Jodi Whitehurst

Patricia Bradley writes Christian murder mysteries. You read that correctly. In her own words, she kills people, but she does it “in a nice way.” She has a southern, folksy charm that is appealing. I encountered her in June of 2023 at the Arkansas Writer’s Conference. She spoke about writing Christian fiction. Here are some valuable “take-aways” I gained from her…

Publishers in Christian fiction prefer stories that maintain the same point of view throughout the story. This allows readers to identify with the main character. As Patricia refers to it, avoid “head hopping.” The readers should experience the events through the lens of the main character. This was interesting to me because many of the novels I read change point of view between various characters.

Christian fiction should demonstrate how Christians navigate real-world problems. Patricia added that Christians are “not immune to trouble.” She advised writing about flawed characters, and I appreciate this authentic portrayal of Christian life as opposed to coating everything with a Pollyanna sheen. Authenticity always draws readers. They need to connect with realistic characters.

What is the difference between Christian fiction and secular fiction? Christian fiction always offers hope and centers on uplifting moral themes. It avoids profanity and sexual content. While it does set forth a message, Christian fiction should not be “preachy,” which I believe fiction readers loathe.

Patricia continually stressed the power of story. “Even Jesus taught in parables,” she reminded us. After listening to Patricia, I realized that truth can come from fiction.