For Christian authors, offering your book as a FREE Kindle download has a downside. Take fellow WordServe client Richard Mabry who recently commented here,
Mike, I’ve suffered the “slings and arrows” of those who download one of my novels when it’s a free e-book offer, then trash it and me because it’s “Christian fiction.”
I’m beginning to see a pattern here:
- Christian fiction book is offered as free Kindle download.
- Book is bashed as being… Christian fiction.
I watched it happen with Jim Rubart’s Rooms and Gina Holmes’ Crossing Oceans, two very popular CBA novels. Now it’s Mabry’s Code Blue. In all three cases, the books were well-reviewed in the Christian market. And then came the free Kindle download, and the one-star rants rolled in.
Here’s a sampling of one-star comments found on Amazon for the aforementioned books:
- crazzyrabbit — “When you read the review for this book, no mention is made of the Christian nature of the book. This is misleading to the purchaser.”
- New Kindle Reader — “Suckered again, I hate being manipulated into reading pseudo-Christian material. If I want to read this type of genre I will choose to do so. Amazon, don’t sucker me in with a freebie like this and not allow me at least to have an idea of it’s content.”
- Margaret Stead — “Why wasn’t this labelled clearly as creationist literature?”
- Richard Tracey — “…I am getting aggravated with Amazon for not identifying Christian books at the outset. I respect Christians and Christianity but I am not a Christian. I don’t like ordering a book only to find that I am being preached too.”
- Marty Martin — “If I were a religious 12 year old girl, I suppose I would think this book is good but I am an intelligent non religious adult so I hate the book, the writing, the plot, the unending chapters… I do agree there should be some notification to buyers that this is a book with a clear religious theme and message.”
- Em Librarian — “…please please please, Amazon, start labeling free kindle books as Christian Fiction! Stop trying to convert me!”
- David E. Johnson — “I knew from another review that is book was not as advertised. I read it anyway. There is a section for Christian books. That’s fine. But they should keep them all there where they belong.”
- Betty Cravens — “I am not into Christian literature and had I known this book fell into that genre I would not have downloaded it. Good thing it was a freebee or I would be mad.”
- A Customer — “Why must I waste hours of my time on a book that clearly has ulterior motives. If it’s Christian literature- JUST SAY SO!”
- Tom Leckinger — “Why is it that authors of Christian fiction often hide that fact in the descriptions? From what I see in reviews and on the Kindle boards, there are plenty of folks who are interested in that genre, but I have to say as one who is not so inclined, I am simply irritated when I buy a book based on a secular description only to find that the predominant thread throughout the book is Christian proselytizing. Seems more than a bit dishonest to me.”
In many of these cases (not just the ones cited here), the point of contention appears to be the labeling of the book. Or as A Customer said, “If it’s Christian literature – JUST SAY SO!”
Question: Is this the real reason behind these negative reviews? Do the reviewers have a point about being mislead by the lack of labeling? And if so, is it really fair to pan a book simply because you didn’t know it was Christian fiction? Or could there be, as some authors suggest, a built-in bias against Christian fiction that taints the review system?
I have mixed feelings about this phenomenon. Permit me to share them.
First, haven’t we brought this on ourselves? Christian fiction is often viewed as an alternative to secular, general market fiction. We expect certain themes to be evident in our stories. Is it any wonder that those themes can be polarizing? As a result, some people will hate our novels for the simple fact that they contain Christian themes. And as long as we seek to put distance between our novels and their novels, shouldn’t we expect backlash when we crash their party? Conclusion: Deal with it.
Sadly, this is not the first time Christians have been accused of “stealth.” No, I’m not inferring Amazon has a “hidden agenda” or that the publishers were trying to sucker-punch readers with a sermon. I just don’t think we should be surprised when readers feel fooled. Like it or not, Christians have earned a reputation for trying to get their message in under the radar (like the 
Bible tract designed to look like a $20 bill). Face it, there is a “by hook or by crook” mentality that taints some of our evangelistic methodology.
Nevertheless, a quick glance at the cover and description of the books above should dispel notions about deception in advertising. Robert Liparulo (not an atheist) blurbs Rooms as “Part The Screwtape Letters, part The Shack.” That’s on the top of the front cover. And the description for Crossing Oceans begins this way on Amazon: “2011 Carol Award winner for Debut Author from ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).” The “C” stands for “Christian.” Hello. Earth to readers. Perhaps you shouldn’t be so eager for free downloads that you ignore a book’s obvious theme, publisher, or audience.
Here’s another thought: The same system that allows readers to indiscriminately hand out five-star reviews, allows readers to indiscriminately hand out one-star reviews. I’ve been saying all along that we Christian writers get too cozy with the five-star reviews. We feel obligated to give them and, as a result, deserve to receive them. Is it any wonder we get our feelings hurt when someone rips our previously hailed five-star wonder? The great British preacher Charles Spurgeon gave this advice to his students (paraphrased), “To the degree you seek praise, you will despise rebuke.” Translation: If we weren’t so beholden to five-star ratings, perhaps we wouldn’t be as dismayed by one-star ratings.
But there’s another side to this.
Many Christians rightly note an anti-christian bias behind these one-star reviews. One website carried this notation about a Christian fiction novel: “Product warning–Christian content.” Really? It’s that offensive? Had the above books been a-religious or even anti-religious, would they have provoked the reviewer’s wrath? If Crossing Oceans was actually about a minister’s voyage to the Galapagos Islands where he renounces his faith and becomes a rabid evolutionist, do you think the same reviewers would have minded? I doubt it. All that to say, it is NOT the labeling of the book that is the problem, but the reviewer’s dislike for its particular religious worldview.
Look again at the review from Marty Martin: “If I were a religious 12 year old girl, I suppose I would think this book is good but I am an intelligent non religious adult so I hate the book, the writing, the plot, the unending chapters…” This is rather baffling (and one reason why amateur reviews can be crap). Is a book bad simply because the author frames a worldview or makes a point different than your own? That’s like saying that Avatar was categorically bad because James Cameron is an environmental whacko. Anyone with an iota of objectivity has to admit that the graphics and effects of Avatar were incredible. How can we pan the entire movie based on the director’s politics or worldview? Nevertheless, that’s what some reviewers do when they learn a book is “Christian.” Suddenly, “…the writing, the plot, the unending chapters” — everything about the book — becomes puke.
Memo to non-Christian reviewers: I don’t mind if you hate my books. But please do so on the grounds that the writing is flawed or weak, something technical that I can attempt to correct. Not on the grounds that I’m a Christian.
Above all, I think this debate points to the tenuous connection between Christians and culture. We want our books in the hands of seekers. But, in case you haven’t noticed, they know we want to convert them! Which makes them a little more than suspicious. Nevertheless, this is the tightrope Christian fiction must walk. Are we targeting believers or seekers? Should we be explicit or subtle? If we want to be evangelistic, to sow seeds, then we must be less preachy. “Wise as serpents” comes to mind. But the moment we start quoting Bible verses and showing our hand (“you, the reader, need Jesus”), the more we should expect responses like the ones above. Will some be touched by our books? Yes. Will others be mad? Yes. There’s just no way around the disparity of responses.
So is it deceptive to not label a Christian book “Christian”? I suppose it can be. But why is it that Christians are the only ones held to this standard?
Funny, we actually boycotted “Avatar,” who cares about the special effects, because we didn’t care to see American soldiers made out to be the bad guys (or support that idea in any way, shape or form). I think non-Christians are exercising their freedom to boycott Christian stuff when they give bad reviews (and it’s really the only thing we COULD expect from them, unless they get converted reading the book or it changes their life). That said, some Christian fiction is admittedly sub-par, and deserves a bad review, though not your afore-mentioned novels, I’m sure.
As I’ve said before, it’s very hard to choose if you want to be in or out of the Christian fiction “box” as an author. I think once you choose, you’re locked in. Do I want to see my books on the regular shelves at Barnes and Noble, not in the “Inspirational” section (or whatever it’s called now)? Yes, and a thousand times yes. I want to write books that everyone can relate to, Christian or not. However, my desire to procure a Christian agent weighs heavily on me right now, so I’m gearing my next novel for the Christian market. And if you know anything about the Christian publishing market (which you do, Mike!), you know you have to actually WRITE your books a specific way, just to get in the door.
I guess, in the end, people will know us as Christian authors, just as they know Stephenie Meyer is a Mormon author. We have a Christian worldview, which should shine through in anything we create. And we should not be ashamed, unless we know our writing IS sub-par!
Heather, I think boycotting something and giving it a bad review are two different things. Boycotting something means I have a fundamental disagreement with some element of the product and will withhold support. A review is supposed to be an educated opinion about the product. Boycotting is far too easy. It is much more difficult, and uncomfortable, to recognize when something is done well and still disagree with it on moral, religious, or aesthetic grounds. (BTW, thanks for fixing your blog link!)
I see what you mean, Mike. I think, whether it’s watching “Avatar” as a troops-supporter, or reading Christian fiction as a non-Christian, you have to read up on what the PRODUCT is beforehand, and see if you want to support it with your money or your time. And yes, I kept wondering why my link wouldn’t link, though my photo still doesn’t come up–not sure on that one what I’m doing wrong.
I had a friend, and popular reviewer, review my debut novel. It has some Christian characters but is written for general market. She didn’t finish it because it had “real religion.” When I unpacked this with her later, she said she would have had no problem if it was a fake religion, but anything with real ones is offensive. She said it wasn’t preachy. She just doesn’t like that. To her credit, she did go back and revise her “non-review” accordingly. But I just found that an odd reaction. Where in are culture are we that we can deal with real religions disguised as fake ones but not handle the real thing?
The reason people trash novels with Christian themes is that they’re based on a false, shaky and absurd premise: Creationism. And a novel based on such a poor premise cannot, by its very nature, stand up to scrutiny. It’s just a propaganda piece, intended to force a ridiculous belief system down people’s throats. Christians, by and large, spend WAY too much time trying to force-feed Christianity to others. It’s offensive and rude, and if I had any interest in that agenda, I wouldn’t need to be tricked into buying these novels–I’d already be a Christian. Fortunately, I’m not a moron.
Dan, I’m glad that you’ve found a more rational, satisfying reason for your existence: That your life is a cosmic mistake with no purpose.
Um, Dan, it’s interesting that you say “if I had any interest in that (Christian) agenda…I’d already be a Christian (wouldn’t need to buy the novels).” But here you are on this website, which clearly has FAITH as a heading, and is about a Christian novelist. How’d you find your way to this blog?
And another interesting question for you, Dan–if you think Christians are all stupid morons, why are you participating in a conversation with them?
(sorry, should’ve said INSTIGATING a conversation, since you haven’t replied yet).
Mike, I really like this post. It touches on something that just infuriates me and I can’t quite articulate it, but here’s a sampling :p
I’ve come across this a time or twenty and it blows my mind. Yes, perhaps “Christian Fiction” brings it on itself, but the non-Christian reader seems so convinced that, because a book is labeled as “Christian Fiction”, it is ONLY there to preach to them. I get the impression that they seem to think Christians have nothing else to say, nothing else to express artistically, other than to “sell them” on something. I had a spectacular one-star review of “The Strange Man” and the woman who read it found subliminal messages in all kinds of things–that I NEVER put in there. I had a character who is Latino. Her mother is Latino. Her mother also happened to run out on the family. Thereby, I MUST be saying that ALL Latino mothers leave their children, right? Obviously that one character who gets a passing mention early in the novel must be my indictment of an entire people group, right? I mean, RIGHT? Sheesh… I was floored. And I couldn’t help but think if my novel has been secular (or whatever you want to call it) she would not have batted an eye at that. Not even considered it. But because it was clearly “Christian Fiction”, she seemed convinced that everything “meant” something and was specifically designed to do nothing else but to convert her.
I feel like, if a guy eats yogurt in a “Christian Fiction” novel, some reviewer is going to take that to mean that the Christian author is “obviously” saying that “good, righteous people” eat yogurt or that I’m damning everyone who doesn’t. You know what I mean? It’s like, sometimes a yogurt is a yogurt. It’s not always a ploy to sell them on something. It’s not always preachy.
And I don’t think any amount of “subtlety” is going to fix that, other than just saying “I’m not going to write about religion/God/etc AT ALL in my book”. That seems to make people happy.
It just upsets me to no end. Some will say (as I suggested at the beginning), Christian fiction brought it on itself, but at the same time, how can we ever rise above that perception if nobody gives us the benefit of the doubt? And I hear “Oh, Christian Fiction is subpar”, but I think the bar is raised on Christian Fiction to nigh unreachable proportions. People are WAAAAY more forgiving of bad or sub-par mainstream literature/movies/TV. But all Christians books must be “The Great Gatsby” or they’re stoned for adding to the bad reputation.
I can be bad about that too. I own up to a healthy amount of eye-rolling at “Fireproof”–but I have to stop myself and look at the other movies that I love. Absolutely ridiculous movies like the “Underworld” series or “The Monster Squad”. Folks, there’s some pretty groan-inducing things in these kinds of movies. Bad acting sometimes, or bad writing, a terrible camera shot, whatever. Guys, I love “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” for pity’s sake! But I’ll forgive it. If I see one actor miss their mark in a Christian movie, I guffaw and say “Oh, give me a break.” Why the double standard? I honestly don’t know.
Anyway, see, I got off on a tangent. I’m going now :p
“I get the impression that they seem to think Christians have nothing else to say, nothing else to express artistically, other than to “sell them” on something.”
I think you hit it on the head. In my debates with non-Christians, it becomes obvious early on that they don’t understand Christianity, for one, and that they “think” they understand Christian culture (because they live in a predominately Christian country), but the fact is, they have it all absolutely wrong. It’s frustrating as heck to talk with such people, if I’m being honest.
Warning: This book contains Islamic content.
Warning: This book promotes witchcraft.
Warning: Don’t read this if you hate Jews.
Warning: If you touch this book, you may become a Sikh.
Warning: There’s a Buddhist in this book who eats chia seeds for breakfast.
Okay, I’ll stop.
LOVE this!!! So right. Instead, we, as Christians, have to read reviews (not always thorough, and what bothers you might not bother me) or just read some of the book first to know if it’s offensive to our beliefs.
ROFL!!! Love it Jessica!
Ha-ha, I love the warning list you made, Jessica. That would make me feel MUCH safer… (ha again)
Oh, Greg! Really? Seriously? I’m rolling my eyes. I think when someone is that anxious to pick up on bigotry, they must be bigots themselves.
And this: “And I hear “Oh, Christian Fiction is subpar”, but I think the bar is raised on Christian Fiction to nigh unreachable proportions. People are WAAAAY more forgiving of bad or sub-par mainstream literature/movies/TV. But all Christians books must be “The Great Gatsby” or they’re stoned for adding to the bad reputation.”
This is SO true!
You said: I feel like, if a guy eats yogurt in a “Christian Fiction” novel, some reviewer is going to take that to mean that the Christian author is “obviously” saying that “good, righteous people” eat yogurt or that I’m damning everyone who doesn’t. You know what I mean?
ROFL!!! Hilarious! And an terrific point!
Great topic and questions!
I agree it can be deceptive to not label Christian fiction as such. Part of the problem is readers’ perception of audience vs. authors’ perception of audience. Is the audience Christian readers looking for inspiration? Is the audience non-believers who could use some inspiration and guidance toward Christianity? Or is it more general? I think that even Christian readers like to know that they are reading inspirational fiction.
I don’t think that Christians are necessarily the only ones held to this standard. Mormon Inspirational Fiction is a genre. Is there a genre of Muslim fiction? Wouldn’t Christians appreciate knowing that a novel has a specific genre like that? Would they feel tricked if they downloaded a highly-rated novel only to discover that it was what appeared to be the equivalent of a pair of Mormon missionaries on their doorstep? At least the missionaries wear nametags. Genre labeling is a nice nametag to provide for readers so that they have at least an idea of what they are getting themselves into.
NOT labeling a book as Christian implies that it is merely one of the enormous pile of other books that are not part of this genre. There are surely specific things that take a book with inspirational Christian themes and make them Christian Inspirational Fiction. Authors need to be aware of what those might be, and choose whether they want to write something that fits the genre, or write something that merely presents those themes to a general audience. Then, label it or don’t label it accordingly.
The thing about this Lily, is that many books exist along the Christian spectrum. For instance, Tolkien was a believer and considered the Lord of the Rings “a fundamentally religious and Catholic work.” Many consider The Lord of the Rings an example of Christian Fantasy. Some don’t. Point is, Christian fiction exists along a spectrum, some very explicit and preachy, others not at all. Most Christian authors I know just want to write a good story, not bait and switch an audience. Anyway, I’d caution against stereotyping us Christian authors or our fiction. Thank you for commenting!
“Most Christian authors I know just want to write a good story, not bait and switch an audience. Anyway, I’d caution against stereotyping us Christian authors or our fiction. ”
Ditto!
I agree! I would be surprised if bait-and-switch were purposeful. Just pointing out that it might appear that way, and as others have commented, it seems to me that being up front about very obvious themes (perhaps sub- genres within the broad spectrum?) is a nice courtesy for the reader, and a smart move for the author to help readers choose books they are more likely to enjoy. My apologies if I appeared to be stereotyping. I certainly did not mean to be, and was merely musing on generalities.
I do think that as the spectrum is clearly broad, there is clearly a difference between Tolkien’s Christian perspective and that of stories with a clergyman character regularly advising the other characters and quoting from the Bible – that preachy end of the spectrum. That is the sort of sub-genre I was referring to. I own one Kindle book like that, and while I enjoyed the story I also felt like I was being clobbered with inspiration instead of inspired. I imagine that if someone were unaware of the genre AND not interested in it, that aspect would likely sour them on a lovely book. Again, the reader should take care to read descriptions, too!
You’re never going to please everyone, but it’s always best to be upfront about your work and its themes. Here’s hoping potential readers take the extra 60 seconds and actually read the description of what they’re getting, but it’s common sense and common courtesy to make the info available.
My stuff doesn’t fall neatly in the typical Christian market, but the descriptions and reviews all make note of its content.
I am one of those readers who screens Kindle downloads carefully to be sure I am not getting “Christian fiction.” I have never given a bad review based on that characterization, because I have never run into a book that actively claimed to be one thing while turning out to be another.
I think that if you want to reach “seekers,” Christian fiction is not the way to do it. In my understanding – and obviously I don’t read Christian fiction so I may be way off here – that genre presupposes belief. I am wary of it because I am wary of any genre that claims, upfront, to stick to a certain worldview.
However, I would never not read a book because the author was Christian. There is a huge difference between labeling the genre and the author’s beliefs. I think Stephanie Meyer’s beliefs permeate the Twilight series, for example, and that actually is part of what makes the books so popular, because readers know when an author’s heart is in the themes.
I’ve noticed several websites recently where people are having debates about whether morality exists without religion. I think as an agnostic, I may shy away from books explicitly marketed to a Christian worldview because I’m worried that a reliance on Christian justifications for moral decisions will feel like an insult to my own independent sense of right and wrong. And I have so many other books to read… life is too short.
But if you want to get across Jesus’s teachings, you can write it in ways that aren’t explicitly Christian. A book with a positive theme can impact lives, and the less specific you are about the theology, the broader your audience will be. So it may come down to a difficult choice: Do you want to make people think about Jesus, or about the Golden Rule? About adopting a personal Savior, or about loving thy neighbor? The messages of Christianity are ones that can make the world a better place, if you don’t attach the requirement of belief to them.
These are great comments, Sarah. I agree with you that Christian fiction may not be the way to reach seekers. But, as I see it, this is part of our (Christian fiction authors’) identity problems. Are we simply here to inspire the saved? Re: Stephanie Meyers, Twilight is not considered explicit LDS fiction. From what I understand, most Mormon bookstores do not carry her series. Twilight may be popular among Mormons, but it has far outreached that enclave. So does this mean its religious themes are subliminal enough to “evangelize,” or are they just non-existent?
You wrote: “…as an agnostic, I may shy away from books explicitly marketed to a Christian worldview because I’m worried that a reliance on Christian justifications for moral decisions will feel like an insult to my own independent sense of right and wrong.” This strikes me as odd. Do you apply this same reasoning to books written from all worldviews? Every author / book has a worldview. To Kill a Mockingbird had a worldview. The Hunger Games had a worldview. The Man Who Was Thursday had a worldview. Etc., etc. Any appeal to absolute morality (racism is wrong, human rights are self-evident, or torture is inhuman) is rooted in some sort “justifications for moral decisions.” This isn’t just applicable to Christian fiction.
Anyway, thank you so much for commenting. I really appreciate it!
Mike,
You are absolutely right. Every author & book has a worldview, whether it is implicit or explicit or somewhere in between. I think that a worldview that is explicitly based in theology – that brings up theology in the text – can feel more preachy, because it presupposes that the reader will give the same weight to theological argument as the writer. A philosophical world view usually says, “But what if you look at it this way?” While a religious world view may say, “But the Bible says XYZ,” presupposing that the Bible has the same weight for me as it does for you.
That said, however, I have no doubt that I have a stronger reaction to Christian themes, and I’m not saying that’s justified. It’s a knee-jerk reaction that I am admitting in the interest of honesty, but I probably can’t defend. It’s partly because of the proselytizing nature of Christianity compared to, say, Judaism. But moreover, it’s because I’m a white American, the first generation in my family who WASN’T raised going to church, and I have always lived in predominantly Christian areas. A follower of Islam who calls me a heathen is just “other”, foreign, culturally offset. The differences I have with Christians are the differences I have with my neighbors, my friends, many politicians, etc… I’m simply more sensitized because it hits closer to home.
I really hope that’s helpful, and not read as a criticism. If I came across as putting down Christians, then I need to rephrase because it was not my intent at all.
Very interesting post, and I’m glad I stumbled across it.
No, this is great stuff. And I totally get you about the “worldview that is explicitly based in theology.” Frankly, far too many Christians never arise above the “because the Bible tells me so” mentality. Anyway, thanks Sarah!
Sarah,
I have to give you props for coming in here, being honest about your opinion, but being fair and offering real insight. I’ve followed Mike’s blog for a long time, and if anything, there’s usually someone who leaves a comment full of sarcasm (as there is one on this post) and never checks back.
Your opinion is thoughtful and a valuable part of this discussion, so thanks!
Jason
Kudos, Sarah. Couldn’t have said it better. And though I’ve been singing the same tune for the past few years, Christians seem the most afraid to hear it. Sad. I do, however, have a theory. I tie it all back into the “American evangelical” scene, I really do. From what I hear from friends in other countries, this sort of stuff isn’t happening to this degree anywhere else. Yes, we’ve got a few things skewed here, and that’s the shame of it all. America – we who feel we’re always right about everything, and especially American Christians who *know* they’re just about always right about every little nitpicky thing out there.
Anyway, thanks for the comment. Spot on.
Very interesting discussion. Love the post!
I can’t help but be reminded of the classic debate between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein about how explicit the message should be. For that matter, even C.S. Lewis, who argued for a more explicitly Christian message, was at times very frustrated by people trying to read symbolism into his literature that he ever intended.
In relation to those two authors, I was raised reading them, and still love reading them both. As a believer, I also view them both as Christian viewpoint. As a child, I was able to clearly see the Christian themes in Lewis’ work, but it was only as an adult that I was able to see the Christian themes in Tolkein’s work as clearly.
The interesting thing is how both are still viewed, today. Tolkein, who argued for subtlety of message is widely regarded, today, as the father of modern sci-fi, by both Christians and non-Christians…and the non-Christian Tolkien fans clearly do not “get” that part of his message.
Lewis, on the other hand, while very popular among Christians, has pretty much a strictly Christian readership, to this day. This despite the fact that Lewis’ self-proclaimed purpose in writing fiction was to help lead people to Christianity around the “sleeping dragons” of the stigma of preconceptions of the church.
So, if you’re overt in your message, don’t expect a non-Christian to read it, or appreciate it. If you’re subtle enough in your message for a non-Christian to read and appreciate it, don’t expect them to get the Christian message.
Moral: Write Christian fiction for Christians…it is not an effective evangelism tool.
My two-cents worth…
Good discussion here. I think it’s important for authors who are Christians (as I am) to determine who the target audience is for our books, and label them “honestly.” I’m shooting for upmarket (general) literary fiction with my novel-in-progress, which I hope to finish soon. It’s not “Christian fiction,” because it’s not written to the Christian market. It’s written for anyone interested in psychology, art, religion, and journeys of the human heart. If I was writing mainly to a Christian audience, and if the book had a “Christian” theme, I would label it Christian fiction.
That said, it is interesting that people writing fiction with a “godless” slant don’t have to label their fiction “non-Christian fiction” or “agnostic fiction.” Are books with non-Christian religious themes labeled accordingly?
I read a scathing Amazon review of a book last year where the reader got mad because part-way through the book they discovered it had a Christian theme, but it wasn’t labeled “Christian fiction.” There was a strong anti-abortion element in the book. Also some mystical elements. But it wasn’t a traditional “Christian novel.”
As an emerging writer, my question is, who decides how are work is labeled? Is it the author’s decision? The publisher? The bookseller or librarian?
Well, I think this is part of the corner we’ve painted ourselves into, Susan. Although, Christian fiction is alive and well, and one of the most actively growing markets. However, this market involves “labels,” guidelines, and theological barometers. So “who decides how our work is labeled”? Pretty much whoever agrees to publish it. Thanks for commenting, Susan!
This is a fascinating discussion and I’m glad to see most of the commentors get in their two cents in a civilized fashion. Thanks, Mike, for the excellent article.
But once again we get to the crux of the Christian fiction writing problem: Christians have to defend their “right” to write Christian-themed (be it overt or subtle) fiction. And then other people get to bash the explicitly Christian stuff because it’s “preachy.” Come on, now, can you honestly say you’ve read a single so-called secular novel that didn’t preach some ideal of the author’s?
I know, I know, as a Christian I should expect crankiness when I write characters who read their Bible and talk about Jesus. But seriously — Sarah’s well-phrased comment two above says, “if you want to get across Jesus’s teachings, you can write it in ways that aren’t explicitly Christian.”
I can? Really? Well then why bother with Jesus’ teachings if I can’t be explicitly Christian? I like being explicit. So if that bugs you, well, don’t read my stuff. ‘Nuff said.
Steve,
I hope my comments didn’t come across as critical of Christian fiction. There are plenty of genres I don’t make a habit of reading, but it’s because of my own preferences. They are still worthwhile genres that serve an audience.
Many people who don’t accept every belief of a particular Christian faith still find great value in the teachings of the Bible, and the New Testament in particular. The question of which is more important – belief vs. action – is an age-old debate. I didn’t mean to argue one side of it, only point out that it was an option.
It’s true I might not read your stuff, but hey, I don’t listen to opera. Doesn’t mean Pavarotti can’t sing.
I understand, Sarah — and thanks for the clarification. As a librarian I think every book has a place with someone, and it’s not my place to decide who should or should not read a particular book.
Steve,
I don’t think we should be surprised when non-Christians view Christian writing as foolishness. It IS foolishness to anyone who has not experienced the renewing power of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
It comes with the territory, and should be expected.
The whole premise of labeling “Christian fiction” is silly. Nobody slaps a label on a novel to “warn me” when a novel is filled with the F-word, or any other thing I might happen to not agree with.
These are the kind of folks who would dicker if you stated the sky was blue.
Any time you pick up a new novel, you are taking a chance. If you don’t like what you read, move along. There are a million other books for you to choose from.
I find the “controversy” of Christian fiction vs. regular fiction completely useless, yet I suppose it’s because of that bias you mentioned. A library I go to has a good move, intellectually. All the Christian books are mixed in with all the other books. Most are identified with an “Inspirational” sticker, yet if more than one copy of the same book is on the shelf, not all of them has the sticker. Then again, not all the Christian authors have the sticker on any of their books. I see it as a good move because if someone who hates Christian fiction finds a book, check it out, reads/loves it, and finds out it’s Christian, they’d be blindsided between still loving them for their message of hope and their own instilled bias against Christian literature. I’ve never heard of any atheist publishing an “atheist fiction” book, nor any religious-style person releasing a non-Christian-yet-still-religious book, so I hate the discrimination that separates good fiction from prejudicial minds and keeps them from trying something different just because it’s “religious” or whatnot.
This is an intersting post and discussion, so thanks for that Mike.
On the east side of the Pond we don’t generally have this kind of problem, mostly because trying to make a living by writing for a Christian audience here would be like trying to sail round the world on an ice-cube – it just isn’t going to happen.
However, if Christian fiction is supposed to label itself openly as Christian, then surely the standard must apply to all fiction i.e. the openly declared or simply implicit worldview of the book must be flagged on the front cover. Of course this won’t happen. Would Philip Pullman have agreed to have the words Anti-Christian polemic printed on the covers of the His Dark Materials series? Of course not.
One last thing – how much of this is an e-shopping phenomenon? It used to be that “Christian” books were sold in “Christian” bookstores and you’d rarely, if ever, see them anywhere else. In other words, we used to keep our books in our ghetto. Perhaps e-commerce has changed all that.
This is a very good point about how the “e-shopping phenomenon” has changed this debate. In the long run, I think it’s for the better because it moves our books from a cloister into general market terrain. Some would object, I know. But maybe these one-star reviews are evidence that we ARE leaving the ghetto.
One point of clarity: From what I understand, Christian readers and publishers were the impetus behind labeling their fiction, not the secular market. Correct me if I’m wrong, but no such distinctions existed, at least not to the degree they do now. Not sure if it was the rise of Evangelicalism or Christian bookstores (or both), but we isolated the “Christian” demographic and began marketing to it. So, in a way, I think we’re suffering the result of our own cultural retreat.
I agree! Christian readers wanted to know if a book was “safe” clean, unoffensive reading. Is it written by a Christian? We created our own sub-genre. It seems that isn’t going to last much longer, however. With so many writers self-publishing and so many Christian writers writing stories with dark realistic life content and struggles that could offend many Christians, I think there’s going to be a growing number of Christian writers in the general market. What will the non-Christians readers say when they find those books, I wonder?
I’ve been thinking this same thing for quite some time now. Glad to see it articulated here.
The blame lies on both sides of the aisle:
CHRISTIANS, need to realize that NO ONE likes to be converted. If I pick up a novel where the protagonist is a pagan, that’s fine. But if said novel tries to convince me why I should be a pagan as well, it’ll lose me. While I think it’s possible to sway opinions with art, it’s a subtle thing that cannot be done over the course of a single book. . .or two. . .or three. It takes a quiet sort of propaganda that needs to take place over years and years. Look at how liberalism has squirmed into art these days. How did they do it? By normalizing liberalism. Not by shouting “BE A LIBERAL OR YOU’RE AN IDIOT!” <— That came later. 😉
Seriously, sneak attacks won't work. Propaganda may. I realize that's a bad word, "propaganda," but that's what it is, really. I'm all for it.
OTHER PEOPLE, I don't get how you can be so closed-minded. One of my favorite authors is James Rollins, who has a habit of making his characters pagan. (His novels are a good example of how to normalize a belief, btw) Without fail it seems that several characters — if not, oddly, all of them — will say something like, "Oh gods. This can't be happening." And so what? Turns out, not everyone believes the same stuff as me. But that's one of the reasons I read fiction: To experience something I might not otherwise experience, like, say, the perspective of a pagan, muslim, or atheist. Beyond that. . .seriously, Christian novels have more warning than any other novel (all novels have some sort of world view shared in them anyway). If not the quotes, look at the publisher. If said publisher is also one of the biggest publishers of Bibles. . .you might be about to read a Christian novel. . .
I don’t think it’s dishonest to not label it as “Christian fiction”. It’s ultimately up to the author and who he/she wants to write for. The biggest problem with not labeling it as Christian is that if you start preaching to the reader then you’ve decieved them.
Mike, Another thought-provoking post. I’m happy to be in the company of others who’ve had their free books attacked because they’re Christian. Harking back to the time before my conversion (at age 16), I recall feeling very uncomfortable around the Christian message. I didn’t know why at the time, but now I’ve got a pretty good idea.
Christian fiction remains, like a giraffe, something that’s hard to describe, although you know it when you see it. It varies greatly in its content, and labeling it as such is a pretty slippery slope. I guess I’ll seriously consider it when books are labeled regarding their content of profanity, sex, and graphic violence.
As usual, you raise more questions than providing answers, and I thank you for making us think.
Thanks for commenting, Richard. And for your candor regarding some of those negative reviews. I may regret it later, but frankly, I hope my publisher does release The Resurrection as a free e-book. What a shellackin’ that will get!
I appreciate Sarah’s honesty for her reasons not wanting to read Christian Fiction. Also, I agree that the “Christian Fiction” market has painted themselves in a corner as well.
Moreover, most artists (Christian or Secular) don’t like to be labeled period. It has always been this way. And now we have added the Christian worldview to this art and we have believers upset their art is labeled and non-believers who don’t want to be tricked into reading what they think is propaganda.
I believe because of this tension that Christian Fiction genre is growing and it doesn’t want to locked into the ghetto anymore and not be allowed to travel to the other side of town. However, folks in the subrurbs don’t want their kind to live next to them. Hmm….interesting how history can repeat itself in different ways.
Well, I don’t believe thatChristian novelists should be ashamed of having their work being labeled as a Christian Fiction. But, a novel should not be used as a sermon or as a tool for conversion. It is a work of art and subjected to those rules of being a work of art.
We can’t control the reactions of non-believers anymore than I can control converting someone to Christ. All you can do is plant a seed (in case to write a novel and hope that many people as possible will read it) and let the chips the fall where it may.
If we don’t like our work (I will include myself as a fledgling Christian novelist) as Christian fiction, how in the world will someone else will like it? Yes, I know non-believers will have their built biases. But, non-believers always had their built in biases about Christianity anyway. Especially, American Evangelical Christianity! LOL!!! That will never change and some folks become Christians anyway. And there will be some secular folks who can look past their biases of Christian Fiction and read it as a work of art.
I will finish with that as Christian artists, we will always have to deal with that tension between what the marketplace demands vs. artistic freedom vs. non-believers’ response to our work. We will have to get beyond our own hypersensitivity and buckle up our chin straps and write the very best books we can and let the readers decide.
“It is a work of art”
Well said.
Also, I have decided to book reviews on my blog of both Christian and Secular works and I have tried to review those books as honest as possible and not let my own Christian worldview and theology automatically dismiss a good novel even if I don’t agree with it.
Here are a couple of reviews:
http://kammbia1.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/book-review-9-lost-mission-by-athol-dickson/
http://kammbia1.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/book-review-10-leviathan-by-paul-auster/
There is Athol Dickson’s novel, Lost Mission, which shows Christianity in a non-stereotypically, cookie-cutter way and still an excellent work of literary fiction.
And there is Paul Auster’s Leviathan, a good and interesting view of postmodern morality about the nature of friendship. There are some things I disagree with in the theme of the novel. However, I thought the first 100-150 pages was some of the best stuff I have read in a long time. As a work of art, I thought the pace and characterization were rock solid even though I didn’t totally agree with his worldview.
Marion
Hi Mike: Againa nd again- great post! Two things:
1) I am astounded by the reviews from the “other side” but not surprised. As you’ve mentioned above, our craft whether as a screenwriter or book writer should be judged on the technicalities of writing and not worldview.
Why? Well, many things nonchristians publish contain a worldview but you find that many believers and nonbelievers would rate the story as great and well told. I’ve read many secular fiction and still do that has held my attention and perhaps at the end I’ll say: “Great book! What’s the message here?” Usually the message is a great overwhelming them of love, environment, or some abstract theme in a dystopic adventure. However to have a book rated one star because of the writer’s worldview is just, well, childish.
2) For that very reason, I always state: Just tell the story. When I write, I am telling someone’s(a fictional person’s) story and it is for all to read and enjoy, and hopefully portray some profound theme. As for evangelizing, I’ll have to use a different platform than literature for that.
I’ve had this opinion for some time, that non-Christian readers see the Kindle/online freebies as sort of a bait ‘n switch, and we who write fiction “with a Christian worldview” shouldn’t be surprised at this reaction. Plus, it distresses me to see some writers cheer about this–LOOK, I’m being offensive, when it’s clearly a serious disconnect between author and reader that can’t be repaired. Most people when downloading don’t take the time to look at who the publisher is. Some don’t review all the endorsements. They’ll skim the blurb about the book and if it intrigues them, they’ll use the 1-click download. And then try NOT to sling their e-reader against the wall when “religion” pops up.
One of the problems we face on both sides is that preaching is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve found quite a few CBA titles to be super-preachy. That doesn’t bother me since I believe; however, I must say I find myself skimming those parts, thinking, “Okay, get to the point.” Which is why I try to use as little Christian-ese in books as possible when I write. Plus, my goal is NOT to convert anyone, nor to provide an “alternative.” In my current book, I have an unbeliever who’s in church to help promote his business. The whole concept of being in an evangelical Protestant church is foreign to him. I wanted to give an “outsiders” view of what many “believers” know as second nature. It truly is a foreign and uncomfortable world to those “outside the fold.” (slipping in some Christian-ese at the end here just for fun! :))
Warning! Rambling in favor of Christian writers:
I think Jesus leaves us a great example as to how we can and maybe should write fiction. Read his parables. He was a great story teller. Most of the world didn’t get the symbolism behind his stories because they weren’t meant to get them. Those who were meant to get the message did. (If Jesus can use symbolism, why can’t we? He was sinless. He wasn’t trying to sucker people in, he was giving a message to those who were meant to hear it and that’s what we should be doing, too.)
I’m not saying we should water down the Gospel. Absolutely not. But the fact that I am a Christian, makes what I write Christian. Having said that, I will mention God however and whenever I will in my stories. I write stories about women who have been abused and need answers to their very real issues. I could take a “preachy” approach to this, but I pray I’m taking a realistic approach in how these women respond to their situations and how they struggle to survive day to day. In my worldview, though many psychological things can help them, the only true healing when it comes down to it comes from Jesus. Therefore, I will have Jesus in my stories. Is it preachy? No. It’s story. It’s showing what these women go through – how they feel, how they think, how they heal, what outside things influence them… it shows their lives inside and out. If that’s preachy, there’s nothing I can do to change it because to do so would strip me of my beliefs. No one seems to be asking any other religious author to be stripped of their beliefs in order to write their stories. So why am I asked to be stripped of mine?
As a side note: Because there is truth to mine. My beliefs are truth. I am not truth. It doesn’t have anything to do with me. It’s the power of the Gospel. It offends. The one religion that seeks to save that which is lost, that shows true love and compassion is the one that offends. But then Jesus said to expect persecution, so we really shouldn’t be surprised by it. Not that we should lay down and let others walk over us, but in an sense, the fact that we are persecuted for our beliefs show that are being true to the one who was persecuted before us. “Take up your cross and follow him.” “In the world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.”
As to storytelling shouldn’t be used to “preach theology?” It’s ok to preach evolution, Islam, humanism, new age, Budhism, and so on, but we can’t “preach theology?” We are the ones accused of bigotry and biasedness, yet we are the only ones who need to not be allowed to “push” our religious views. We don’t go around demanding that all these other religious authors not put their “propaganda” in their books. We wouldn’t do that. (The only time we may say something is if our children are required to read things offensive to our views in school. And then it would be about the requirement, not about what the author should or shouldn’t write.) What is freedom of speech about, anyway? Yet, Christians are condemned and accused of “proselytizing.” Islam is one of the fastest growing religions right now and they’re not accused of “proselytizing?” How messed up is that?
Back to our writing: my advice is to follow Jesus’ example of storytelling. If the world thinks we’re being sneaky, that’s their problem. Our conscience should be clear.
Mike, thanks so much for the post and standing up for your fellow Christian authors. As long as we as Christians have freedom of speech in this country, we need to fight to keep it. This is one way to do that.
It all boils down to worldview. Everyone who writes or paints or makes music has a worldview, whether he/she realizes it or not, and their creations will reflect it. This is why no one should just read or watch movies with their minds wide open, ready to soak in the message like a sponge. EVEN CHRISTIAN BOOKS/FILMS. Be discerning, and ask yourself at the end “What was the author/film-maker trying to make me think? How did they want me to feel?” Then, ultimately, “How does this line up with my beliefs?”
Some things aren’t worth the time to read/listen to, because we know at the outset it’s diametrically opposed to our beliefs (like I’m not going to listen to Marilyn Manson or watch Saw 7 or whatever). So it seems that we could give a heads-up to those free-Kindle readers about the Christian content of books. But if not, who cares, it was free, and they can STOP reading at any point.
Exactly, Heather! There are some books in the Christian market I don’t read because I don’t like the genre. For whatever reason. There are some in the Christian market I don’t read because my theology is a little different from theirs. There are MANY in the general market I’d never touch or even consider because my beliefs are so different, but I’m not going to criticize the author. We are responsible for our own decisions to download or not download a book. I know most people don’t look at publishers to decide if they download a book or not. I do! If it’s not an author I know, I see who published it and I read the description. I don’t download every free book that comes around.
Not only can they stop reading at any point, they can also delete it from their reader. It’s not like they have the “offensive” book sitting on their shelf staring back at them. Just delete. That’s what I would do in their shoes.
I’m a Christian. I’m also someone who has had a Kindle for many years.
I have given negative reviews to Christian books that didn’t disclose their Christian nature upfront.
I’ve now gotten very adept at not only reading the book’s description (which seldom mentions the Christian content) but also the publisher. I know that Abingdon Press and Bethany House–two of the worst offenders–are going to put out Christian fiction.
Why am I bothered?
Because it seems like those free Christian titles are guerilla marketing, trying to hoodwink the Kindle population into reading something that doesn’t interest them.
As a Christian I’m doubly offended. Is our worldview so unappealing that we have to hide it under a bushel and essentially TRICK people into exposing themselves to it?
Katherine, so I’m wondering, how would a Christian title need to advertise itself to NOT be deceptive? For instance, from all the blurbs and cover copy, Rubart’s Rooms is clearly a faith-oriented story. Yet readers still felt deceived. And what about the books published by Christian publishers and marketed to Christians that don’t contain explicit “Christian content” (I’m thinking like Tony Hines or Ted Dekker)? Must we still issue a warning that these books have a latent biblical worldview? Sorry, but I’m having a hard time believing the “guerrilla marketing” assertion, at least as it relates to proselytization.
Katherine, Ever since the first of my books was offered as a free Kindle/Nook/ebook download, my understanding has always been that the publisher does it to try to acquaint more people with the work of the author, so they’ll buy other books. I never figured it was an attempt to bait-and-switch readers into reading Christian fiction. Rather, I took it as a marketing tool. Sorry you think otherwise.
Well, I know that PART of the idea is to get people hooked on the neverending series that form the backbone of Christian Publishing Houses’ bread and butter. That’s obviously why so many of the Kindle Christian Freebies are the first books in the Brides Of Lancaster Hospital’s Quiliting Association of the Regency series.
But knowing Christians as I do, and bolstered by Mike’s and others’ claims of ‘writing for seekers’, I definitely do sense a guerilla-conversion undertone that makes me more than uncomfortable.
So is it deceptive to not label a Christian book “Christian”? I suppose it can be. But why is it that Christians are the only ones held to this standard?
I think this is a disingenuous question, Mike.
Are you ACTUALLY saying “other people are deceptive too, so why does it matter when we do it?”
Because that’s what it looks like.
I’ll tell you right now that in my very devout Christian mind I’m really disgusted that the TWO types of niche publishers who give away books on Kindle without disclosing the true nature of the content are Christian publishers and Pornography publishers.
Yep. That’s right. We are aligning ourselves and our marketing methods with PORNOGRAPHERS.
I find that patently disgusting.
You just wrote a post a few days ago where you admit that you are trying to embrace your identity as A Christian Fiction Author. Yet this type of post, this “I write for seekers so I’m going to hide my truth under a blanket of seeming” still has the appearance of someone who hasn’t fully embraced the bad aspects of writing for the Christian market.
One of those “bad” aspects is that you are in a niche that some people actively avoid for one reason or another. Non-Christians actively avoid it for their reasons. Christians like me actively avoid it for other reasons we’ve all gone over at length.
Those of you who write for seekers seem to be missing one aspect of the truth about seekers; they are actively looking for something. If someone is actively looking, your natural response as a person is to say “Hey! Over here!”
This business of trying to get a book to look like a light, mainstream read while then actively pushing the gospel is serving no helpful purpose at all.
“Are you ACTUALLY saying ‘other people are deceptive too, so why does it matter when we do it?'”
No. I’m saying other books with explicit religious (or anti-religious), political, or ideological agendas are not held to the same standards. It seems like the general public is far more hostile towards a Christian message than an anti-Christian one. And that reflects in the one-star reviews.
They are. Just go hang out in any of the Kindle boards where authors are complaining about the bad reviews for their free books. Some of the Samhain folks are bitter that their reviews were being marked down for being BDSM porn even though the cover shows a woman flanked by two whip-wielding men. Some of the Tor authors are way more than bitter about the 1-stars for their books that were First in Series and marked down because of that. There’s even a whole section where authors are petitioning Amazon to _stop_ allowing people who receive free product from reviewing it.
A lot of the problem Christian authors are receiving lately is not only because the books aren’t explicitly marketed as Christian but also because Christian fiction is the _absolute WORST_ genre for grade inflation. You allude to this yourself by talking about the ‘reliance on 5 star reviews’. I’ve seen MORE Christian books receive negative reviews that mention something along the lines of “why did this get 5 stars?!? Who are these people and can they really read???” The Christian habit of grading on a curve is hurting free releases as much as limited disclosure.
Interesting. I’ve never spent time on the Kindle boards. And I can definitely see this as part backlash for the ad nauseam five-star reviews.