7 Questions with @StephenAltrogge, Author of Create: Stop Making Excuses and Start Stuff

Last month I shelled out a whopping $3 to buy Stephen Altrogge’s latest offering into the world of books.  As I noted in my review this booklet not only gives permission to be creative it shows us that God commands it.  It’s a great read.  For a summary of it’s contents you may also want to check out the TweetNotes for the book. 

Stephen was gracious enough to answer 7 questions about his book.  Here are his answers:

1. Why this book? What motivated you to write it and what should motivate us to read it? 

I wrote this book because I believe that God has given creative gifts to every single person. However, we tend to think that only artists and poets are "creative". I wrote this book to inspire every person to use their creative gifts to bring glory to God. 

2. Why is the book so short and only in E-book format?

It's short because my thoughts on the subject were short! Plus I wanted it to be easy to read. It's in e-book format because it's much easier to publish something in e-book format rather than in paperback.

3. I love the cover. Who designed it? Any story behind it?

My friend Shepherd Ahlers designed the cover. He's great and I highly recommend him. Not really any story behind it other than the fact that I loved the photo.

4. What is the biggest piece of advice that you would give to the guy wasting his talents by eating cheetos and watching Matlock marathons in his mom's basement instead of being creative?

Get off your butt, pray for God to help you overcome your laziness, and get started on that project that has been lingering in the back of your mind. And watch something other than Matlock.

5. Let's pretend that I am a dude that is absolutely convinced that I don't have a creative bone in my body. All I can create are disasters and maybe finger-paints that monkey's would laugh at. Convince me that I'm wrong. 

You were created in God's image (Gen 1:27). Our God is an explosively creative God, and he put that same drive and impulse in you. Creativity may look different for you. You can be creative by organizing something, gardening, plumbing, etc. God has given us a desire to create and bring order out of chaos. You have it. Use it. 

6. You mention in your book that sometimes you read while running on a treadmill. Perhaps I am just not familiar with treadmills, but that seems like it would be vomit inducing. What device did you create that allows you to do such a thing?

I set my Kindle on the biggest font. Then I set my Kindle on this little ledge on the treadmill. Then I run. I don't vomit. 

7. You also mentioned in your book that you follow a bazillion blogs. I have to ask...is Borrowed Light one of those bazillion? And if not, what steps--apart from repenting in dust and ashes--will you put in place to acknowledge your error and change your ways?

I repent in dust and ashes. I'm ripping my clothing as we speak. 

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Stephen.  You can follow his blog, The Blazing Center, here.  You can also purchase Create for only $2.99. 

***I also should mention that I noticed that Stephen didn’t mention actually putting Borrowed Light on his feedreader as a sign of repentance.  Apparently, it is so bad and I am so uncreative that he would rather tear his clothing than have to endure scrolling through my nonsense everyday.  This clearly shows that Stephen is part of the man’s grand conspiracy to keep me down.