Is reading really about believing?

When forming beliefs and ideas are you more influenced by a powerful story or compelling facts and information?

Shortly Cread will publish a joint review of José Saramago’s Cain (2010), alongside William Paul Young's Cross Roads (2012) and compare their use of narrative fiction to declare a view of God.

They employ radically different forms matched by the divergence of the 'message' they convey. But is one more successful than the other in influencing, moving or informing readers? Or is that even the goal?

One of the great dangers of fiction writing is 'telling' rather than 'showing' and books that seek to communicate a pre-determined message are particularly vulnerable. Which is not to say that most authors do not intend to communicate values to their readers.

The reality is that, even sub-consciously, authors fill their novels with their values and beliefs, carrying them along in their characters and plots. Perhaps the more sub-conscious this is, the more impacting the experience.

Please share your thoughts as a reader, author, person of faith or of none by completing our 'poll' (right) and/or commenting on this post here or on Cread's Facebook page.

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