Changing the World One Word at a Time

When I first started writing, I wrote what I loved. Sure I was ruled by my passion for story telling and knew nothing about the rules and the fact that beginning a novel with back story and endless description wasn't the best way to go about it. I wrote for the love of writing.

After I became a Christian, that passion for writing only intensified, and I knew I wanted to write inspirational fiction. But, I had it in my mind that if I was going to write stories with this wonderful gift God gave me, then I'd better be doing it to change lives. They'd better be deep, emotional, life-changing stories that would sink deep into the hearts of readers and bring them closer to God.

However...I was inspired by contemporary inspirational novels. Not only that, they were romances. How was I supposed to reconcile that? And worse, how was I supposed to tell people at church that I write romances. Gasp!

So, clearly it took me awhile to settle into this genre and realize that not every book needs to have that huge emotional impact. Not every novel is going to change lives in the same way.

In fact, every novel serves a purpose.

No genre is insignificant! The first Christian fiction I read was romantic suspense. And you know what? It left an impression on me. Not only as a writer but as a believer. Hard to imagine romantic suspense could have that impact, but it did. I have to remind myself of this when I wonder if my writing is making a difference. A book in any genre can make a difference.

Everyone can reach someone with their writing. Readers pick up books for a myriad of reasons. Sometimes they need something deep and moving. Sometimes they crave a mystery to sweep them away and keep them guessing. And others, they want a romance to drag them from a long day and lift them up with a happy ending. Any and all of these genres are important to the reader for a reason.

Believe in what you write! If you know what genre or genres you're passionate about, don't be afraid to pursue them. Don't be afraid to do them well and reach out to the readers who love that genre. Confidence in what you write doesn't just show in your writing, it shows in you, too! It shows to the people you talk to about your writing, and it shows to agents or editors. Writing is a part of who you are and feeling confident about it, and the genre you write in, is empowering.

I had to write this post because it took me so long to finally be proud of my writing. I know many of you don't face this dilemma, but for those of you who do, examine how you feel about what you write. Believe that there's a purpose behind your passion and be proud of what you write.

Any readers out there who've wondered about the genre they write in and if it's what they're supposed to be writing? How about the opposite - who shouts what they write from the rooftops? Feel free to share the genre you write in, too. I'm interested to see which genres we all share.