tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037568074224135598.post4703890712045775607..comments2023-04-27T02:38:24.236-07:00Comments on Yellow House News: Startlighter, by Bryan Davis - Day Three of the July 2010 CSFF Blog TourT C Booherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05076755815599489170noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4037568074224135598.post-64632735186170782852010-07-21T10:43:04.202-07:002010-07-21T10:43:04.202-07:00Thomas, I agree with your goals, I really do. This...Thomas, I agree with your goals, I really do. This is actually an ongoing discussion involving Christian fiction, not just Christian speculative fiction.<br /><br />The thing is, I've been at this for eight years now and have seen how far the genre has come. I believe writers are doing what you say. But part of the problem is what we're teaching each other. <br /><br />For how many years did I hear at writers' conferences, editors (EDITORS!) tout one book as the "bible" of writing fiction. While I certainly think it's a fine beginners instruction book, I don't think it's the end all.<br /><br />I went to one writers' conference that had craft sessions for beginners and for intermediates. Not for professionals. <br /><br />And here's the problem. How does a Ted Dekker or a Karen Kingsbury, both regularly on the Christian book best seller lists, come to the conclusion that he or she needs to improve their writing? I mean really, people are buying their books as fast as they can come out.<br /><br />My point is, the current quality of Christian writing isn't a simple issue (<i>writers, get with it and get better</i>). There's the whole promotion and platform building aspect and more that drains their time and creative energy. (And the ones who don't do it, a la George Bryan Polivka, end up not selling well, a sure way to become no longer published).<br /><br />All that to say, what will encourage publishers most to expand (and let other writers into the mix--hopefully writers who are even now learning the craft) is if the books they do publish sell well.<br /><br />So the blog tour is designed to be one cog in that wheel of cranking up the level of writing (because we try to feature the better books) and excitement for the stories produced by Christian speculative authors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com