Well, I’ve already lost track of which number of Frequently Asked Questions this is supposed to be, so forgive me if I’m off on the actual number. But here’s the question I’m often asked:
Have you always written?
I’ve always created. When I was young I made up shows and dances, but I was more comfortable with my hairbrush for a microphone and the mirror for an audience than an actual stage. I remember studying Edgar Allen Poe in 6th grade and having to write a story in his style. I wrote in first person and at the end my character was headed toward the gallows and turned the story over to an impartial journalist to finish the tale. But mostly for years I wrote in obscurity in a journal.
My creative endeavors continued as I taught dance, choreographed dances, even staged a show for a friend’s rehearsal dinner to entertain her large extended family. When I taught school, I continued to use my creativity to come up with interesting ways to grab students’ attention and teach new concepts.
So creativity has always been a part of my life. It’s one of the most valuable tools of a writer. And I believe we’re all creative in some way. Sometimes that creative muscle has become lax and needs a workout. But we have a creative God and we’re made in His image.