I'd Like to See Big Changes in Christian Industry

[leaving]

I wrote about some of the changes I'd like to see in Christian bookstores in particular, and did come up with one solution on how this could happen. Read the article that I linked to, the lady that wrote it, Rachel Held Evans, is an established author and her first book was awesome. I'm looking forward to the second also. I agree with most of her complaints, I do believe we could leave some of the stronger language as in actual cuss words out, but for the most part I agree with her, and she's a better writer than I.

Fear of Messiness - Why is Christian Industry so Sanitized?

[myotch]

Well written, leaving.

The problem I see is that so many books are how to live in this world with faith, or the prosperity name stand claim it "faith".

Christian art just isn't innovative. The music is largely crap. The books are unsatisfying. The how-to's are merely about faith.

Try to deviate from the norm, and even that turns into a transparent marketing gimmick - "the pastor of this mega church is talking about gratifying sex!"

I have no idea how to innovate the industry. Breaking a stupid taboo or two isn't going to do it. Even "getting messy" isn't going to do it.

Look at true grassroots movements, interesting subcultures. How do they gain momentum, a base, unity?

What could a Christian artist learn from other types of movements?

Can Christianity be a revolution? Are there subversive elements to Christian philosophy? What can grab the imagination, make the dreamers dream, what call to action can be effective? What's part of the prevalent Christian culture now that can be tossed in the refuse and still be in line with the faith?

I'd like to see more of an emphasis on works, frankly. I think most Protestants are scared of works. But I also think Protestants can be persuaded that some works they could be doing just isn't getting done. Maybe its an idea whose time has come.

[Mominator]

I order most of my books from Amazon because I can read select pages from the book before I buy it. I can also read comments from people who have read the book.

I wonder if Amazon is making the Christian bookstore obsolete?

[Mominator]

And I do agree with your article that there is a level of fake with all things that you can buy there.

I don't read Women's Christian Fiction anymore because the women are so perfect and quite frankly portrayed as stupid in those books.

[leaving]

Mominator, those that commented on RHE's article (yes, I read all of the almost 300 comments on that thread) that believe that Amazon is making Christian bookstores obsolete, and that maybe even the self-publishing industry will ruin Christian publishers unless they change the kinds of things they publish.

Myotch, I like some of the music, not all. I can't stand stuff like Britt Nicole but I do like some of the worship songs of Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, and Fee, etc. I also want to start exploring some of the heavier Christian music.

You are right I think in that it will take some pretty big changes and making some minor change isn't really going to help at all. I noticed on comments on RHE's thread though that people do tend to like Christian Indie bookstores, but I'll be honest and say that I don't even know what indie means.

[leaving]

(07-07-2012 08:53 AM)Mominator Wrote:  And I do agree with your article that there is a level of fake with all things that you can buy there.

Yep, I want authenticity, not fake.

[Tiarali]

Indie stands for independent. In the past, it has often referred to, say, a small computer game company where a game might be largely designed and coded by one or two people, with someone doing graphics and someone doing sound effects.

You have low startup capital and a lot more opportunity to be creative and try new things than a company with 300+ full-time workers. You might have less polished graphics or whatever, and some of them pump out crap, but some produce real gems - and then have to get sales with a relatively small marketing budget.

One I'm thinking of is spiderweb software.

Anyway, these days with ebooks and smashwords and things, the indie book market is rising. No longer do you have to convince a publisher that your book can sell, you can publish it online yourself, and let word of mouth help your sales along.

So once, publishers controlled the writing the public could access - and they weren't willing to try new things. Now the new things are out there anyway, and there's nothing the publishers can do to stop it.