How do you write a biblical fiction novel?

(My writing process)

1.   BRAINSTORMING:

To start with, if I'm ready to write a book, I’ve usually been turning the story over in my head and heart for a long time. I would argue that this is the most important stage because I'm not only imagining out scenes, deciding if I care enough to put the work into writing a whole novel, but I'm also figuring out what attracts me to the plot, what God is teaching me through it, and what I might want people to draw from it.

That's a crucial season for me, growing in passion and connecting with the heart of the story. Then, once I begin to write, I usually start with the scenes that are easy to dramatize, the ones I’m most excited about and have been picturing in my head already. I would highly recommend that strategy for any topic because it utilizes the zeal you've built up and gives you a boost for the hardest part--conquering the blank page. It's so much easier to continue once you're in love with what you have so far.

2.      ROUGH OUTLINE: 

After I’ve written several scenes like that and have a general vision for the book, I draft a rough outline of its exoskeleton (how many chapters, what tense, what voice, etc.) All of these details are determined by the original message I want to carry throughout the book and what I think will best support and deliver that.

3.      BIBLICAL PLOT POINTS: 

Along with point one, this is the most crucial step. I refer to the applicable Bible passages, make a list of the non-negotiable plot points I will need to include, and put them in order with the ones I’ve already covered in the scenes I've written. I make note of the scenes I will have to write in order to properly dramatize the biblical plot points and connect them in a dynamic way, all with the Bible's overall message in mind. Don't skip this step! It's disrespectful and also lazy, since God's genius will make your job a whole lot easier and more fun. Check all your assumptions and questions against the biblical narrative before getting too far ahead. The Bible is a lot clearer about things than we realize. With this foundation, you can wield artistic license in a way that underscores and respects the Bible rather than distracting from or undermining it.

4.      BIBLICAL CHARACTERS/INTERVIEWS:

This is my favorite part! I make a list of the applicable biblical characters and any that I may have to fabricate and then begin the process of getting to know them, asking questions, putting myself in their shoes in the context of what they went through and their culture, drawing up personality sketches, writing fake journal entries or backstory monologues, etc.

5.      SCENE PLACEMENT: 

Meanwhile, I work on writing other scenes, sometimes in order, sometimes not, changing things around as I grow in understanding and realize things that may complicate the plot. This is so much fun since it proves the story is beginning to live on its own.

6.      RESEARCH: 

My goal is to have character-driven stories that are as accurate as possible without dumping too much outside information into the book. When it comes to cultural points or world history, I only want to address what will affect the characters and move the story forward. When I run into areas that need clarification, I make a list of the points that need resolution or more detail, including any plot holes I have questions about and focus my research on those points. I want to address anything that doesn’t make sense to me or feels flat, and that usually involves diving deeper into the characters’ motives and personalities more than the actual time period, but it will include some of the latter as well.

7.      ROUGH DRAFT TO FIRST DRAFT: 

Once I have all the scenes written out in a rough narrative draft, I go back through the story, addressing each of my plot holes and questions to produce a first draft that could be read from start to finish by someone else without confusion. At this point, if I was having someone else edit the book, I would send them the first complete draft, but if I’m editing it myself, I proceed with the following steps.

8.      DEVELOPMENTAL EDITING: 

Next, I decide what I want to address in the developmental editing process and go through the book accordingly. This is where I decide what elements of the story fit and which ones don’t, what needs polishing or deletion. I focus more strictly on theme and plot structure, chapter transitions, overall tone, and word count.

9.      COPYEDITING: 

Next, I make a list of things to address from a copyediting standpoint, which is mostly sentence structure, smoothness, clarity, and cohesion. I read out loud, listening for tone and looking for repetition and conciseness.

10.  PROOFREADING/FORMATTING: 

Finally, I address proofreading, which is punctuation, spelling, capitalization, format, and italics, etc. This is also where I address things like the dedication, maps, character lists, glossaries, chapter and page numbers, and copyright page: basically, making sure that the manuscript looks the way I want it to--or the way the publisher wants it to.

11.  FINAL DRAFT/SUBMISSION: 

The final draft that I either upload or submit to a publisher must be the version I would be happy seeing in print (even though I will go over it at least two more times once it’s formatted and the initial copy is printed).  

If you'd like more information about any one of these steps, please reach out to me at hello@jubileelipsey.com or comment below! I'd love to hear from you.

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