It’s funny the things you get asked to do. Chila Woychik, proprietor at Port Yonder Press, likes to set her clutch of columnists a provocative topic. This time it’s faith in writing.
‘But I’m not religious,’ I said.
‘So what?’ she said.
And then I remembered a story I read as a teenager that greatly influenced my attitudes. If you were around two years ago when I was launching My Memories of a Future Life, it may be familiar because I first wrote about it then. If not, or if you don’t mind deja vu, take a leap into Beyondaries. You can also read interpretations of the subject by Dan Holloway, Chila, Scathe meic Beorh, Shannon Elizabeth Hardwick, Michael Potts and Grace Bridges.
In other news, Lifeform Three is coming soon! If that makes you curious, sign up for news. If not, as you were 🙂
Nail Your Novel 
#1 by tomburkhalter on October 12, 2013 - 11:58 am
Oh, heavy, HEAVY sigh. In one sense, isn’t the answer simple? If a character’s faith is pertinent to the story, you put it in. A good example might be found in David Weber’s Honorverse, where some very effective characters are also very religious. Weber weaves that into the story in an effective way. Or one might argue for the theological character in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, of which I’m a fan.
Contrarily, I’ve become extremely sensitive in the last few years to being preached at, and I have a lot less patience for that than I used to have. But because of that I say no more.
#2 by rozmorris @NailYourNovel @ByRozMorris on October 13, 2013 - 8:42 am
Hi, Tom! That wasn’t a take I’d thought of, but it’s interesting to think about stories where religion is a force. Remember I was talking about Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach? In that book, because of the period, religion is a real factor in the characters’ lives and affects what they do. Much of Graham Greene is like this, and Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited.
#3 by Dave Morris on October 13, 2013 - 5:57 pm
And you never want to invoke midichlorians.