Do Your Characters have Morals?

While thinking about Twilight and the “fan fiction” that has now been morphed into Fifty Shades of Grey, I gain more respect for Stephenie Meyers for creating a character that had morals. A man who lived more than 100 years and still believed and held onto the value of a marriage relationship. It is nice to know that there are characters who have standards. Characters choosing not to compromise even when there are influences tempting them to relent. EL wanted the Twilight series with more sex and grit… well she wrote it and obviously there are a lot of people who like it as well. But aren’t they kind of missing the point of what Twilight was about – we should not give into the demons that drive us away from our beliefs. Okay maybe I am not taking the same message as other people from either book. I haven’t even read Fifty Shades of Grey.

This is not intended as another hate rant against one particular book. I just want positive messages out there for my children as they age. I have read books marketed to teens where the characters participation with drugs and sex is mentioned so casually that it is obvious that the reader is not supposed to be shocked by it. Is that really the world my children are growing up in? I am certain that I do not want the answer to that question.

 It all comes down to the whole purpose behind my writing. I want good books out there in the world. Please write books with morals, books that have strong characters with strong values. Write books interesting books fool, of drama, conflict, laughter and intrigue. And when characters make poor choices, please allow there to be consequences and lessons learned.