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Other than the Bible, Christian books, both fiction and non-fiction, are a great source of faith to readers. Authors write under this genre to spread the message of faith, inspire change in people, and redirect thousands of lives toward God.
These books are crucial in people’s development and path toward a virtuous life. Hence, various authors have taken the course down this career path.
Author Bevil Bramwell is among the many authors who write to evangelize. Bramwell has five books under his name, all based on the Bible and God’s words. While he and the numerous Christian writers have an impressive list of books on their names, this doesn’t make writing Christian books easy.
Writing any book isn’t easy – much more writing one that’s based on a decades-old belief that’s religiously followed and trusted by people.
What makes an excellent Christian book?
A common misconception about Christian books has to do with their references. They don’t necessarily have to be overt and conspicuous Bible references.
Religious authors don’t want their books to be “preachy,” or they can appear condescending, and readers might avoid them. When writing a book centering on a polarizing concept, religion, there’s a thin line between moralistic writing and one that’s too self-righteous or religiously condescending.
There’s more to writing a Christian book than simply jotting down one’s feelings and associating them with God’s words. Writing one is like writing any other book, as it needs thorough consideration and planning from the author.
Here are some factors that authors need to examine:
Set Goals
Christian book authors write to influence people.
But how they do this is what makes every writer unique. The Bible and God’s life is a rich source of lessons beneficial for everyone. As a part of setting goals, authors can determine what specific lesson they wish to impart to their readers.
How does the author wish to achieve this? How do they want to write their story? Like any book, Christian books need to be planned to be more effective. Setting goals will also help authors limit themselves to avoid writing a confusing book.
Determine Writing Progress
Before authors can begin writing their books, they need to check where they are in the process. Do they already have notes or sources to help make their process smoother? Do they have sermons or Biblical verses as a foundation for their chapters?
Discovering what they currently have can prompt the authors if they need more research. While Christian books may seem like those that rely on the author’s feelings and opinions, they also need thorough preparation and analysis. This ensures that whatever the author writes isn’t only compelling but also valid and reliable for their readers.
Draw from Experiences
Nothing brings out more sincerity than writing from one’s personal experiences. This can bring out so much rawness in emotions and create events that aren’t only relatable but also evoke a sense of empathy from the readers. Additionally, writing from one’s experiences makes the process easier.
Determine the Target Audience
As with every book, Christian books aren’t for everyone. Authors must have a selected target audience in mind as soon as they start drafting their book. They should also describe their audience in detail to determine what parts of their experiences and what verses in the book they need to write about.
Flawed is Good
If one is writing a fictional Christian book, there’s always the urge to make the hero perfect. After all, authors would think that most readers would probably root for one that can overcome any obstacles thrown at them. However, that’s not believable. Nobody would want to read a character that’s started as perfect. They want substance. Readers want change.
But finding flaws in characters can also be challenging. These flaws shouldn’t be fatal. The characters should have imperfections that are forgivable and not too appalling. These should be something that readers can relate to and encourage them to change their beliefs and behaviors with the character.
Lastly, be Inspired by Others
A great way to start writing is by learning from other authors. Reading other Christian books and noting how they address issues and write stories is an excellent step to bettering one’s writing. Authors can learn from published authors.
For starters, they can check out Bevil Bramwell, author of Catholics Read the Scriptures and other Christian books. They can do so by visiting his website: https://www.bbramwell.com/.
