Post: Authors, avoid these 3 Christian fiction mistakes

Christian fiction

When you realized that you could combine your deep faith and walk with Christ with your writing skills and ability to earn a living, you no doubt found it a cause for celebration. You’ve always wanted to write books and have also always wanted to share your faith with others. Writing Christian fiction enables you to do both. However, if you’re new to this label, there are several key things to keep in mind and mistakes you’ll want to avoid. 

Christian fiction can include various genres, including mystery, romance, historical fiction or even thrillers. Remember that your writing must engage your readers and make them want to come back for more. If you fall into the errors we’re about to discuss in this post, you’ll have a better chance of chasing your audience away rather than inspiring their loyalty. 

Christian fiction mistake number one

Probably the biggest mistake you can make as a Christian fiction author is creating characters that are too idyllic. After all, Christians are imperfect human beings just like everyone else. If your characters have no flaws, your writing may come across as hypocritical, which will backfire when it comes to building a loyal following. 

Don’t be afraid to show the downsides of your characters. In fact, doing so then presents a greater opportunity for you to incorporate how a character’s faith in Christ helps him or her overcome and persevere in life. 

Mistake number two—drowning your readers in Scripture citations

While inserting Scripture verse citations in a Christian fiction story is perfectly acceptable, try to avoid overkill. The average reader will either pause while reading to lookup a verse or make a notation to do it later. 

Too many citations will disrupt the flow of the story and make readers feel like they are at a Bible study class instead of enjoying their free time. Sprinkle in just enough quotes to encourage people to read the Bible and to have a positive impact, but don’t overdo it to the point that your novel becomes overwhelming to read. 

Set a high standard for grammar, punctuation and writing mechanics

Becoming a Christian fiction author doesn’t give you a pass on stellar writing skills. Readers are not going to settle for less simply because a story is centered on faith in Jesus. If anything, your goal should be to raise the bar and make sure that your books are professionally edited and free of spelling and grammar errors. Only put your best work out there on the shelves. Thinking that these issues don’t matter as much because you want readers to focus on a Christian message is a big mistake.

To avoid these Christian fiction errors, it’s a good idea to ask an experienced editing team to review your work before submitting it to a publisher. Even if you have editing experience yourself, it’s best to hand over your manuscript to a fresh set of (objective and critical) eyes.