Chicken Soup—with a Dash of Faith
By
Tracy Crump
Story
or testimony? That’s the quandary many writers face when writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Chicken
Soup is the best-selling series in publishing history and a golden opportunity
for Christian writers. With titles such as Count Your Blessings and
Answered Prayers, many people believe Chicken Soup is a Christian series.
According to the editors, however, their books are intended for the general
market. Yet they allow authors to write about God for any of their titles.
Consequently, Chicken Soup gives Christian writers a chance to share their
faith with a wide range of readers.
So
what’s the problem?
One
of the Chicken Soup guidelines states they don’t want testimonials. That often
proves a stumbling block for Christian writers because testimony can involve
more than a salvation experience.
The
following will help you distinguish between story and testimony:
·
Let
God drive.
As Christians, we want to tell about what God has done for us and why He
did it. That’s where we often cross the line into testimony. Keep in mind that
Chicken Soup is all about story. Let God’s actions drive the story. Let God
speak through the circumstances.
·
Leave
preaching to the preacher. Avoid words such as should,
must, ought to, have to, need to. These are preachy words we sometimes feel
we need to get our point across. They tend to jab a finger in the reader’s face
and have no place in Chicken Soup books. Use story to win your reader.
·
Incorporate
faith-based values. Center your story around scriptural
values such as love, truth, justice, mercy, forgiveness, or self-control. When you
do, God shines through your words. God reaches people in many different ways.
·
Avoid
Christianese. Terms like sanctification,
justification, the foot of the cross, and the blood of the Lamb mean
nothing to many people. Use words that someone who has never attended church
would readily understand.
·
Omit Scripture. I do not see
Scripture quoted in Chicken Soup stories, with the exception of their recent
devotional books. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t refer to truths or
events in the Bible. Just avoid quoting chapter and verse.
Every
one of us who is a disciple of Christ bears the responsibility of sharing our
account of what God has done in our lives. But as writers, that telling must
differ according to the publication we’re writing for. If we push the limits
beyond what Chicken Soup guidelines allow, our stories will not reach their
diverse audience.
After
all, you never know when someone who wouldn’t touch a devotional book will pick
up Chicken Soup for the Soul and read your story of God’s faithfulness.
Tracy
Crump has published thirteen Chicken Soup for the Soul stories and conducts
workshops and webinars on writing for the best-selling series. Her next webinar
is scheduled for July 16, 2014. Go to WriteLifeWorkshops.com to register or to
subscribe to her popular e-newsletter, The Write Life, which includes
anthology story callouts. Tracy also writes a column for Southern WritersMagazine and publishes articles and devotionals. But her most important job
is grandmother to three-year-old Nellie.
Thanks for defining this, Tracy. I need to go back and read the one I submitted in May to see if I was on the right track. I have several more stories in the works to submit. This will help.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fine line, Martha, and hard to tell if you're crossing it. I hope one of your stories hits soon. Let us know!
DeleteAs always, your article it's both enlightening and challenging. I love learning from you, Tracy Crump. Miss you so much!
ReplyDeleteMiss you, too, Joie! You have so much to share with your writing.
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