Comments on: Do Your Characters Pray? http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/ Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:05:39 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Nikki Loftin http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1062 Nikki Loftin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:37:36 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1062 SPARTAAAAAAAAH! Couldn't resist. I need a clone of me to write the new MG... I have to finish my adult novel, but I almost don't want to. MG is so much more fun. And lots shorter. SPARTAAAAAAAAH!
Couldn’t resist.
I need a clone of me to write the new MG… I have to finish my adult novel, but I almost don’t want to. MG is so much more fun. And lots shorter.

]]> By: Lindsey http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1058 Lindsey Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:16:08 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1058 No... I have not heard about the toaster MG. My interest is obviously piqued. I hope you spill soon. :) I read your birthday post. I love that your son is like Raymond. He has to keep you laughing! (and on your toes...) I love it. Happy birthday to Cameron. 23 hours of back labor? You're a spartan. I made it through 18 hours of normal labor and then gave into the epidural. 6 hours later my little guy was born. No… I have not heard about the toaster MG. My interest is obviously piqued. I hope you spill soon. :) I read your birthday post. I love that your son is like Raymond. He has to keep you laughing! (and on your toes…) I love it. Happy birthday to Cameron.

23 hours of back labor? You’re a spartan. I made it through 18 hours of normal labor and then gave into the epidural. 6 hours later my little guy was born.

]]> By: Nikki Loftin http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1051 Nikki Loftin Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:45:04 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1051 Thanks, L. My new MG MS is what I'm thinking about mostly... have I told you about it? It involves a toaster. Kiss of Death sounds like the title of a torrid romance, doesn't it? Thanks, L. My new MG MS is what I’m thinking about mostly… have I told you about it? It involves a toaster.
Kiss of Death sounds like the title of a torrid romance, doesn’t it?

]]> By: Lindsey http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1047 Lindsey Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:10:37 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1047 Nikki, As long as it realistic and makes sense for your character, then I think it's fine. That's the way it is with any book that has a character of any religion. I think I am more concerned with: 1) Are my characters "real" people? 2) Are the interactions between my characters real? 3)Is this character third dimensional? I agree that preachiness would be the Kiss of Death, just the same way that overexplaining everything a character does would be the Kiss of Death. Having read a couple of your pieces, I don't feel that your writing is overdone or preachy. It actually brings more humor to the mix. Fingers crossed for you! Lindsey Nikki,

As long as it realistic and makes sense for your character, then I think it’s fine. That’s the way it is with any book that has a character of any religion.

I think I am more concerned with: 1) Are my characters “real” people? 2) Are the interactions between my characters real? 3)Is this character third dimensional?

I agree that preachiness would be the Kiss of Death, just the same way that overexplaining everything a character does would be the Kiss of Death.

Having read a couple of your pieces, I don’t feel that your writing is overdone or preachy. It actually brings more humor to the mix.

Fingers crossed for you!

Lindsey

]]> By: Nikki Loftin http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1045 Nikki Loftin Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:12:43 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1045 Hmm. Well, I have read the SS series, and don't know about the "purpose" argument. In the South, church/God is just a part of life for so many people, so it would be like having a woman MC in the Junior League, or a Nascar fan. Readers understand something just from that, shorthand -- and I think going to church can do that, too. So, rather than being vital to the plot, religion is a way to establish character. I'll be honest -- I've never read a published book where the God stuff got to be too much. Sure, manuscripts have come my way that were heavy-handed, but not published works. Of course, I don't read Christian or religious fiction, so there ya go. But in popular genre fiction, God is the third rail, seems to me. Well, okay. Anne Rice has crossed over, etc. But mostly? Not mentioned. I think a MC who espoused FSM- ism would be a hoot. Um, Flying Spaghetti Monster, yanno. Hmm. Well, I have read the SS series, and don’t know about the “purpose” argument. In the South, church/God is just a part of life for so many people, so it would be like having a woman MC in the Junior League, or a Nascar fan. Readers understand something just from that, shorthand — and I think going to church can do that, too. So, rather than being vital to the plot, religion is a way to establish character.
I’ll be honest — I’ve never read a published book where the God stuff got to be too much. Sure, manuscripts have come my way that were heavy-handed, but not published works. Of course, I don’t read Christian or religious fiction, so there ya go. But in popular genre fiction, God is the third rail, seems to me.
Well, okay. Anne Rice has crossed over, etc. But mostly? Not mentioned.
I think a MC who espoused FSM- ism would be a hoot.
Um, Flying Spaghetti Monster, yanno.

]]> By: Lisa Iriarte http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1039 Lisa Iriarte Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:25:21 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1039 Sookie Stackhouse involves vampires, though. Vampires and religion are an instant conflict. It adds to the plot. It's not there without a purpose. I don't read the books. I'm just guessing. But I'd bet it's completely intentional and planned as a conflict builder, not just as a character trait. When it gets to be too much, I feel, is when it serves no purpose. If a character is overly preachy, but that preachiness causes conflict with other characters, then I see the point. When the religion serves a purpose to the plot, then I'm okay with it. But if the character's religiousness is pointed out over and over again for no apparent reason, then I feel like it's the author who is trying to convince me that one must believe in certain things, and the character is irrelevant. Then I put the book down and go find something else to read. Sookie Stackhouse involves vampires, though. Vampires and religion are an instant conflict. It adds to the plot. It’s not there without a purpose. I don’t read the books. I’m just guessing. But I’d bet it’s completely intentional and planned as a conflict builder, not just as a character trait.

When it gets to be too much, I feel, is when it serves no purpose. If a character is overly preachy, but that preachiness causes conflict with other characters, then I see the point. When the religion serves a purpose to the plot, then I’m okay with it. But if the character’s religiousness is pointed out over and over again for no apparent reason, then I feel like it’s the author who is trying to convince me that one must believe in certain things, and the character is irrelevant. Then I put the book down and go find something else to read.

]]> By: Nikki Loftin http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1037 Nikki Loftin Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:25:20 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1037 Hi, Lisa! Well, of course the kiss of death would be preachiness, in Christian fiction or non. What I'm struggling with is having characters whose faith is just a part of their lives -- like anything else. I think it's starting to happen in genre fiction (See the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris). But there's a fine line a writer has to tread, no? (BTW: Sent my newest MS off to that agent today. Very curious to see what she says.) Hi, Lisa! Well, of course the kiss of death would be preachiness, in Christian fiction or non. What I’m struggling with is having characters whose faith is just a part of their lives — like anything else. I think it’s starting to happen in genre fiction (See the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris). But there’s a fine line a writer has to tread, no?
(BTW: Sent my newest MS off to that agent today. Very curious to see what she says.)

]]> By: Lisa Iriarte http://nikkiloftin.com/2009/09/do-your-characters-pray/comment-page-1/#comment-1036 Lisa Iriarte Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:25:22 +0000 http://nikkiloftin.com/?p=155#comment-1036 Hmm, interesting question. I'm very careful to limit religion in my writing. It's okay for a character to be religious, but not for the work itself to be preachy, in my opinion. Unless religion is a focus of the book, like, say, some weird alien religion, then I don't feel it belongs in my science fiction. This would, of course, be different if I were writing, say, Christian fiction, (which is selling really well, I hear.) Not my thing, but I'm told agents and publishers are always looking for good writing in that genre. Hmm, interesting question. I’m very careful to limit religion in my writing. It’s okay for a character to be religious, but not for the work itself to be preachy, in my opinion. Unless religion is a focus of the book, like, say, some weird alien religion, then I don’t feel it belongs in my science fiction.

This would, of course, be different if I were writing, say, Christian fiction, (which is selling really well, I hear.) Not my thing, but I’m told agents and publishers are always looking for good writing in that genre.

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