Hello again,
This post is going to be a little more serious than usual,
but I think what I have to say is something my readers should know about me and
my books. A friend of mine from a local writing group recently shared a piece
of advice with me that he learned from a successful writer. When readers ask
what your book is about, they're not asking for a description of the plot. The
best formula for answering this question is to phrase it as, "I am writing
this book to prove...."
Prove what? This idea caught me off guard because I don't
want to try to set myself up as an activist, educator, or anything other than a
creative writer. As far as I'm concerned, there's two camps in the literary
world, the story-tellers and the academics, and I associate myself with the
former. It's frightening to open myself up
to the heated debates that sometimes occur in the more academic
circles. However, this advice, coupled
with the papers I've been writing for college, have opened my eyes to a new
possibility that I've never considered before. The act of creative writing is academic.
Even fantasy novels address issues about life, relationships, and virtue,
including those eternal questions, "Why am I here? Why do I have to be the
hero?"
I am young and inexperienced, but I do know what I like to
see in books. Young Adult Fantasy novels have influenced my imagination in many
positive ways, and this post isn't meant to be a rant. But I have noticed that
there is a significant tendency in modern literature to downplay or eliminate
the role of religion and God in plot development. This makes me sad because
there are many exciting classic books that build their plots around deep
religious themes. Chivalry, obedience to lawful authority (including God), and
purity don't have to suck the life out of characters. It's possible to question the status quo and
still have a humble soul.
In the beginning of Violet
Eyes, I made Maia good to a fault because I wanted to distinguish between
innocence and ignorance. It was my first attempt to write a novel, so parts of
the plot structure were stereotypical; but, halfway through Daughter of Aero, I realized that the stereotypes
worked in favor of my intended ending. My characters aren't always perfect.
Although I strive to create stories that are suitable for all ages, sometimes
my heroine and her friends find themselves in situations where it's not easy to
know what virtue is. Truth is constant,
but the perception of the truth can be obscured by pressure and emotion, and
that is why there sometimes appears to be a moral gray area. In the end, I want
to show that my characters have struggled to maintain the innocence and virtue
they started the series with, and they have triumphed because they persevered
through suffering. God is a vital presence in my books through the character of
Yezua, but He does not release Maia from the role of heroine. If He helps her
win a battle, it's because she chose
to keep fighting.
So, I guess I'm writing these books to prove that heroes are
born through virtue, and firm belief in God doesn't eliminate the need for
courage. My goal has been to convey this message in such a way that readers
don't feel they're being preached at, but I also want to make it clear that
Maia's victory came through the choices she made in all the little trials that
crossed her path. That's all.
I just want to share that with all of you while the question
is still at the forefront of my mind. Thank you for reading.
Have a blessed and happy Easter, everyone!
