Best of “Decompose” 2010

This has been a milestone year for me, and I couldn’t have done it without you. We’ve had some fantastic conversations on this blog in 2010, and record numbers as a result. Thanks so much for being a part of it.  Below are some of my most read/re-tweeted/shared/commented upon posts of 2010. If you missed any these, here’s your chance to check them out before they descend into archival obscurity.

• Christian Fiction and “The New Edgy” — When Christians talk about “edgy” fiction, they mean two different things. Which is why my “edgy” is your “obscene…”
• On “Christian Horror” and Atheist Dread — Whereas the atheist author invokes the fear of the absence of God, the Christian invokes the fear of the presence of God…
• Am I Responsible for What My Characters Say? — Remaining true to your characters means letting them act in ways you don’t personally agree with…
• How NOT to Answer an Atheist — Christians do more to reinforce stereotypes than their opponents do…
• Why “Supernatural Fiction” is Under-Represented in Christian Bookstores — How can a Christian claim to dislike supernatural / paranormal story elements when the Bible contains so many of those elements?
• The Dilemma of Self-Promotion — While most authors recognize the need to market oneself, there is also a point of diminishing returns, a point where self-promotion actually turns away potential buyers…
• Good Writing is NOT Subjective — There’s a difference between your “taste” in something and the actual quality of the product. A good critic should be able to separate the two…
• Can You Really “Follow Christ” and “Quit Christianity”? — People who claim to “Follow Christ” but “Reject Christianity” often portray a caricature of Christianity in order to reject it…
• How Opinionated Should a Novelist Be? — Good stories have little to do with a storyteller’s politics or religion…
• Should “Profit” Be the Bottom Line for Christian Publishers? — The moment a business proclaims itself as “Christian,” they, perhaps by inference, make the “bottom line” something other than “profit”…
• The Danger of “Writing Rules” — By over-emphasizing writing rules we unwittingly create a “checklist mentality” that places style above story and “pointlessly constricts writers’ options and narrows their range”…

Any other posts or topics stand out to you this year? Either way, I’ve had a lot of fun! Thanks so much to my readers for making Decompose one of your cyber-stops. Here’s to lots more fellowship and discussion in 2011!