillers. I've even had a murder story or two published, but I can't do gore. I'd throw up all over the keyboard. I'm working on a children's story now. Most of what I've had published are religious essays--not the deeply theological kind, but essays with a conversational tone about everyday life and how God factors in. So, I'm not alone in wearing a different hat each day, right??
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Right!
From what I've seen on this forum, there are a lot of writers who write "across the board," as you say.
So keep on writin'!
From what I've seen on this forum, there are a lot of writers who write "across the board," as you say.
So keep on writin'!
writing across the board
Hi Stormie
I am new to this site, 2 days in fact....very interesting. Just found the CHristian section and was interested in your comments. Since Jesus lived 'across the board', I think writing 'across the board' is quite appropriate!
I write from NZ. Any others not from the US?
Cheers,
paddington7
Hi Stormie
I am new to this site, 2 days in fact....very interesting. Just found the CHristian section and was interested in your comments. Since Jesus lived 'across the board', I think writing 'across the board' is quite appropriate!
I write from NZ. Any others not from the US?
Cheers,
paddington7
Re: writing across the board
I've written horror short stories, mystery/suspense, Christian romance, and Christian and secular poetry.
I think it is better to be a Christian who is also a writer than to be a "Christian writer." If you are a Christian, even if you aren't writing so-called "Christian literature," your Christianity will likely inform and oh-so-subtley infuse your writing. But if you set out to write plain "Christian literature," you run the risk of being didactic. Much of modern pop. Christian literature, I think, has suffered from a tendency to gehtto-ize and segregate Christianity culturally, rather than writing and reading "across the board" and becominc ecclectic. Same thing for "Christian music."
I've written horror short stories, mystery/suspense, Christian romance, and Christian and secular poetry.
I think it is better to be a Christian who is also a writer than to be a "Christian writer." If you are a Christian, even if you aren't writing so-called "Christian literature," your Christianity will likely inform and oh-so-subtley infuse your writing. But if you set out to write plain "Christian literature," you run the risk of being didactic. Much of modern pop. Christian literature, I think, has suffered from a tendency to gehtto-ize and segregate Christianity culturally, rather than writing and reading "across the board" and becominc ecclectic. Same thing for "Christian music."
Re: writing across the board
Well-said, skylar.
I too write across the board. I write book reviews (Christian and secular books), restaurant reviews, travel pieces, magazine articles, personal essays (have them in six anthologies), devotionals, recipes (will have stuff in an upcoming cookbook anthology), book chapters (wrote one on buffet entertaining last year), interviews, and poetry, and am trying my wings at short stories and flash fiction.
Most of the magazines and wbe sites I currently write for are secular. My only guideline for choosing one is that I want my stuff to be in magazines that I would not be ashamed to leave sitting out on my coffee table or giving to my mom or daughter and on web sites I wouldn't be ashamed to go to or tell my friends about. For me, that means no girlie magazines, no gore/violence/horror, no New Age stuff, no occult, etc.
I too feel that a Christian writer's worldview will (or should) permeate everything she writes, so that in that sense, everything she writes is Christian. I even wrote a moral werewolf short story recently, during a group writing prompt thingie. That was interesting!
Well-said, skylar.
I too write across the board. I write book reviews (Christian and secular books), restaurant reviews, travel pieces, magazine articles, personal essays (have them in six anthologies), devotionals, recipes (will have stuff in an upcoming cookbook anthology), book chapters (wrote one on buffet entertaining last year), interviews, and poetry, and am trying my wings at short stories and flash fiction.
Most of the magazines and wbe sites I currently write for are secular. My only guideline for choosing one is that I want my stuff to be in magazines that I would not be ashamed to leave sitting out on my coffee table or giving to my mom or daughter and on web sites I wouldn't be ashamed to go to or tell my friends about. For me, that means no girlie magazines, no gore/violence/horror, no New Age stuff, no occult, etc.
I too feel that a Christian writer's worldview will (or should) permeate everything she writes, so that in that sense, everything she writes is Christian. I even wrote a moral werewolf short story recently, during a group writing prompt thingie. That was interesting!
across the board
I have a Christian mystery series out with RiverOak, but lately my agent has been after me to something strictly for ABA. That'll be a neat trick. Only one fellow I know of, Davis Bunn, has done it sucessfully, and at the Glorieta conference a couple of years ago he told us of the battles he had with Doubleday (The Great Divide) when they told him to "sex it up". Weird, huh?
John
I have a Christian mystery series out with RiverOak, but lately my agent has been after me to something strictly for ABA. That'll be a neat trick. Only one fellow I know of, Davis Bunn, has done it sucessfully, and at the Glorieta conference a couple of years ago he told us of the battles he had with Doubleday (The Great Divide) when they told him to "sex it up". Weird, huh?
John
Re: across the board
John, what is your series called? I do book reviews sometimes, maybe I could check yours out and see if they fit.
And good luck with a clean ABA series...
ain't easy, from what I hear.
John, what is your series called? I do book reviews sometimes, maybe I could check yours out and see if they fit.
And good luck with a clean ABA series...
ain't easy, from what I hear.
Hi Betty!
Thanks for your kind interest, sis. My series is called Joe Box Mysteries, and the one out through RiverOak is called Until the last Dog Dies. The next one, When Skylarks Fall, will be out this October, and the next, Skin the Cat, is being written now (notice that each title has an animal in it? Clever, huh?
) The first one, Sock Monkey Blues, is still in PA's nasty clutches. (When I signed the contract back in August 2001, there was little bad news about them; I've since daily regretted it. Plus, they plan to keep it forever, and merely laugh each time I ask for it back. Creeps!) As far as the ABA thingie, I'm still on the fence. We'll see what the Lord has in mind.
John
Thanks for your kind interest, sis. My series is called Joe Box Mysteries, and the one out through RiverOak is called Until the last Dog Dies. The next one, When Skylarks Fall, will be out this October, and the next, Skin the Cat, is being written now (notice that each title has an animal in it? Clever, huh?
) The first one, Sock Monkey Blues, is still in PA's nasty clutches. (When I signed the contract back in August 2001, there was little bad news about them; I've since daily regretted it. Plus, they plan to keep it forever, and merely laugh each time I ask for it back. Creeps!) As far as the ABA thingie, I'm still on the fence. We'll see what the Lord has in mind.John
Re: Hi Betty!
Lots of luck with the PA situation. And if you need a place to vent about them, there are many in Take It Outside. In fact, there are days when it seems like that's ALL that's on TIO. <sigh> So sorry.
I'll look for a copy of your book.
Blessings...
Lots of luck with the PA situation. And if you need a place to vent about them, there are many in Take It Outside. In fact, there are days when it seems like that's ALL that's on TIO. <sigh> So sorry.
I'll look for a copy of your book.
Blessings...
Thanks Betty
You should be able to a copy of Dog about anywhere, B&N, Baorders, BAM, Berean, wherever. And yeah, I've got a ton of folks praying about me getting the rights back to SMB. What PA is doing may skirt the edge legally, but ethically they know exactly how they're killing folks' dreams. Sad, really.
John
You should be able to a copy of Dog about anywhere, B&N, Baorders, BAM, Berean, wherever. And yeah, I've got a ton of folks praying about me getting the rights back to SMB. What PA is doing may skirt the edge legally, but ethically they know exactly how they're killing folks' dreams. Sad, really.
John
Re: Thanks Betty
Possibly, but I don't buy review copies, I either get them from the publisher or borrow them from the library, since reviews already don't pay much (if anything, sometimes!) I did find one through our library's ILL system and should have a copy to read soon.
Possibly, but I don't buy review copies, I either get them from the publisher or borrow them from the library, since reviews already don't pay much (if anything, sometimes!) I did find one through our library's ILL system and should have a copy to read soon.
John's Joe Box mystery
John, I liked it!! See the note I sent you in your EZ in-box. I can't wait to read the next one... too bad the first book isn't available.
John, I liked it!! See the note I sent you in your EZ in-box. I can't wait to read the next one... too bad the first book isn't available.
Thanks, Betty!
Gosh, that's very kind. The next one (did I mention this already?), When Skylarks Fall, will be out in October. Thanks again!
John
Gosh, that's very kind. The next one (did I mention this already?), When Skylarks Fall, will be out in October. Thanks again!
John
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