Date
5-23-2025
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)
Chair
Kiera Smith
Keywords
Christian fiction, religious fiction, western, faith in fiction
Disciplines
Creative Writing
Recommended Citation
Matlock, Leah, "Faith in Fiction as a Craft Element: A Great Way Off" (2025). Masters Theses. 1310.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1310
Abstract
The following thesis includes an artist statement, critical paper, and the first ten chapters of my novel, A Great Way Off, that I began writing at the beginning of my academic career in 2019. This piece ultimately showcases all I have learned through my degree and how I have incorporated my faith into my writing.
My artist statement discusses why I am passionate about including the Gospel in everything I write along with the inspiration and story behind A Great Way Off. The critical paper discusses the importance of integrating faith into literature, as well as an examination of the successes and failures of the Christian fiction genre when faith is used in fiction as a craft element.
The thesis concludes with my creative manuscript—a portion of my novel that displays my writing style and the progress I have made through my time with Liberty University.
