Part of a series of interviews with experienced Christian writers—of academic and popular theology, fiction, and those writing for a non-Christian audience.
How did you decide to take writing more seriously? Did someone encourage you to do so?
My first choice of career path has always been “writer”. I’ve always loved books and reading; creative writing was a natural extension of that. I started trying to write novels when I was in primary school—inspired by Anne of Green Gables, one of my childhood heroes. I was encouraged to continue through my high school’s Gifted and Talented program, and then I went on to study creative writing at university.
Even though writing has been part of my life for a very long time, I didn’t know much about pathways to publication, and I didn’t think much about the place of Christian writing in my practice. It wasn’t until I was working at the University of New South Wales after graduating that I was introduced to Matthias Media and joined a group of young people who were mentored by Tony Payne and Greg Clarke.
How do you think about your explicitly Christian writing? As a ministry? A hobby? A vocation? A side hustle?
I definitely see my explicitly Christian writing as a ministry, even if it’s one I don’t engage in that often. Doing a Ministry Training Strategy apprenticeship at the University of Wollongong taught me about the breadth of activities Christians can engage in in service to the Lord, and thanks to Matthias Media, I’ve always seen writing as part of that.
Furthermore, unlike most other people-focused ministries, the unique and wonderful feature of writing is that something that you have written can still change someone’s life years later. I once met a man who told me he was converted through reading a biography. I’m sure he’s not the only one.
It would be remiss of me not to mention my editing work as I’ve always viewed the two as feeding off each other. I was a staff editor for Matthias Media for five years, mainly looking after The Briefing (their now-defunct monthly magazine). In my day job, I now edit Moore Matters, Moore Theological College’s quarterly magazine, and I’ve branched out into audio editing with the Centre for Christian Living and Moore in the Word podcasts. In all my work, the objective is the same: to glorify God in making him known and in helping others to know him.
How do you think about your less-explicitly Christian writing, whether fiction or non-fiction? A hobby? Part of the cultural mandate? Cultural engagement? Pre-evangelism?
In my night job, I write comics and prose fiction, and the very occasional non-fiction article and training workshop. I’ve written prose ever since I was a child, but comics has been a recent addition.
Even though this sort of work is not explicitly Christian, I still think of it as an extension of my writing ministry; it just utilises the power of storytelling more. There are things you can do in stories that you can’t do in non-fiction: you can engage with ideas in a different way and slip past people’s defences to even persuade them.
In 2018, author Scott Monk presented a seminar on “Christian writing in a secular world” in which he encouraged attendees to be salt and light in the arts—particularly in the sphere of mainstream publishing—because “In the absence of light, darkness will fill its space”. I see my work in comics and fiction as part of that.
Where do your ideas and inspiration come from?
All over the place: from things I’ve been reading and thinking about, from my interests, from the most random of places. I wrote Kinds of Blue: An Anthology of Comics About Depression because mental health is an issue that’s close to me and I had something I wanted to say. I wrote Monsters: An Anthology of Short Comics for Children because when my daughter was three, she told me she was scared of monsters, and I wanted to write something for her that would help her deal with her fear. I wrote my science fiction graphic novel Eternal Life because I was sick of reading negative portrayals of religious characters in sci-fi.
I’m currently working on a young adult prose novel set in a fantasy version of Japan’s Edo period because I’m obsessed with the Edo period and it’s a good excuse to do historical research. I’m also currently working on a middle grade adventure comics serial called Katrie and the Tale-bearer (published by Bolt Comics; art by Peter Fairfax) that is partly inspired by one of my children and her feelings of helplessness.
Do you have any advice for those starting to seek publication? What insights can you give into the mysterious publication process?
We have the good fortune to be living in an age where publishing is in the hands of everyday people. Editing; layout and typesetting; cover design; and even printing and e-book creation are all skills that individuals can learn. There are plenty of online resources that show you how. But publication is easy; distribution is hard.
If you’d rather not self-publish (and so self-distribute), then identify who you’d like to publish your work with and what their requirements are, and pitch to them. Of course, this sounds simpler than it is, and there’s certainly an art to writing query letters and dealing with rejection!
That said, it’s worth bearing in mind that work begets work: doors tend to open when people can see what you can do. This happened to me in comics: people read my books and then invited me to write for them.
How do you think and feel about getting feedback and editorial input? Has that changed over time?
I’m also an editor, so I’m biased: I think editorial input is essential. Everyone always benefits from an extra set of eyes. A good editor will grasp your vision and help you improve your writing so that you can achieve that vision.
Even so, I know editorial input can be difficult to hear. The act of creation makes us vulnerable, and any criticism can feel like an attack on our softest, squishiest parts. But if I feel like my editor is on my side and understands what I’m trying to do, that helps me understand why they’re suggesting changes.
It also helps if my editor is good at giving feedback—for example, by observing the rules of good banking (deposit before you withdraw; make more deposits than withdrawals) or using the feedback sandwich (say something positive before you say something critical, and follow it up with something positive). Again, I am biased, but a good editor is worth their weight in gold!
What are your coping strategies for rejections, or not hearing back from people you share your work with—whether editors or friends and family?
I am very bad at dealing with rejection, which is probably why I haven’t pursued the path of traditional publishing as much as I probably should. I know the standard advice is not to take it personally, because not every book is for everyone; to start working on the next project immediately; to create a folder of rejection slips that will motivate you to keep going, even if it’s only out of spite (which isn’t particularly godly). Personally, I’ve dealt with it by making a list of all my rejections and viewing them as a badge of honour that says, “I tried and I’m proud of the fact I did.”
On a more practical level, I recommend listening to this episode of The Happiness Lab podcast on “Treating the Pain of a Broken Heart”.
Is it difficult for you to promote yourself and your work?
Yes and no. On the one hand, because I regularly table and sell my books at conventions and other events, even though I’m introverted and shy, I’ve had to become a lot better at talking about my work and pitching it to strangers. On the other hand, I am terrible at doing online promotion like ads, newsletters and social media posts. (This doesn’t bother me too much, though, as most of the evidence I’ve read shows that online promotion doesn’t translate into sales.) I am also socially awkward and haven’t yet mastered the art of talking about my work naturally in social settings.
What are particular temptations for writers? What are some strategies to resist them?
I’m ashamed to say envy is a big one for me. I envy people who have more time to write than I do. I envy people who have published work in the time it has taken me to only write a few chapters. I envy people who have won awards I haven’t, who get the recognition I don’t, and who are supported in ways I am not. I have to keep reminding myself that I am a finite, limited human being who can only do so much, and that writing is not a zero-sum game. I also try to push past the envy to value and appreciate the work of others so that I can be genuinely happy for them. But it’s an ongoing battle.
The other thing I struggle with is that desire for praise and recognition. When I worked at Matthias Media, Tony used to keep Proverbs 25:27 tacked above his desk: “It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.” I try to remember that when I’m writing, and remind myself that everything I do is for the sake of the Lord’s glory and not mine.
How can friends support Christian writers?
Don’t be negative about what they do. Don’t tell them that they’re wasting their time. Don’t be dismissive about the work they’re doing. Don’t imply that they’d be better off engaging in other forms of ministry. Don’t be derogatory about the arts just because you don’t understand them and cannot comprehend their value.
Recognise that God has given Christian writers particular gifts and encourage them to use these for sake of his kingdom. Buy their work. Read their work. Recommend their work and share their work with other people; word of mouth really is the best form of promotion.
Ask them what they’re working on and be genuinely interested. (It always warms my heart when people remember and ask me about the projects I’m working on!) If you have the capacity and the skills, offer to be a “beta reader” and give them constructive feedback—not just about what’s not working, but also about what is.
How can ministry leaders support Christian writers?
Don’t be like the minister who, upon learning what I do, said, “You know you can’t make a living from doing that.” More seriously, someone really needs to present some sound, accessible biblical teaching of the value of the arts. Francis Schaeffer did it to a certain extent in Art and the Bible, but that was over fifty years ago and we’re due for an update that speaks into our current context.
We live in an age that is saturated with entertainment media, and yet at the same time, we as a society don’t value or support the arts generally or writing specifically. Government funding for the arts has shrunk to historic lows, as have publishing advances. It is almost impossible to make a living from writing these days: in 2022, according to a national survey, the average income of Australian book authors was $18 200—up from $12 900 in 2015, but still nowhere near a living wage. And yet, book sales are on the rise, piracy is out of control, and the tech billionaires of Silicon Valley think they’ve done nothing wrong in training AI on copyrighted works. Christian culture tends to reflect these values uncritically. I would love to see ministry leaders speak into this space, instead of just accepting the status quo, because the Bible has a lot to say about these things.
In addition, be supportive of the Christian writers in your congregations. The activity of writing is a ministry, but in my experience, writing has also connected me with whole communities of non-Christians who need to hear the gospel but who do not necessarily know other Christians. God has been kind in gifting me with opportunities to share my faith, but that sort of pre-evangelism and evangelism is hard and lonely work.
What do you recommend to those who want to work on their writing?
Start, because many will talk about starting and never actually start. Finish, because many will start but not complete what they started. Show someone, because showing someone and getting their feedback will help you grow as a writer, and it might lead to publication or other opportunities. Persevere, because in the long run, the ability to persevere is more valuable than talent. Also, join a writing community—preferably a Christian one that gets what you’re trying to do. (I love the Matthias Media Christian Writers Facebook Group.)
