Catholic Poets & Writers - writing help & critique service

Fiction needs a factual foundation in the truths acted out on each page. This means being true to Judeo-Christian values and also to human nature -- true to the fears, frustrations, anger, worries, and longings most people actually experience over the course of a lifetime and, definitely, over the course of your story plot. Although fiction may not be a “true story” that you’ve experienced or heard about, it must be a truth story -- one in which each character speaks or acts like a similar person would in real life.

Sometimes, though, Christian writers believe they have to show a character’s relationship with God in such a positive, upbeat light that non-Christian readers think it’s overly sentimental or sappy! Although inspirational novels do well to end on a word of hope, each chapter needs some kind of struggle, conflict, or obstacle to overcome, not only to build faith but to build an interesting plot!

To immerse yourself in true drama, just look around. Watch other people, but also consider the ups and downs in your own life. Most importantly, read the Bible, especially the book of Genesis. In that first book of the living word of God, you will find the beginning of almost every interesting story on earth! Those timeless yet timely Bible stories, plots, people, and settings continue to affect cultures and countries around the globe, yet they also continually replay in individual lives and homes.

For trustworthy models who will help you to develop your story characters, look at the character development of Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. To find an intriguing plot, the Bible offers lots of possibilities to help you with that too! For example, read about the actions-reactions-consequences and outcome (aka the plot) that occurred when Abraham took Sarah’s advice and took her maid! See what happened before and after Ishmael was born and, later, Isaac. See if similar sagas can continue in faith-building stories worth telling today.

For a professional critique of your fiction or a manuscript evaluation of your story poem, children’s story, picture book, book proposal, or synopsis of your novel, see the Critique Service.