What is “clean fiction”?
When I decided to write a book, I knew I wanted to write something that I’d feel comfortable sharing with my kids. I didn’t want to write a children’s book–but my kids are old enough (11 and nine) to read some really great books that I also enjoy, and I wanted these books to fall into that category. (We’ve all enjoyed the Harry Potter books, and my daughter and I both love The Hunger Games series.)
Another motivator for me is that I work with kids at a church, and I take that seriously. If a parent from my church finds out I’ve written books, I don’t want them to read those books and be shocked (at least not shocked in a bad way–if they find them shockingly good, I can totally live with that!) I’m not writing Christian fiction, but I want my books to be a good reflection of who I am, and faith is a huge part of that.
In the last few years, the term “clean fiction” has become more prevalent. There isn’t one definition of what makes fiction “clean.” Here’s what my version of clean fiction looks like:
Language: No cursing
Sex: Nothing graphic
Violence: Nothing overly-graphic. (This is the one area where my book wouldn’t fit some definitions of “clean fiction.” I do have murder in my book, and it’s described with some level of detail. But if someone is being strangled, I’m not going to go into exactly how much the victim’s eyes are popping out. I’d rather focus more on the emotions behind the violence, than the physical aspects of it.)
The fact that I’m writing clean fiction doesn’t mean I’m on my high horse, saying, “There’s never any need for a book to include any of that evil rubbish!” I think a well-placed curse word can be used to great effect! At this point, however, I’ve chosen to draw the line at a place where I feel comfortable as a writer, which is more conservative than where I feel comfortable as a reader. Some readers will appreciate that; others will roll their eyes–and both those responses are completely acceptable.
I have enjoyed Jeff Wheeler‘s books, and his dedication to writing clean fiction has inspired me. Are there any authors of clean fiction that you’d recommend?
P.S. When I reach 100 newsletter subscribers, I’ll announce the title of my first book! Sign up for my (totally non-spammy, cross my heart) newsletter here. We’re up to 85 subscribers…so close!
