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How Should Christians Write About… Magic?

Posted on October 18, 2022October 18, 2022 by R.M. Archer

Magic can be a hot-button topic in Christian fantasy circles. Is magic ever okay? What is the difference between the magic in Lord of the Rings and the magic in Harry Potter? Should we just avoid it all? Does the faith of the author make a difference?

As with the other topics addressed in this series, magic in fiction is a matter of personal conviction and the intention of these posts is not to tell you what to think but rather to pose food for thought and my personal understanding of the topic based on what I see in Scripture.

To start with, I want to highlight a few different categories of “magic,” because I think a lot of conflict arises when we’re unclear about what we mean by “magic.”

I tend to see Continue reading “How Should Christians Write About… Magic?” →

Why Christian Fiction is Important

Posted on September 29, 2020February 19, 2021 by R.M. Archer

Now that I’ve established the different kinds of stories that I mean when I say “Christian fiction,” but before I get into my encouragement posts, I want to explore a few of the reasons Christian fiction is important, in all its forms.

Fiction Impacts Culture

Everything we take in affects our worldview and our behavior. Fiction—whether in the form of books, movies, TV, or music—is something that we take in a lot of, and it shapes our thinking and our approach to certain issues. Just as one example, taking in a lot of media with Continue reading “Why Christian Fiction is Important” →

Why God is a Critical Part of the Writing Process – Guest Post by Beloved

Posted on January 2, 2019February 1, 2019 by R.M. Archer

Today’s article is a guest post by Beloved, who’s releasing her new YA contemporary novel The Daily Life of Hailey Grace.

For Hailey Grace, birthdays suck! She hopes with all her heart that her big day passes without gifts, or even a birthday wish. But with loving parents and two witty best friends who keep her on her toes, there’s no telling what adventure Hailey Grace will be forced to explore this time. Unexpectedly, her best friend Alex challenges her to do something she’s never done before. With that comes a whole new set of rules, and another life Hailey isn’t sure she’s quite ready for. Now questioning all that she has ever believed, she takes Alex up on the dare by asking for something that no one but God can give her. Her request also comes with a twenty-four-hour deadline. As the minutes slowly but surely tick by, Hailey’s life shifts into overdrive and she wonders if she has asked for too much too soon.

Her post is short, but sweet. Enjoy!

My advice for aspiring writers who seek publication is to first seek God. Seek God wholeheartedly and Continue reading “Why God is a Critical Part of the Writing Process – Guest Post by Beloved” →

How to Write Healthy Romance (and Why We Need To)

Posted on March 6, 2018February 19, 2021 by R.M. Archer

Romance is a large feature in the majority of books (at least above middle-grade level). It’s nearly impossible to find a book without at least one romance in it, and almost as hard to find a book with a good romance in it. The romances found in most books today are shallow, based almost entirely on physical attraction, and often have little basis in a prior platonic relationship. This is not a good kind of relationship to be praising and providing examples of. Real relationships require much more than physical attraction to survive, and relationships based only Continue reading “How to Write Healthy Romance (and Why We Need To)” →

The Power of Art

Posted on January 2, 2018February 19, 2021 by R.M. Archer

Art is a powerful thing. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it. Sometimes it feels like it’s simply words on a page or paint on a canvas or notes on the air. Other times, it’s impossible to miss how powerful it is. Other times it hits you like a train, bringing you to tears or making you grin uncontrollably. Art is much more than the sum of its parts. Art has the power to spawn emotion in a reader, viewer, listener. I know this first-hand, both from being so affected by art, and by seeing the reactions that my friends have when they read my writing.

“With great power comes great responsibility.” As artists, we have great power, but we have to be careful Continue reading “The Power of Art” →