BEST-SELLING AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Allen Arnold

Can you share a little about your recent book?

The Story of With is a roadmap for dreaming with God. It’s been called a “beautiful, revelatory parable, filled with wonder, mystery, and adventure.” I wrote it as an allegory because we don’t need more principles or theories about creativity. We need our hearts awakened. And nothing reaches the heart faster than story.

The protagonist of the allegory is Mia, an up and coming chef who hungers for more in her life and her dreams. Yet she feels like it’s all up to her to make things happen. Through a series of events, she finds herself ushered into a fantastical place where the only way home is through filling four mysterious vials. It’s ultimately a journey from the Orphan Realm to the Freedom Realm.

At the close of each chapter, I briefly explore the themes or ideas from that section in “The Shift to With.”

I hope the unique fusion of the mythic and practical will invite readers to pursue their heart—and their art—with God.

Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?

My passion is to help awaken the hearts of creatives, drawing them into deeper intimacy, identity, and imagination with God by knowing Him more fully as both Creator and Father.

I believe nothing is more important than knowing God intimately—and a key way we are invited to do that is through our gifting. It sounds almost too good to be true, but we weren’t primarily created to simply do things for God. We were created to pursue life with God. Story lets me explore that concept in a million different ways!

How long have you been writing?

I’ve always been drawn to story. In fact, God primarily used story to shape my Story. As a boy, it was through the heroics of comic books. Then novels and movies. Later, as founding Fiction publisher at one the world’s largest Christian publishing houses, I had the honor of overseeing the development of more than five hundred novels from authors such as Ted Dekker and Stephen Lawhead. So while The Story of With is my first book, I’ve lived in the world of story my entire life.

And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?

I chose to self-publish The Story of With…and am so glad I did. I spent twenty years in the traditional publishing industry. I still have many talented friends who work in that world…but am disheartened by some of the ways the industry is changing.

More than ever, it seems the focus is primarily on established authors or celebrities with large social media followings. The new voices that publishers used to find and invest in now receive little focus or promotional dollars. And in most cases, first-time authors have a very limited window for their book to succeed before the publishing team moves on to the next project.

From the start, I knew The Story of With wouldn’t fit easily within the normal publishing model. It isn’t a straightforward fiction or non-fiction title. It’s an allegory with some teaching. And rather than publish it as inexpensively as possible, I wanted to pay special attention to details that would cost more—but matter to the reader. It was important to me to use high quality paper with larger type and more white space than most book pages include. I wanted readers to experience a sense of spaciousness as they entered into this story of freedom and hope. I also desired to create an audio version of the book with some of the industry’s top voice talents—an expensive proposition that I felt that would be less likely to happen for a first time author at a traditional publishing house.

Mainly, I sensed this message would be an evergreen title that grew slowly yet steadily over time. Given that, it just made sense that the best person to steward this process would be me rather than a publishing team tasked with juggling numerous titles simultaneously.

It’s been a good journey. I’ve realized my dreams for the book. And yes, there’s even an audio book available featuring two of the top voice talents around.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Great question. The short answer is “as long as God wants.” I used to believe there was a formula. Now I understand that writing is a journey I take with God…and I don’t know how long the trip will be until He says we’ve arrived.

The best journey we can invite readers into is the one we’re currently on. That means as writers we must be living more than we are writing. Because we can’t write a better story than we’re living.

The process of co-creating with God resembles the rhythm of a dance more than the efficiency of an assembly line. It requires the artist to set aside the illusion of control and go at the Father’s pace.

I often find I can’t write more until I’ve lived more. That journey can take days or months. It’s easy to grow impatient along the way. Then God reminds me that the goal isn’t to simply finish a project because of deadline but to bring it fully to life in God’s time.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

Each morning, I wake up and expectantly and ask God what He has planned for the day. Sometimes He invites me to start writing immediately. Other times, He lets me know it isn’t a day for writing but to simply spend time with Him. I love story…but I crave God more than writing so I give Him full control of my schedule and creativity.

It can often feel like there isn’t enough time to write. But do we really think the Creator of time won’t give us enough time for what He’s stirred us to create?

What I’m inviting others into is the wild, unpredictable mystery of creating with God. It certainly isn’t as neat as a daily word count. But sense when does the number of words written reflect the eternal value of what was written? Perhaps we should count less and create more.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

Early in my career, I was an extremely driven man. During my twenties and thirties, I felt I could open any door through sheer force of will. What seemed extreme to others was energizing to me. And the problem was, it was working.

But from a soul perspective, I was in a free fall. I thought the way to be more was to do more. And so I kept doing more until my heart went numb. I felt deep shame at who I had become…but also a glimmer of hope in who I could become. I believed God could make all things new…I just never realized it was me who needed to be made new.

I share a bit of that story in the first few pages of The Story of With.  It was the start of my journey from being a self-made man to becoming a son of God who longed to do every part of life with my Father.

Who is your favorite author to read?

My favorite novelist is Stephen Lawhead. And my favorite series from him is the Song of Albion trilogy. That series came more than decades ago and changed the way I saw life, God, and myself. It actually fueled my desire to become a Fiction publisher. Then, more than a decade later, God opened the door for me to be Stephen Lawhead’s publisher.

The Song of Albion trilogy is general market fiction written from a Christian worldview (a fantastical Celtic tale mixed with modern day characters). If you’re curious, the first book is The Paradise War.

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened too?

The life you have with God while creating determines the life your art will have. As your life grows closer to God through shared adventures, first you are refined. Your talents and gifting then follow.

In that way, our creativity reveals more about us than we think. What we give birth to – from ideas to stories to songs – possesses both the strengths and the blind spots of the creator. You simply can’t create art more powerful than your own life. Where you are faking it, your art will be less true. Where you haven’t gone, your creations can’t go.

What we create alone from our own strength can’t surpass our weaknesses. Yet what we create with the Creator can’t help but transcend us.

How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?

Many times. But I’ve learned that rejection simply means others don’t get it or perhaps that my vision needs refining. That’s especially true when one is creating something new rather than recycling a concept that’s been done countless times before.

We tend to base our art’s worth on the reactions or reviews of others. We need to aim higher. Ask God to reveal the true value of your art. He is, after all, the One who gave you your talent. The impossible becomes possible as you invite the Creator into every aspect of your creativity.

The life we have with God will determine the life our art ultimately has. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?

I’m a big fan of Ryder in The Story of With. He’s a complex character…and he ushers Mia (and readers) into the scars of our stories. The quicksand scene with Ryder (Chapter 10) is my favorite scene of my book. To say more would be to say too much until readers experience the story.

Where do you get your ideas?

I get my ideas from spending time on the playground of creativity with God. There’s nothing better. He is the most gifted storyteller. The best Father. The Creator of oceans and sunsets and stallions. When I spend time with Him, I’m always in awe of what we come up with together.

At a recent writer’s conference, my friend Ted Dekker gave the audience this transformative challenge: Don’t write to teach. Write to discover.

If I want to take readers somewhere new, I have to go there first. It’s the same for you. Your readers don’t want you to be comfortable in the creative process. Stop trying to master the process and start exploring. Forget the cozy chair and seek disruption. Readers want to be invited somewhere new by storytellers going new places. They prefer trailblazers to teachers. Stretch yourself. Then stretch your readers.

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?

The biggest mistake I find authors make (whether new or proven) is chasing success rather than pursuing God in their creativity.

That leads to striving and to formula.

With so many creative people working in the world of story, how did we become so comfortable with the familiar; so dependent on formula? When something works, businesses tend to want more of that something. There’s the pressure to repeat and systemize success, driven by a false belief that the next breakthrough will come by recapturing that same lightning in a slightly different-colored bottle. Yet that never works. What propelled the first book was its originality…not a repeat of what had already been done.

That’s the problem with formula. The pull to the proven and predictable doesn’t lead to what’s fresh or what’s next. It leads to more of the same.

But the answer isn’t striving. As I say in my book The Story of With: “God doesn’t need your help as much as he wants your heart. Whenever you start to focus more on your talents and gifts than on him, you miss the main invitation. Which is to pursue them together. With him.”

That is what true success looks like…and the way to infuse your art with an eternal spark.

Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?

First, do the hard work of discovering your unique voice and style. Among other things, you must continue seeing and experiencing new things. When authors let their own lives become too predictable, the stories will follow. A problem of formulaic stories may point to a life lacking spontaneity. If your days are a bit too similar, find ways to eradicate formula from your life first.

Then—and this is key—you must stay on the journey of discovery rather than growing comfortable, setting camp, and settling into the same. As your life grows, your voice will grow. As you scale new heights, you’ll face more obstacles and more breakthroughs. Let your stories do the same. Surprise us with what’s now awakening your heart rather than give us another serving of what once did. Show us the view from the new peak you just climbed rather than write from the old one that is safe.

As you create, the goal is never to be the “next” ___________ (fill in the blank with a bestselling author).

It’s to be the “first” you.

We were never meant to pursue our art alone. I hope you’ll join me in this journey of greater creativity, bigger dreams, and truer success. You can find The Story of With on Amazon and Audible – and follow my insights on creativity via Twitter @thestoryofwith.

BIO

Allen Arnold is the author of The Story of With, a book that reveals how stepping into our identity, imagination, and intimacy with God can forever transform our talents, dreams, and creativity. A highly sought-after speaker, Allen has shared this transformative message at hundreds of gatherings, including Dave Ramsey’s creative team, numerous writing and worship conferences, the Association of Christian Schools International, and Grace and Lace, a fast-growth apparel company featured on Shark Tank. As founding Fiction Publisher for Thomas Nelson, Allen oversaw the development of more than five hundred novels spanning every genre. He now directs the content at Ransomed Heart, a ministry in the mountains of Colorado founded by John Eldredge (the New York Times Best-selling author of Wild at Heart). His favorite way to spend the day is with his family – in whatever that day’s adventure may hold. He loves blue oceans, black coffee, hot salsa, and big ideas.