Internal Conflict

I love to read books on the craft of writing. My book shelves overflow with texts on characters, plotting, how to write romances, how to write Christian romances, mysteries, suspense, grammar (not my favorite) etc. You name it, I’ve got it.

So when I found a book about writing Christian romance from the perspective of the reader instead of the writer, I immediately bought it. It’s a non-fiction book called Romancing God, Evangelical Women and Inspirational Fiction by Lynn S. Neal. As a writer, I couldn’t resist learning what a researcher and non-evangelical had to say about Christian romance, its authors and its readers. I discovered most of the information is common knowledge to inspirational writers since obviously most, if not all (I’d say all),are believers who write from a Christian perspective.

Ms. Neal says the fundamentals of Christian faith overlay the basic structure of the romance plot. That’s not earth-shattering news although most authors strive to integrate their spiritual message into the fabric of the plot not just gild it with faith. But maybe that’s what she meant.

In these stories, the obstacles that keep the hero and heroine apart come from their faith or lack of faith. That caught my eye and raised several questions.

Do the internal conflicts of the hero and heroine always emerge from a spiritual problem? If so, must it always involve faith? What about other spiritual problems like lying, cheating, stealing? These are behavioral sins, not difficulties with belief and unbelief.

Or can the internal conflicts come from something else such as a difference in personality, temperament etc. which have nothing to do with faith? Is the spiritual conflict a separate thread to weave in and does it always concern faith?

I wonder what you think—or know.

Also, does the spiritual problem become the theme? In many of the inspirational romances I’ve read lately, the themes involve God’s love for us, his faithfulness, trust or forgiveness. I’m afraid I’m probably forgetting some important ones. Can anyone add to the list?

Do inspirational romances ever have non-spiritual themes?

According to Ms. Neal, evangelicalism has three major beliefs: the authority of the Bible, a personal conversion experience and witnessing to one’s faith. She says George Marsden adds two more: salvation through Christ and a spiritually transformed life.

One or more of these tenets are woven into most Christian novels to one degree or another. Readers like this. I think it’s the Christian values that separate inspirational romances from secular even more than the behavior of the characters. But this also tends to make Christian books a bit predictable and similar to each other.

So how do we make our novels unique and not a sermon dressed up as a story? Any ideas??? I think it’s a challenge we all encounter.