Don't Overdo It! How to Avoid Preaching At Your Readers

I've seen more than enough Christian fiction and comic-books that have tried to reach to secular audiences. I've haven't seen much that have succeeded in reaching out to the YA audience, especially comic-book wise.

I think it is great to express your beliefs in your stories, but when you are preaching at the reader every other word balloon or sentence, you are telling your readers that you do not care if they don't enjoy the storyline, they MUST become a Christian at the end of the book.

Here are a few suggestions to get across your message without pounding them into the readers head-

• Don't try to make EVERYTHING rated-G. While excessive cursing, violence and sexual overtones are disgusting, everything should not become a 'Barney and Friends' adventure. It is okay to show characters with serious problems, it allows people to relate to what the characters in your story. And if you've ever read the Bible, you'd definitely notice it isn't exactly Rated-G experience...

• Have your characters express their beliefs by how they act and think. No reader will appreciate it if they are spouting verses all the time. Also having characters act overly moral will also destroy relatability. Here is a good link that will help you avoid goody two-shoes characters:http://www.superheronation.com/2008/08/05/problem-characters-mary-sues/

• Let your story represent itself. If you made the book(or comic-book) well enough, than you shouldn't have to be concerned about whether the story gets your message across.

• It is okay to base titles and storylines on Bible verses and passages, as long as they aren't used too rigidly. Books like a Wrinkle in Time(by Madeleine L'Engle), and This Present Darkness(by Frank E. Peretti) use biblical verses in their stories pretty well.