Beyond the Page: Edwina Perkins and the Call to Transform Christian Storytelling

By She Rises Studios Editorial Team

At the intersection of mentorship, craft, and calling stands Edwina Perkins, a literary leader committed to reshaping the future of Christian storytelling. As Co-Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Managing Editor for Harambee Press, and an award-winning writer and educator, Perkins carries a singular conviction: the world is not monolithic, and Christian fiction should not be either.

For Perkins, every writer carries a story worth telling, whether it reaches publication or not. Yet she believes that storytelling becomes transformative when it stretches beyond a single cultural lens. The world, she insists, is not a uniform, single-culture experience.

When writers confine their narratives to their own perspective, they risk overlooking the rich realities lived by others. Through initiatives such as Mentoring Moments and Sensitivity Between the Lines at Blue Ridge, she aims to spark something deeper than polished manuscripts. She seeks a reorientation of the writer’s heart.

Her hope is that Christian authors will not exclude the world outside their own communities, but intentionally include it. If society itself reflects a tapestry of cultures, histories, and lived experiences, then Christian fiction must reflect that same diversity. These mentoring spaces are designed to cultivate awareness, humility, and curiosity. In Perkins’s vision, the future of Christian storytelling will be shaped not merely by technical excellence but by writers who approach their calling with cultural attentiveness and a commitment to inclusion.

That same vision guides her work as Managing Editor of Harambee Press, an imprint of End Game Press. There, she champions diverse voices within Christian publishing, confronting systemic gaps that extend far beyond manuscript selection. Early in her career, Perkins believed the central issue was the small percentage of people of color being published. Over time, she recognized a deeper structural challenge.

More than 90 percent of executive and senior-level managers in Christian publishing houses are white. Over 80 percent of the workforce reflects the same demographic. Such numbers reveal that representation challenges are not limited to authorship but are embedded in leadership itself. When people of color are underrepresented in decision-making roles, writers of color have fewer advocates within the system.

Perkins’s response is not limited to advocating for more diverse book lists. She seeks to build pathways into leadership. Alongside other voices calling for change, she encourages publishing houses to bring marginalized communities into positions of influence and authority. For her, meaningful transformation requires reexamining who holds power and who shapes the vision of the industry. Publication alone is not enough. Celebration, positioning, and lasting impact must follow.

Her perspective is shaped by service on advisory boards for both Word Weavers International and the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association. From these vantage points, she has witnessed both encouraging shifts and persistent tensions within Christian publishing.

One development that gives her genuine hope is the work of the Evangelical Christian Publishing Association, particularly its Open Doors intern program. Designed to connect professionals and students of color with opportunities in Christian publishing, the initiative offers tangible entry points into leadership. It signals an awareness that systemic change requires intentional cultivation of diverse talent pipelines.

Yet Perkins is equally candid about her concerns. Some Christian publishing houses, she observes, do not recognize the need for change. Others dismiss conversations about representation as temporary trends. The notion that calls for inclusion are a fad saddens her. For Perkins, this resistance underscores the urgency of continued advocacy and education.

Emerging authors entering this evolving landscape must be prepared to lead with both conviction and cultural awareness. Perkins urges them to actively learn about cultures outside their own. Difficult but necessary conversations must be embraced rather than avoided. Writers must remain teachable and recognize that their words carry real power. Stories can heal, but they can also harm. Each day presents opportunities to speak life into others, and authors bear responsibility for how they steward that influence.

Authenticity stands at the center of Perkins’s philosophy. In a faith-based context, she defines authenticity as beginning with acknowledgment of what one does not know. While writers are often encouraged to write what they know, she challenges them to expand that understanding through disciplined effort. Authentic and inclusive storytelling requires rigorous research and humility. Google does not hold all the answers, and neither does artificial intelligence.

Reading widely is essential, especially books written by individuals from the communities a writer seeks to portray.

Perkins emphasizes relationship as well as research. Writers should build genuine connections with people unlike themselves and utilize their networks for insight and accountability. Authentic storytelling demands labor. It requires confronting human brokenness honestly and portraying its impact without defaulting to simplistic resolutions. Not all stories conclude with a tidy happily ever after, and faith-centered fiction must make room for that tension.

When stories involving other cultures fail to ring true, the damage extends beyond literary critique. Misrepresentation harms communities and miscommunicates to readers. For Perkins, theological depth must be accompanied by emotional truth. Faith is not weakened by honesty; it is strengthened by it.

To writers standing at the threshold of their calling, uncertain yet compelled to write, Perkins offers hard-won wisdom. First, do not quit. She recalls advice given to her when she first considered writing: develop rhino skin, and you will still bleed. Rhinoceros skin is among the toughest in the animal kingdom, yet even it is not impervious. Rejection and criticism are inevitable. Perseverance is nonnegotiable.

Second, remember your audience. There are readers who need the stories only you can write. Without building a platform, those readers may never find them. Stewarding influence requires intentionality, not self-promotion for its own sake, but connection for the sake of impact.

Finally, never stop learning. Focus on craft. Engage with other writers. Step beyond comfort zones. Ask questions. Growth is continuous, not optional.

Perkins often reflects on words by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin: in a world that can feel divided and harsh, choosing words that heal and unite is one of the most meaningful contributions we can make. For her, this is not a sentimental ideal but a professional mandate. Words carry power. Used wisely and well, they can transform not only manuscripts but the industry and communities they touch.