Christian Fiction: 4 Don'ts of Writing Christian Fiction
- M.L. Bull
- May 22
- 8 min read
Christian fiction is different compared to other book genres, so some things just don't belong in these types of books in my opinion. Christian fiction is a sacred genre with the purpose to glorify God, to represent using Christian virtues and good morals, and to inspire readers in positive ways. Although some writers might object, below are four things I don't believe Christian writers should include in their Christian fiction stories. Let's take a closer look. 🔍
WATCH THE EPISODE
See episode 14 of season 2 of my Journey of a Christian Writer series, Christian Fiction: 4 Don'ts of Writing Christian Fiction or continue reading the blog post below.
4 DON'TS OF WRITING CHRISTIAN FICTION
According to the Holy Scriptures, there are certain things Christian fiction writers should avoid in their books; and honestly, I personally believe all writers should avoid regardless of if they write Christian fiction or not. But that's just my honest opinion. So, what are the four dont's of writing Christian fiction?
The following are included in the bullet list:
DON'T USE PROFANITY
DON'T WRITE EXPLICIT SEX SCENES
DON'T ADD OR TAKE AWAY FROM THE SCRIPTURES
DON'T WRITE IN VIOLATION OF GOD'S WORD (SANCTION SINFUL ACTS)
Now let's briefly go over each one of these.
DON'T USE PROFANITY
Christian writers should avoid using profanity, foul language, or swear words while writing their fiction. However, some writers believe they have to use profanity or foul language to make their dialogue more believable to readers, and especially during intense or dramatic scenes. Nonetheless, this isn't true, and profanity and swearing are clearly spoken against in the Holy Scriptures, such as the reference in the book of Matthew chapter five and verses thirty-four through thirty-seven shown below.
"But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." - Matthew 5:34-37
This verse includes having characters simply say, "I swear.." too. Overall, it's best to keep character dialogue conversations as simple as possible while still getting the messages of your characters across to readers.
DON'T WRITE EXPLICIT SEX SCENES
The second thing Christian writers should avoid is writing explicit sex scenes. If you don't know what I mean by explicit, it simply means don't be too graphic in your descriptions, even during those more intimate or sensitive scenes. Christian fiction shouldn't seem like an erotic novel or short story. References within the Holy Scriptures are likewise not too detailed either, as simpler terms like "lie" or "know" are used instead as it talks about in the book of Genesis about Adam and Eve and the generations of sons and daughters that followed after them, or in symbolic terms like in the Song of Solomon. If Christian writers write about any romantic or sensitive situations, it's best to keep them brief, simple, and tell more than show. Consider allowing readers to fill-in-the-blanks by omitting intimate parts of the body or using substitute phrases, such as "bodies joined" or "came together." Whether consensual or an unfortunate violent act, your readers will likely get the idea without all the details anyway.
DON'T ADD OR TAKE AWAY FROM THE SCRIPTURES
This third one many screenwriters and playwrights have done in some Christian or religious TV shows, movies, or films and might seem simple and innocent, but is actually very serious, and according to the Holy Scriptures can lead to terrible consequences. Some screenwriters have misrepresented the scriptures in the Bible by having prophets say or do things that weren't ever recorded in the Word of God. Writers can get into trouble with God for adding things that weren't recorded into the Holy Scriptures or removing things that were recorded from the scriptures, as it mentions in the book of Revelation chapter twenty-two verses eighteen and nineteen in the block quote below.
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." - Revelation 22:18-19
For this cause, it's best to keep the scriptures as they are and not to change anything. This is also why I personally use the Kings James Version whenever I make a scriptural reference in my Christian fiction stories or novels. I don't use all the other versions, such as the New King James Version or New Living Translation because some of those copies actually change the words, which can change the meaning of certain verses. So, if you want to be on the safe side, I highly suggest you stick with using the classic version.
DON'T WRITE IN VIOLATION OF GOD'S WORD
(SANCTION SINFUL ACTS)
Christian fiction is a genre that focuses on redemption, transformation, and salvation from sin or hardships. However, there are many things within our modern society that are considered "norms," but are actually violations of God's Word. Christian fiction writers should avoid writing stories that sanctions anything God is against in the scriptures, and there's a lot of things many aren't even aware of that God doesn't permit us to be involved in or do. Today within fiction there's an LGBTQ genre, but Christian writers shouldn't write any stories that sanctions a gay couple or same-sex relationships and makes it seem like it's a blessing or accepted by God when it's against His commandments. Other things Christian writers should avoid are sanctioning characters who get involved in second relationships or love triangles while they're first spouse is still living. A character dealing with temptation and still remaining faithful to their spouse is one thing, but storylines about characters involved in second marriages with a living spouse are nothing more than fictional adultery, and Christian writers cannot claim it to be blessings from God, even if the first marriage was abusive.
Christian writers can write about a character leaving an abusive marriage, but I would suggest their first spouse be killed off in the story before marrying again. But probably some of the most common things not all Christian writers are aware of and include are stories that revolve around certain holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween, and Easter. All of these are pagan holidays and have nothing to do with Jesus Christ but were passed down from Europe for generations due to family tradition without hardly anyone questioning why they celebrate them. This might shock some people, but I personally don't celebrate any of these holidays or write about them in my Christian fiction stories because they aren't scriptural or permissible by God. Christmas in particular is spoken against in Jeremiah chapter ten and verse one through five, which can clearly be identified by the descriptive text of the quote below.
"Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. - Jeremiah 10:1-5
We would think of it to be something fun, creative, and interactive for people and families to do, but God actually sees Christmas trees as a form of idolatry; and you know, I really get it. I mean, there's so many Christmas songs that worship this very act every time the holiday season comes around each year. I barely remember celebrating Christmas, as I was very young before my family and I came to know this truth, but I reckon it's a good thing. The origins and traditions of Christmas and other pagan holidays dates back to false gods and goddesses. Santa Claus has many pagan reincarnations, including the legend of a demon called Krampus that with his evil elves punishes misbehaving children. Some people in European countries and the alps still celebrate this legend, purposely scaring children. I actually think Santa Claus and his elves were commercialized as the fat, jolly man in the red suit and the endearing elves in green uniforms we know today to appeal to children. Easter is another holiday entangled and manipulated with vain fables and notions, perverted sexual rituals, and unprofitable practices. For example, during Easter many people dye eggs, right?
Do you know where this originated from? The practice of dying eggs was a custom priests did who worshipped Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess associated with spring and fertility. These priests took eggs and dyed them in the blood of infants who were sacrificed on the altar. Later, the tradition of dying eggs was adopted by early "Christians" as a representation of the blood of Christ shed during his crucifixion. The bunny or hare was also a symbol of fertility, which is why it's so commonly associated with Easter today. I know, it's a hard pill to swallow, but I'm just simply sharing the historical origin, and what I believe based on the scriptures, which was already written before any of us was here.
Now, Easter is mentioned in the scriptures (Acts 12:4), but it has nothing to do with what society and the retail marketplace makes it out to be today. It's simply a term used for the Jewish Passover and the celebration of the Exodus of the Israelites during their escape from slavery in Egypt. Over time, things had gotten twisted, and people just began following men's tradition without a second thought or discovering the true origins of these certain holidays. While some might believe they are celebrating Jesus on Easter Sunday, it's actually based on Tammuz, which is supposedly the son of "the sun god," believed to be a reincarnation of Nimrod after his death because of his promotion of idolatry and rebellion against the one true God. Nonetheless, Easter, Christmas, and other pagan holidays aren't sanctioned by God and why I never write Christian fiction stories that revolve around them.
Thanksgiving? This one is fine as long as what characters (or families) do together honors God, as we're always told to be thankful anyway. It's just some people make more emphasis on this day than others do, which the scriptures also mention about in Romans chapter fourteen verses five and six shown in the bottom quote.
"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." - Romans 14:5-6
CLOSING REMARKS:
Christian fiction is an inspirational genre, but those of us who write it must also be mindful of what kinds of stories we write. Some of these four don'ts and points I mentioned might sound foreign to some writers, but it's important to be of good representation of God's Word, and not only as writers for the public eye and readers, but also as true followers and disciples of Christ. For more writing videos or tutorials, subscribe to my writing channel Journey of a Christian Writer series. All right, that ends this post. If you found it helpful, please, give it a (heart❤️), and share your thoughts or comments 💬 below.)
Happy Writing! 😊✍🏽💻
Hey, Christian Writers, do you agree with the four don't of writing Christian fiction that I mentioned in this blog post? Share and explain in the comments.
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