Friday, April 27, 2007

Serials and Scenarios - Paul Robertson

Paul opted out of answering the usual dregs questions. Instead he has posed a few to us.

And he has some deep thoughts, too.

What do you think?


After reading through some of the comments already posted, I’d rather ask questions of all of you than answer questions about myself.

Where is Christian Fiction supposed to be going, and what is it, anyway? Writing the stuff is very different than reading it. There are a lot more limitations – I find that I’m very poor at creating a convincing “conversion” scene, for example. A reader would feel a plot was incomplete without it. For a different reader, the story would lose all credibility when a character drops to his knees.

I sure think Jason needs to get saved. His whole state needs for him to get saved. His whole state needs to get saved. I hope any of them do.

I know what Christian Fiction should do, or what the world needs for it to do. I live about two miles from Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus here in Blacksburg, VA. I have close friends who were personally touched by the shootings here last week. It’s amazing how many connections 32 people can have in a community of forty thousand – everyone knows someone who was closely affected. Everyone has questions and for many of them, an evangelism tract or a church service are not answers. What can I say to them, and how can I say it? These are not just the “unsaved”. It might have been an even bigger shock to comfortable Christians who thought they had God figured out.

My goal is to speak Christ and Truth to the church and the world. The moment of one person’s salvation doesn’t happen by itself – there will be a process, maybe years or decades, and people will be at all different stages. After salvation, the process continues. That’s where it even starts for real. I want to explore that process and illuminate God’s work in individual lives.

Thanks to everyone for their time and willingness to read “The Heir”. I hope at least some people enjoyed it! I’ve been reading the reviews. It’s helpful to see what a diversity of expectations and interests readers have.

The plan is for “Road to Nowhere” to come out next spring (2008), depending of course on Bethany’s schedule. No billionaires. Just the Board of Supervisors of a tiny county in the mountains of North Carolina and some real big issues they end up dealing with. Including an abrupt vacancy on the board itself …

God bless

- Paul Robertson

3 comments:

batgirl said...

I sure don't have the answers. I'm just another writer trying to figure out those answers. I think I've stopped trying so hard to figure out how to "infuse" the spiritual into my stories. Instead, I'm just trying to stay close to God, then writing my stories the best I can, trusting that who I am and what I believe will bleed onto the pages. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

shelby said...

i never knew about a boy is one of your favorite movies! im glad my post brought tears to your eyes.

shelby said...

oh... you should blog about me.