Working Without a Net: Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone
An Author Grabs his Pole and Fearlessly Steps onto the Wire
Hello My Friend and Welcome.
A week or so ago I mentioned that Sowing the Seeds would be participating in a Blog Chain. The topic is Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone, and today I throw back the curtain and allow you to witness the bitter angst every author must face in their pursuit of art. Well, sorta.
The writer of historical fiction, most particularly Biblical fiction, faces a unique challenge. Though many novelists blend real places, and occasionally real events, into their stories to enhance verisimilitude, the fictive dream — as John Gardner called it — remains safely beyond time and place. Not so with Biblical fiction. Here the reader comes to the story with definite and preformed ideas about the characters and events. Somehow, the Biblical novelist must find a way to separate fiction from fact or revert to writing nonfiction.
I jokingly tell people that crafting Biblical fiction is a bit like being a mouse; you earn your living in the cracks and shadows. What I mean is, like it or not, you must exploit the gaps and omissions in the historic record if you’re going to have a story to tell. Yet each time I sit down at the keyboard, I commit to writing a story that is both Biblically and historically accurate.
How can this seeming contradiction be reconciled?
I take the approach that anything left undefined or unsaid in the historical record is fair game. The major players, be they saints or sinners, often appear to be so fixed in history that there’s little, if any, room for re-interpretation. But the opportunities are there if you look hard enough. Sometimes it’s what’s said and other times it’s what’s not said. Here are a few examples:
Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) by Antonia Ciseri
A) What do you know about Claudia Procula, Pontius Pilate’s wife?
You probably know she sent Pilate a note telling him not to have anything to do with this innocent man. Perhaps you also know she came from a prominent Roman family and her connections most likely got him his job as Prefect of Judea. But did you also know that because of her note both the Eastern and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches consider her one of Yeshua’s secret followers, and a saint? We could do all sorts of things with this tidbit of information.
B) In my book, WITNESS, I placed Rivkah at both the birth and crucifixion of Yeshua. Luke is the only evangelist who mentions the shepherds and he’s vague about details. Meanwhile, in Mark’s Passion narrative he says, “There were also women looking on from afar.” In both cases, I can’t prove someone like Rivkah was there, but neither can anyone else prove she couldn’t have been…and that’s all I need. You can read the Crucifixion scene from Witness here.
C) In DISCIPLE, Stefanos (Stephen) and Channah (Rivkah’s daughter) fall in love. What does history tell us? Stephen was young and most apostles and bishops of the early church married. If Acts had said, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, had chosen to never marry…” that would be a problem. As it is, what wasn’t said gave me the required leeway. You can read a chapter about Channah and Stefanos from Disciple here.
Now I recognize that not everyone is comfortable having fictional characters inserted into historical situations…especially when it comes to the Bible. As a matter of fact, one elderly lady confided to my wife that she believes reading, and therefore writing, Biblical fiction is sinful.
So when I’m crafting a scene, it’s hard not to wonder how my readers will react. And, having a risk-averse personality, I really don’t like walking that tightrope. Yet to not do it would weaken the story and so, pole in hand, I step out onto the high wire without a net every time I sit down to write.
Until next time, Shalom Aleichem!
The Blog Chain continues. Use the links on the sidebar to follow each day’s post.
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I enjoy coming to your Blog! The historical facts that you present show a mind bent towards research. A great ability to have – especially during a time when society’s younger generation lacks that ability.
I can tell that you know the Bible so well that you identify those little cracks in the narrative, and then are able to craft a story out of that. It reminds me of Michelangelo. He was able to look at a square slab of marble and craft a story out of it. A very nice gift to have indeed!
Great post!
I love biblical background info and details. Great article, EG!
A very informative post, Edward. I suppose writing Biblical fiction is a balancing act – so many ‘critics’ ready to contradict something that they might dispute as Biblical fact. (Forgetting of course, that the book is a work of fiction!) Keep up the good fight!
http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.blogspot.com
I can see that there are special challenges writing Biblical historicals, but you seem to have the mind for it. Terrific article.
And I love the way you’ve listed all the chain participants in the sidebar. Way cool!
Very nice article, Ed. It’s true, some people are so “purist” that even the most honest attempt at biblical fiction is frowned upon. As long as you don’t fictionalize KNOWN FACTS (which obviously you don’t), it can make the Bible come alive in a brand-new way, and that can only serve God’s Kingdom all the more.
Keep up the good work, and may the Lord bless you richly.
~ VT
Great post! Though I haven’t written Biblical fiction (yet) I so identified with what you said about bits of information and the stories that lurk in the cracks.
Any writer of historical fiction feels that way, I think.
I followed the links to your writing and enjoyed the sneak peek very much.
Great post again, and thanks for participating in the chain!
Fantastic! I look forward to purchasing and reading both Witness and Disciple, especially for my sister. She loves historical/biblical fiction.
Wow, Ed.
This is an incredible blog you’ve got here, and I wouldn’t have discovered it without the chain.
I really learned quite a bit from the Obelisk post.
The first full-length novel I ever wrote was a work of Biblical Fiction, and I’ll be pitching that at the ACFW Conference if I get a chance. I’ve dealt with some of the issues you ran into with it as well.
You do have to be careful not to change what scripture says when writing biblical fiction. But bringing the reader into the biblical account is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?
I can see you face a unique challenge in writing Biblical fiction. Thanks for the insight into this genre. The opinion of the woman who confided in your wife, though I do not agree with her, points out the extra weight of responsibility you carry in your writing. However, as Kat said, you are clearly doing a great job with your research so I know you can do it.
I’ve heard of a jewish tradition, though I forget what it is called, but it means roughly ‘the story behind the story’. Apparently it was quite normal for the jewish people to make up stories that tied Biblical events together, giving back-story to minor characters, so in effect, Biblical fiction has been around a very long time.
Great blog!
Thanks, Nona.
Bruce Judisch just posted his review of Disciple this week at brucejudisch.blogspot.com/ My publisher, http://www.capearagopress.com, is currently offering the two of them together…Buy one , get the other 50% off with no S & H. Peace and Blessings.
Chris: Good luck at the ACFW. People sometimes underestimate Biblical fiction.
One of the questions I like to throw out to an audience when speaking is, “What was the best selling American novel of the 19th Century? Keep in mind, this was the era of Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorn, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Herman Melville amomg others.” When no one has the answer I give hints: The author served as Governor of New Mexico. It was the first American novel with a single press run of one million copies. It remained the best selling novel in American history until Gone With the Wind. It was made into a stage play twice and a movie three times. People are very surprised to hear that the book in question is Ben Hur, which is set against Biblical events, but doesn’t interpret them. Peace and Blessings.
Adam:
Thanks for the kind words. A fascinating book to read is Genesis and the Big Bang by Gerald Schroeder PhD. There’s a review on the site. He’s a Jewish physicist who attempts to reconcile the Bible and the modern science’s theory about the originof the universe. In so doing, he brings out the interpretation of someof the great Rabbi’s. It’s a truly amazing piece of work.
Peace and Blessings.
Hi, Ed. You’re walking quite a tightrope with Biblical fiction. Well done. I’m looking forward to reading “Disciple” soon.
[...] Edward Lewis — 6th July [...]
Hi, Edward! This blog chain is introducing me to so many wonderful writers I hadn’t met yet at CW. I enjoyed your post. I’ve written a few short stories about people living in the time of Jesus (none published yet), and I understand what you mean about wanting to craft a story that’s both interesting and historically/biblically accurate. Thanks for sharing your process with us; it encourages me that maybe I’m on track when I write those kinds of tales.
I really enjoyed this! And it makes me feel better about an idea I have.
And what Linda said about the blog chain listing. Way cool.