Clean vs. Moral Writing: What Christian Authors Need to Know

From Edie: Explore the difference between clean and moral writing in Christian fiction, and learn how to follow God’s calling—whether you’re writing to entertain or inspire.

Clean vs. Moral Writing: What Christian Authors Need to Know

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

A topic raised some interesting comments on a blog I follow. 

The question: Should our work be clean or moral? 

The answer (from me): Well, yes … depending. 

I didn’t mean to be ambiguous … or maybe I did. I think the answer depends on what God has called you to write. 

Some Christian authors write from a Christian worldview to entertain. Some write specifically to show the way to Christ. Both are good and both are needed. 

Clean is a story without bad language, sex scenes, or gratuitous violence. Moral delivers a message concerned with the principles of right and wrong and the goodness or badness of human character.

You can’t force what God hasn’t called you to write. I know … I tried—not once but twice—and ended up deleting 30K words the first time and 40K the second. 

I also tried to write a devotional book. I got the idea to create one for the actors. It started with me complimenting an actor. Their response was lip service about it wasn’t them but God. Hogwash, I say. God gave you the talent, but you had to learn the lines. Just say, “Thank you,” and give God the glory in your heart. Anyway, I wrote that devotion and two others. Then the well ran dry. 

Obviously, God did not call me to be a devotion writer. I contributed what little I had to a book and that was that.

Don’t feel defensive if you’re called to entertain. Christians need to be entertained without being subjected to bedroom scenes, graphic horror, or a sermon. Kristin Billerbeck was highly popular with the missionary world, since they were in the world and not in the protective walls of the church. Those books were what they called chick-lit.

Ronie Kendig writes romantic suspense with gritty, raw characters in action-packed stories. Her brand is rapid-fire fiction. She’s a multi award-winning bestseller—without sex or gratuitous violence. Yet, another author I know writes conversion scenes in every book, and those scenes are organic to the story, never forced or heavy-handed. She’s called to write her books to show the way to salvation in Christ.

In my first published novel, my main character was a newer Christian. She didn’t have it right yet, and she often misquoted or misunderstood scripture. It led to some humorous moments, which most of my readers loved. 

Yet one didn’t. In a review, one reader said I had “vague and inaccurate scripture references.” The funny part is I didn’t … but my main character did. That reader wanted a sermon in a book—not real life.

Here’s the deal. Christians sin. We get things wrong. We lash out in anger. All things we later regret and take with a broken heart to our Father. But, as He reminded me recently, “Nothing can separate us from the Father’s love.” Not if we are His children. 

If God has called you to write a work of fiction that shows the way to Christ, do it without a heavy hand. You still want to be entertaining. A very wise woman once told me, “People let down their guard when they think they’re being entertained. Then, when they least expect it, our words reach out, touch hearts, and change lives.” 

However you write—to whomever you write—let your creativity follow the path God has laid out for you. If you do that, your words will change lives.

Blessings!

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Clean vs. Moral Writing: What Christian Authors Need to Know from @AneMulligan on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Ane Mulligan lives life from a director’s chair, both in theatre and at her desk creating novels. Entranced with story by age three, at five she saw PETER PAN onstage and was struck with a fever from which she never recovered—stage fever. One day, her passions collided, and an award-winning, bestselling novelist emerged. She believes chocolate and coffee are two of the four major food groups and lives in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler. Find Ane on her website, Amazon Author page, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, The Write Conversation, and Blue Ridge Conference Blog.