Photo Credit: leeziet/Creative Commons
How do you feel when folks air their laundry? Does it make you uncomfortable? Does it depend on the circumstance or the situation?
In this post I told you about a childhood memory.
You may remember that I couldn’t look at old “Mr. Fletcher” quite the same way once his wife started hanging their laundry out to dry. Something about the parade of eye-fetching boxer shorts and sourpuss schoolteacher Mr. Fletcher just didn’t mesh. I knew too much.
I cringed every time Mr. Fletcher had lunchroom duty. Trolling up and down the perfectly ordered rows of tables and chairs with his whistle at the ready and his plastered frown in place seemed completely contrary to his “other side.” The side that wore stripes, polka dots, and banana yellow underclothing.
As a shy seventh grader, it left me conflicted.
Doesn’t he care that Mrs. Fletcher hangs their underwear outside to dry on the clothesline? Doesn’t he realize that half the town probably knows what his favorite colors are–underneath his freshly pressed to perfection, khaki-colored dress slacks?
“Well, at least we know his wife washes and that he wears clean underwear!” one of my friends laughed.
That comment made me think. It was all about perspective.
Since I write Christian fiction, I often consider perspective. Perhaps, “airing our laundry” isn’t so much about what it is we’re comfortable with as it is about the truth of what’s real.
How, then does our perspective affect us as writers? If we write in the inspirational genre, how do we communicate our viewpoints and handle them in a Christ-like fashion?
Here are some things that I believe are important:
- People want to read for various reasons. To escape. To be entertained. To learn. To identify.
- Real people wear underwear. It’s not necessary we talk about it in our books, but the point is that it breathes life into our characters when we allow our readers to see our fictional folks as normal.
- Exposing human frailties can be humbling. It causes us to self-examine. It prompts understanding. It creates compassion.
- When broaching sensitive topics in our stories, we’re not granting license to sin. We’re delving into solutions from a biblical sense.
- If certain subject matter is beyond the scope of our “comfort zone” then (1) it may not be Holy Spirit driven or (2) the redemptive value of what we’re wrestling to depict possibly isn’t there. Not everyone can portray delicate issues appropriately. As writers, we’re all gifted in unique ways. Sometimes, our individual talents might be entirely different from Susie Writer’s.
- By the same token, God often has a way of stretching our comfort zones. In “real life,” there are no cookie cutter human beings. The stories we write shouldn’t have them either. If we feel the Lord has impressed it upon us to address specific issues, then of course, we should!
- Airing our laundry is in the eye of the Beholder. If our laundry’s clean–no worries! If it’s dirty…wash it, press it, address it, and put it away. That’s God’s method.
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Can you think of an example in a movie or book where you felt the handling of the characters’ laundry was ineffective? (No need to give the title. Just share a bit of the circumstance.)
Any subjects you wish we addressed more in Christian fiction?
Photo Credit: leeziet/Creative Commons
Happy Friday and Blessings Always,
Comments 10
I love all these insights. I have made the most connections with readers by being honest and real. It feels vulnerable, but it gives others permission to share and connect. (That being said, I think you need to cover your writing with prayer. I want whatever I write to honor God.
Author
Lisa, great point about covering our writing with prayer. I think it’s important to be “real” in a way that’s not self-serving, but God-seeking, and I see that in your writing.
Great post, Cynthia! I like characters who are real and relatable, and that means I need a certain amount of their dirty laundry to identify with them. 🙂
Author
Jill, we all come with a certain degree of “baggage” or “dirty laundry,” and you’re right, we need to communicate in ways that humanize our characters. I’ve read books where there seemed to be no redeeming qualities whatsoever in certain characters (or their actions), and then I’ve read other stories where the characters seemed too flawless, and totally unreal.
I don’t mind dirty laundry for a good cause. LOL But just to be there to soil a story or movie, give me a break. 🙂
Author
Jess, as usual, you made me laugh. Seriously, though…you’re right-on-the-money. To throw in some dirty linen solely for the yuck factor leaves me cold.
“When broaching sensitive topics in our stories, we’re not granting license to sin. We’re delving into solutions from a biblical sense.”
How the C.B.A., and some readers, cannot grasp this fundamental truth is beyond me.
Great blog Cynthia! Continuing to hop around folks’ blogs from Books and Such, and the quality from everyone is quite good!
Author
Larry, great to have you visit!
Dealing with hot button issues is a delicate dilemma, but as long as we’re addressing topics with Christ in mind, I believe lives will be changed.
Couldn’t help but smile as you reminisced about those “tween” days.
Author
Patti, those were the days! LOL