Finding Aslan: Part 2
Discovering Your Novel's Spiritual Theme
Welcome to Part 2 of the Finding Aslan workshop series. This workshop will be presented in four parts and includes slide graphics and a workbook. The full slide presentation and complete workbook will be available for download at the conclusion of the series.
Workshop content is available exclusively for paid subscribers. Free subscribers will always have access to a brief preview above the paywall. Thank you to all my subscribers for your continued support!
Workshop Description
As authors of faith, we often struggle with how much of what we believe to include in our novels. But, because we are authors of faith, we have the unique opportunity to bring light into the darkness through the stories we tell. We want our readers to see Jesus in our stories without overexplaining or “telling” them the moral or lesson we want to convey.
That’s where Aslan comes in.
In this workshop, we’ll tackle the topic of weaving a spiritual theme into our stories that is both subtle and powerful at once. We’ll look at the difference between preaching and presenting spiritual truths, how to handle criticism of faith in our stories, and writing for the general market versus writing for the Christian market.
If you’re ready to dive deep and discover the spiritual theme your novel’s been missing, this is the workshop for you.
Where we left off . . .
In Part 1, we ended with C.S. Lewis’s idea of “supposing.” Lewis preferred to “suppose” rather than symbolize or view his work as “allegory.”
“Suppose there were a world like Narnia and it needed rescuing and the Son of God . . .”
— C.S. Lewis
Whether you’ve completed the pages in the Part 1 workbook or you’re still working your way through, feel free to continue with this workshop at your own pace. Here’s what we covered in Part 1:
Understanding themes through the lens of your personal story.
Recognizing common story themes. Your story isn’t limited to one theme.
Relying on the Lord to show us our story’s spiritual theme.
Knowing the difference between spiritual theme and allegory.
In Part 2, we will dive deeper into C.S. Lewis’s idea of “supposing.” In this part, we will cover:
Writing even when you don’t have all the answers yet.
Universal vs. spiritual themes.
Combatting the villains of self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
