When your Character Becomes a Christian.

When writing from your character's view point, you should never give them your mindset unless of course they have the same level of maturity as you do. If you do, you'll come across as unrealistic. For example suppose you believe that premarital sex is wrong and your character has only been a  Christian for a week.  You can't expect them to think: "Now that I'm a Christian, I guess having sex with my boyfriend is out of the question." For one thing, they still have fleshly desires. All new Christians do not come with biblical doctrine ingrained in them. It is something learned and taught. I was talking with a friend, and even she agreed that you have to  be led of the spirit or convicted not to have sex with your boyfriend. Now if your Character has matured in her faith, then yes, they should have the same mindset. They've been going to church, Bible Studies, hanging around godly friends and of course a personal time of devotion and Bible reading. I believe that if a person knows a certain action is wrong and acts on it then they are held accountable. You can't hold them accountable if they are ignorant. The Apostle Paul wrote that he acted ignorantly in unbelief yet God had mercy on him. What is ignorance?  The  word ignorantly comes from the Greek word agnoia. It means want of knowledge or perception, Unbelief  is not believing something is true.

So when a newborn Christian continues to sin and she doesn't have that conviction then she is a doing it ignorantly in unbelief. Until she  comes to the knowledge of the truth, or until someone tells her and gently restores her (Gal 6:1) she will continue to do so.  The same with  fictional characters. I know personally, it's hard for me to read about Christians swearing or acting  as if they are still in their sins, but I have to remember that they may not have the same spiritual beliefs as I do. We have to remember that the characters are not us. Now if I write a memoir or an autobiography and I say "I continue to  steal from my parents even though I know it;s wrong." You may ask "Then why do you do it if you know it's wrong?" Kind of like if I post on my Facebook  wall promoting illegal drinking or if I comment on something negative like a post against human trafficking and I give it my approval, then I would understand you questioning why I approve such things. But what I write what my characters do or say is altogether different.

Struggling as a Writer

My Struggles as a Writer

          Whenever I write about me in my books, I write that I have always loved to write stories for as long as I can remember and that is true. I also believe that my “writing” genes came from my grandmother, but she didn’t make writing her full-time job! She had another job. (At least I think she did) 

          When I was younger, I can tell you I had ideas what I wanted to be: an actress, a psychologist, a cashier, but writing?  That was the furthest from my mind! I never claimed to be well versed in the vocabulary. I didn’t go to college to major in English either. I am just a woman with an imagination who can share it with others. I also didn’t want to become an author before I became a teacher. (And believe me, I have received criticism for that to—the educators telling me I should try other professions besides teaching.) But I know God has called me to teach. He has given me the desires to teach kindergarten. Don’t you know that God can use the weak things of the world to shame the strong? Do you know why? If someone is able to do things without His help, he gets no glory! But if they are dependent on him, he does! Look at Gideon! God used 300 men to fight against the vast number of the Midianites! I love what Gideon said as he went out to war: “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!”

          I may not be well versed, but I am gifted. The Lord has given me a talent and I refuse to waste it because someone said to me, “You write like a child.” Those aren’t her words, but who else uses elementary words? Children sure don’t have a vast knowledge of words. I write whatever comes to my mind, but I also ask the Lord to help me write too.

          I have said this before, the reason why I rather write and sell later is because I can’t pay people to edit my work, or even proofread it. The Past hunter has been through the fire too many times! After it received a harsh and critical review, I asked some to help me with it and he did! Several people who reviewed my book, liked my book!

          It is hard to get back into writing when someone tells me, it still needs work, but I won’t rewrite it the third time!  I will just learn from my mistakes. For now I am struggling. I am wondering if I should not write anymore if people are going to tell me things I can’t change. The PAST HUNTER is written and published. I know one thing for sure and that is my next WIP will have someone else proofreading it. Who, I don’t know. God will lead me to the next person.