Welcome to Author Q&A! Every month, I’ll interview an author and share their answers with you along with their books and where to find them.
Lana is the author of New Star (Book 1 in the series “The Magi’s Encounters”).
Her book can be found at Amazon.
Lana’s Website: https://www.lanachristian.com/
Q&A With Author Lana Christian
General Writing Questions
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you started writing clean fiction?
People tell me I was writing stories as early as third grade. But I fell in love with science in seventh grade. That led to three careers in health care—each one with writing responsibilities: lectures, training programs, corporate newsletters, PR and marketing, etc. A student who benefitted from some of my training told me my writing was a “sword” and that I should keep doing it. I remembered that as I started down the creative writing path. On the side, I spent ten years writing marketing materials for a Christian school and an inner-city ministry. Collectively, all that organically led me to where I am today.
What inspired you to write your latest book?
I was watching Shadow Mountain Community Church’s live Nativity online December 17, 2017 … when it was like God shined a spotlight on each part of the Nativity presentation and whispered in my ear, “Look at this. There’s a story to tell here.” I immediately started scribbling ideas.
Can you describe your writing process? Do you follow a particular routine?
Prescriptive routines are great for providing structure and accountability, but reality often snafus one’s ability to follow through on them. I have a very deadline-driven day job, so I must flex my creative writing time around that. Some days I won’t write a single scene. But I keep at the discipline of writing. Otherwise, you’ll wake up one day and realize it’s been three months since you wrote a line. So, even during my busiest weeks when I don’t write a chapter, I still do some combination of the following: (1) dig into research, (2) add to my list of marketing contacts, (3) “noodle.” My noodling time can include sketching subplots, mulling over “what-ifs,” writing about what I want to have happen in a certain scene (without actually writing narrative or dialogue), or trying to figure out how to get my characters out of tight spots.
How do you develop your characters and ensure they are relatable and engaging?
I do extensive character development before I start writing. I keep a big chart of all main and orbital characters with details of each one’s backstory, family history, worldview, events that shaped their beliefs, selfish and unselfish motivations for acting the way they do, secrets they may keep, past wounds that still affect them, where they live, their job, status in their society, and so on. To fully flesh that out, at the same time I research their culture and world events of that time.
What challenges do you face when writing clean fiction, and how do you overcome them?
By definition, clean fiction needs to handle certain topics with sensitivity (e.g., human trafficking). Publishers have guidelines about what topics are out of bounds or, if mentioned, are not described in detail. Those guidelines need to be adhered to. Christian fiction writers have an added layer of choice regarding worldview and to what degree their book conveys a faith-based message. That depends on the book’s context. Writing about missionaries in South America will have a different faith-based emphasis than writing about a Christian FBI agent negotiating a hostage release. In my writing about the Wise Men, I wrote a couple of tense scenes that featured Herod the Great. I had to strike a balance in depicting his genius and his depravity without overdoing either. That was a challenge!
How do you balance writing clean fiction with ensuring it remains compelling and authentic?
Readers have incredible spidey senses about what doesn’t feel “real.” Something won’t resonate with them even if they don’t know much about the topic or time period. That can make them stop reading. So I take pains to make each scene organically authentic. I do meticulous research so I can accurately describe countries, cultures, customs, events, food, furniture, clothes, and more. Equally important, I judiciously use just a smidgen of that information when needed. (No one wants a scene to read like a history lesson.) Third, regardless of what time period you set your characters in, basic human nature is the same. People face dilemmas, hard choices, challenges to their beliefs, and so on. We all can relate to how daunting it is to venture completely out of our comfort zone. We all can identify with the risks and costs of leaving the familiar and comfortable for the unknown. We’ve likely experienced blowback from going against the flow. We’ve seen how faith doesn’t follow a straight line. You’ll find elements of all that in New Star.
What advice would you give to aspiring clean fiction writers?
Four things:
>> Don’t give up your day job. <<
Few people enjoy enough success as writers to earn a living at it.
>> Do your homework. <<
All books require research. If you don’t know how to write a fight scene, read a book like Fight Write for accurate details. If your book includes an emergency room scene, spend a day in an ER. Talk with its nurses and doctors. Take in the smells and sounds.
>> Learn both the craft and business of writing. <<
You can’t be successful without both. In today’s environment, every author must do most of their own marketing—whether traditionally published or not.
>> Continually hone your craft. <<
Read great writing. Invest judiciously in practical training and writers’ conferences. Even widely published authors who teach writing courses still do the same to keep learning. Above all, keep writing! You’ll be a better writer next year than you are this year.
How do you handle writer’s block or creative slumps?
I do short bursts of exercise—jogging in place 1,000 steps or doing a 4-minute HIT routine—to get the blood flowing. Many people will say “Change your scenery / take a walk.” If you can get away that long to gain perspective, it helps. But it’s easy for “getting away” to become an excuse for procrastination. My day job is very deadline driven; I can’t afford to get away or wait for a muse to hit.
For the past 20 years, I’ve paid my bills by freelancing for the medical industry. The biggest thing I’ve learned is this: when things aren’t gelling, take a step back, grab your favorite brew (mine is chai tea), and pray. If you’re not a praying person, feel free to ignore this. But if you want to consider it, here’s what I do. I tell God I don’t know how to connect the dots. I pray specifically about what needs clarity. I thank Him that He is more than capable of showing me the way through the mud. Then I trust He will do exactly that. He has ALWAYS come through for me in both my day job and in my creative writing in ways I couldn’t have possibly imagined.
What do you hope readers take away from your books?
- Two things:
>> A “go beyond” experience. I want them to feel like they’ve gotten more than they expected from the book and have come away a bit changed as a result.
>> I want the book to leave readers with hope in their heart.
Publishing and Industry Questions
What has been your experience with publishing (traditional, self-publishing, or hybrid)?
In 2005, I co-authored 3 self-published books. We didn’t know the right way to market them, so we lost a lot of money on the venture.
In 2010, I was asked to write a business book for a traditional publisher. That went well until the publisher was bought out—and I knew nothing about retaining rights to the book.
In 2017, I hybrid-published a book (now out of print). I was led to believe I was working with a trad publisher. I’ll never make that mistake again.
Today I’m working with a fabulous trad publisher, but I’ve still had to learn some unspoken rules of the road.
Bottom line: Look before you leap. Each kind of publishing has its pros and cons. Compare them to the type of work you intend to publish. Then look to the experts for advice. For example, Thomas Umstattd Jr. has a whole stable of podcasts that offer an unbiased view of all the pros and cons of each kind of publishing.
How do you market your books and reach your target audience?
Good question. Even though I’ve taken courses on that, the “rules of engagement” keep changing. I’m heading into my book launch with eyes wide open and a pen and notebook in hand. As they say, “Advertising costs, publicity is free.” Shoot for as much publicity as you can get—guest blogs, interviews, book talks, social media posts, etc.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about clean fiction you’ve encountered?
It’s boring, sappy, goody-two-shoes, out of touch with reality, not exciting because it’s “clean.”
Can you share any tips on finding a good editor or proofreader for clean fiction?
(I assume this means engaging those people before you query your book because a publisher will run your book through 3 levels of editing.)
First, know which kind of service you need.
Developmental editing happens early in the process, when you still may need to significantly add/change/shuffle things like subplots or where to start the book. Content editing looks for glaring problems in timelines, scene development, and such. Line editing fixes individual sentences. Proofreading finds nitty-gritty grammar and punctuation issues.
Many people want an editor to do too many things. That’s neither productive nor financially feasible. After you figure out where you are in your writing process and what assistance you need, ask people who likely have used such services—like members of author Facebook groups. Ask potential contractors for “before” and “after” examples of their work. And make sure the person you pick is of your “ilk.” You don’t want a person who edits horror or thrillers to edit your clean fiction.
What trends do you see emerging in the clean fiction genre?
People are searching for something authentic. Not necessarily spiritual, but genuine. Readers always want to find themselves in your book’s pages. Today, more than ever, they also want to close the book with a positive takeaway message.
Fun Questions
Do you have any quirky writing habits or rituals?
Not that I know of.
I don’t consider this quirky, but I do certain parts of my writing process on paper. For example, I always draw a mind map on paper to show the relationships among all the characters. Also, I usually jot ideas on paper—because handwriting actually creates stronger neural connections in your brain. (That’s scientifically true.)
What’s the most unusual place you’ve found inspiration for a story?
In a dream
Do you have any pets, and do they keep you company while you write?
I used to have a dog that would lay at my feet while I wrote. I don’t have a pet anymore.
What’s one book you think everyone should readat least once in their lifetime?
My forever favorite book is Madelaine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. It’s considered middle-grade reading (ages 8–12), but it’s so well done that it has something for everyone in it. L’Engle said, “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” L’Engle faced many challenges in life and with her writing—which makes me admire her all the more for writing such a captivating book that can be read on so many levels.
On a completely different note, if I had to pick one book that helped me the most
with the craft of writing, I’d pick Steven James’ Story Trumps Structure.
If you weren’t a writer, what other profession would you love to try?
I love to hike, so I might enjoy being a ranger. But I love writing so much that I plan on writing until my fingers fall off!
Thank you, Lana! What a fun interview! I especially like her mind map technique for writing. And of course her tip for finding a good editor or proofreader.
What was your favorite part of Lana’s interview?
Akilah, a highly respected priest-scholar in Magi society, considers all his astronomy discoveries well-deserved stepping-stones to a more fulfilling life. But the appearance of a new star challenges his priorities. As Persia totters on the brink of an undesirable king coming to power, Akilah declines a position that could turn that tide. Instead, he studies a star that doesn’t appear in any almanac or religious writings. Except Jewish.
When he and his colleagues uncover a few Jewish prophecies linking the star to an eternal king, Akilah becomes the target of Persia’s religious and governmental conflicts. Jailed for crimes he didn’t commit, Akilah must rely on questionable resources to free himself and reach Jerusalem. (Read more on Amazon)
Would you like to be a featured author, too? If so, email me at diligentanalyzer@michellemillerproofreading.com with “Questions With an Author” in the subject line. I’ll send you the questions and feature you on my blog! I can’t wait to hear from you!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a teeny tiny commission from qualifying purchases.
I read Lana’s New Star. It was a good read! I’m look forward to whatever she writes next. Great QnA!
That’s great! I loved Lana’s interview, too!