Dealing with questionable subjects responcibly Drink, Abortion, tobacco, drugs, violence - more This page updated
November 27, 2010.
"Yes, your book can be clean and still be interesting." By that, I mean there are many topics a novice writer might have thought couldn't be touched. Practicaly
any topic can be breached. Fiction writers wishing to respect general family morals (religious values) can treat things such as the drug scene, the
fast life, fighting, domestic abuse, smoking, drinking, pre-marital and extra marital affairs, and so on in their books or short stories. It's how
these matters are treated that makes a difference. Don't be artificialy sweet and borish. Make it exciting. Just don't condone these things.
Can religiously minded Authors Include the Following:
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Yes. It all depends on how the author treats these subjects. I will even go so far as to suggest that a new author should not hesitate to include any or all of these
sometimes sensitive issues, but give them a Christian treatment.
For example:
King David in the Bible has his general killed so that David can take the General’s wife as his own. This is no doubt a great evil and in the end, David pays dearly. The Bible story
says that what David did in that situation is a wrong. Severe and genuine repentance is in order, and the Bible story on David speaks of God’s mercy, love and forgiveness.
The Perfect Kid?
There’s no such thing as a perfect person. Many people might be nice and normally do the right thing, but none is perfect. I had a writing professor tell us to beat up on our
characters. Randy, in my novels, is a very good kid. He’s generous in spirit most of the time, kind, courteous, honest, and all those other things listed in the Boy Scout code. What a
shock to his character when he unexpectedly hauled off and punched a six-grade classmate in the mouth.
His action was not justifiable. Chalk it up to human behavior, but an author is not required to condemn nor condone the behavior. The general outcome can show disapproval for such
behavior without delivering a sermon about it.
Misjudge a Character
Chuck the retired tailor sat on a beach twirling a bottle of gin before his eyes. That gives the assumption that he’s a worn out alcoholic. It turns out the guy probably never had a
drink in his life.
Set your character up to be misjudged. The saying is, "Clothing does not make the man."
Authors can set the judgment up in reverse. Build up a likeable and responsible character. Let this nice guy (or nice lady) turn out to be a real scum bag.
You have a number of choices if you get tired of a certain nice character, and you want to move on to other things and people in your story. One option is to
move on and never mention the person again. Another is to have the person act out in a way even you the author didn’t expect. He draws a gun and begins firing.
(Not nessisarily all blood and gore, just lots of broken glass, chipped plasgter and people ducking or running.)
A lady walked into a liquor store. She seemed lost, and then began tossing dozens of bottle on the floor.
Another character sat on the rail of a bridge contemplating the beauty of the area and then jumps. It doesn’t matter if you do a
follow up part on that or not. You may or not mention if he dies, gets hurt, rescued or what not all. You’re done and you want to move on to other characters
in the story.
It’s the unexpected twist in a story; not even you, the author, expected.
It’s interesting when an author has no more control over a fictional character than he/she would have over real-life persons.
The son of a character in a small bit part hung himself in Cloudburst. The novel mentions the son, but never presents him in person. The young man was unable to deal with his
homosexuality and society’s taboo on the subject. I don’t know how to write on the subject, so I simply touched on it because of today’s controversy about gay rights. I felt some of the
hard-core religious condemnation of homosexuality lacked Christian compassion. Like me, those in the story do not know much about the issue, but the consequences of not having dealt with
it hits hard through this kid’s suicide and the father’s grief.
Redeeming Attributes
Even the nasty ones have a likeable side.
King David is a Biblical hero despite arraigning for Uriah’s death in order to take Bathsheba as his wife.
Creating a rotten character doesn’t mean that figure cannot have a few good qualities or perform a few right deeds. Just as the good characters have flaws, so too the bad people can have
some finer points.
Authors can decide if the selfish cold character undergoes a conversion, or if the villain will continue in his ways. The bad one can still pause to do a kindness. One can even leave the
reader wondering if a character, regardless if s/he is good or bad, will do the right thing or not.
The mysterious young driver who showed up at the end of the story, the Fishing Hole, could turn out to be friend or foe. He might be a new comer in the story, or he might be one of Amos’
assailants. He might do the right thing, or he might make matters worse for Amos.
I don’t know if I’ll continue that story or not in my next book, but you can imagine the potential any writer could have at that point of the story.
Abortion
Abortion is among the hottest moral issues today. Fiction is an excellent way to present those affected by abortion. There are those considering abortions and those dealing
with the tragic after math of an abortion. Not every character in the story has to agree or come to an agreement with the Church teaching. The general scope of the novel or short story
can support the Church’s view without specifically saying so.
The short story in this writer’s guide, Lorraine, is a remarkable example. The author did not specify a position. Her ending leaves the reader hanging on many issues. Abortion involves
many other difficult to deal with conditions and situations in life.
Economics is only symptomatic of deeper and broader problems. Poverty is not the cause of abortion. Middle class and wealthy people make up over half the abortion cases. The causes of
poverty can play a part in why some people have abortions. Domestic abuse and the emotional terror the victims live with is often a factor.
An excellent treatment of abortion might be about a teen or young adult discovering that his or her parent(s) planned to abort him (or her). Make it more interesting: The young adult
learns of this after having made an appointment to have an abortion. Make it even more intriguing: The young adult parent(s) learns their parents planned to abort them after the adults
kids had an abortion performed.
A positive ending to a story does not have to be a happy one.
Violence
A book that revels in violence fails the test as a Christian book. However, violence can take place in a story. The short stories featured in this guide, Fishing Hole and Lorraine are
violent, but they don’t glorify violence.
Human nature has an aggressively violent side. St. Thomas’ Just War Theory explains that a nation has the right and duty to defend itself against an unjust aggressor. The defending
nation risks role reversal if, after defeating the aggressor country, mounts a war of aggression against the other land unnecessarily.
Christian authors can apply this to individuals fighting. A person clearly has the right to defend against an unprovoked attack. The just party should not give chase and continue the
fight out of revenge should the attacker concedes defeat or runs away.
Arguments that escalate to fist fighting are usually wrong. Mere opinion can be strongly felt or held; but attempting to impress a personal opinion on another in a heated rage that
resorts to fighting is seriously wrong. Nevertheless, it happens. Admittedly, many of us enjoy watching these encounters on the screen. The fiction writer including
this kind of behavior does well not to promote fighting as a social value. Treating the morals learned by individual combatants after a fight to avoid violent resolve of differences
in the future can be Christian. War
The Gospel says, “There will be wars and rumors of war.”
Writing on war in general is acceptable material for a Christian writer. Some of the best sellers and some of the most enduring movies are stories within a war setting. Fiction that
usurps scriptures to entice readers to hate other nations, religions and peoples and that advocates the use of war to suppress religious freedom is another matter.
Drugs and Alcohol
There is noting per se wrong with the inclusion or mention of drugs and alcohol. A Christian writer can actually do a lot of good treating these topics responsibly. Not every
character that abuses or is addicted to these substances has to clean up. The consequence of their lives may sufficiently serve as caution.
Immoral Sexual Behavior
A Christian author avoids graphic details, but acknowledging the existence of immorality can be very acceptable in a number of fiction pieces. The positive difference is in the
presentation and handling of the topic.
Some older movies showed an unmarried couple entering a house together. Shadows on a window shade or curtains suggested what was to take place. The window then went dark and the camera
faded to black. The audience saw the couple or at least one partner leaving the building the next morning. Graphic details were not given.
The author is not under an obligation to scrutinize or chastise everyone in the story that is involved with issues of immorality.
A young unmarried couple having a fling in the barn while visiting Grandma is allowable in a story. Detailing the tussle in the hay is not advisable, or at least be very cautious with that.
Knowledge of infidelity is acceptable in a story. Much can be said of the affair, shy of certain graphic performances.
These stories may or not come to a sound moral conclusion. Christian authors can write in a manner that assumes good behavior is the better choice. The story does not have to convert every
sinner before concluding.
Religion in Christian Writing
Religion does not have to be mention. It certainly can, and often is by Christian writers, but this is not a requirement to qualify as a Christian writer. Sound moral presentation is
needed.
Civil Rights, Race, Religion, Gender, etc.
Offensive Terminology
Many publishers will warn against submitting manuscripts overtly disparaging against religions, race, ethnics, gender and so on. We know that racism exists and that highly
inflammatory racial epithets are used in real life. An author may include racist characters. The slurs used in the verbal portions as quotes in the stories call for discretion, especially
in fiction. Use them very sparingly if at all. The terms probably have no place in the narrative. There are exceptions, but use caution and discretion.
A thoughtful author can run certain terms that are used for a particular race or religious group past an internet search engine. Some commonly used terms are offensive, but the author
might not be aware of that.
An example is with the word squaw. It is offensive to many Native Americans, though there are still many non-Natives, who are not aware of this. Brave, used to signify a Native American
may or not be a suitable term. It is outmoded. Consider a term that is acceptable to any race of people. Warrior is another term that might be acceptable in some situations and might be
somewhat offensive in others.
Politically Correct?
I have a personal dislike of that term, but I don’t dismiss it either. The unofficial politically-correct movement has done good to bring certain injustices and inequities to light. On
the other hand, the so-called Political Correctness on many issues is in error and contrary to Christian values.
Notes
Read the two short stories before comparing these notes.
Fishing Hole, facing danger. A work in progress. This is not the
final version.
Lorraine and Amos are in dangerous situations that they could not avoid. Resistance, running away or fighting back would have meant their
lives. Submitting could also cost them their lives; and from the way the Fishing Hole ends, one doesn't know if Amos will make it out alive.
I feel that both protagonists have no control over what will happen to them at the hands of those wielding unmatchable powers over them. Lorraine lives out her life knowing Max can
kill her at any time. We don’t know what kind of time is left for Amos to live. He might be at the point of deliverance, or his life may be at an end.
These two stories might not be what some would expect under the heading of Christian short story. They were chosen to challenge and strengthen our Christian consciences.
How do we base our judgments over others?
I have heard from Pro-Life group members about their protests outside of abortion clinics. I agree with the fundamental purpose of many of these protesters, but I sometimes cringe at
their angry self righteous slogans. How many Lorraine’s have sought those clinic doors?
My admiration goes to those who find means to take on the Max’s in society. Responsible action will save the lives of the unborn for the next seven generations. Less effective are those
who curl their lips and shake their heads at women like Lorraine.
We don’t know what became of Amos. If he was rescued, he’ll probably do fine. I certainly hope he is a happy proud Grandpa today.
If he died, then that’s all there is to say for him; but pity his family.
Was he abducted? What sort of scars from the drama might hamper him if he managed an escape later?
How many ravished looking street men out there might have been someone like Amos? How many Lorettas have been driven from their
homes?
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What if you are the only person in a car driving down a back road out in the country or in the more worn-out portion of an inner city, and you saw a person in a predicament like Amos'?
I'm certain we would all want to stop and aid him, but don't be hasty in your answer. Many people with gages and bound hands are destined for execution. Dangerous crooks or gang members
might be forth coming at any moment brandishing pistols.
Check out the two Magazines I publish and have
printed via MAGcloud. Let me know if you think you have a story to publish in these magazines.
Writer's guide & Short Stories: br>
special menue for this section of the web site.
