A big one is the degree to which explicitly spiritual content can or should be woven into a story. I don’t subscribe to the notion that there is no room for such content in a novel because “novels should be realistic.” I disagree with this not just because I believe there’s an urgency for people to know the Savior (though I do), but because I know that spiritual searching and matters of faith are in fact a very real part of many people’s lives.

I strongly believe that spiritual dialogue and story elements should be artfully developed. But I don’t believe they should be dismissed as inherently “unrealistic.” Not every reader and reviewer engages in such discussions in their own lives, but many readers will find them to be authentic, relevant and engaging.