We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christie E. Hayman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Christie E., appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
To keep the creative juices flowing, I do several different things. I read things that pique my interest. I watch different tv shows and movies for inspiration or storylines/plots/characters that stand out. Sometimes I wander through craft stores and let my thoughts drift to the possibilities of projects I might enjoy. I’ll sit outside and take in the beauty of my surroundings: the stately trees with the their leaves dancing in the breeze, wildlife foraging for a snack, bees collecting pollen on brightly colored flower petals, or birds in flight. Other times I just let my mind wander and often I find myself getting story ideas or toying with the possibility of one. Sometimes I just need to walk away from a project for a while and work on something else so that when I am interested in picking it up again, I bring fresh ideas and fresh eyes to it. One example would be that I didn’t have enough story components in my mind to start writing another feature, so I set it aside and decided to focus on something else I’ve had in my mind to do, and that was to adapt one of my already written features into a novel. That is what I have been working on most recently and, in fact, just completed.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a screenwriter who moonlights as an executive assistant. I write real-world scenarios with unique perspectives and twists. I hate figuring out the ending of a story ten minutes into it, so I try to keep you guessing and throw a curve ball and surprise you. I love storytelling! I can be anyone, anywhere, at any time in history. I can time travel and explore different careers, countries, and romances from the comfort of my own home. I can write the happily ever afters we all long for. I can get justice for those who have been wronged. I can make dreams come true. It all happens in writing stories. Mostly I enjoy romance stories with mysteries, time travel, Christmas, or Hawaii in the mix. I’ve always been fascinated by history and love to incorporate some educational aspect or trivia into my stories. Learning but having fun at the same time is my goal. I want the learning to be effortless. As I mentioned previously, I’ve just finished writing my first novel adapted from the first of my Christmas trilogy feature scripts! It’s very exciting. I will be submitting it to a specific publisher I found in the next few weeks. Hopefully they’ll like it! I’ve already started working on the sequel adaption.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Three things that have been most impactful in my journey, in no particular order, are: typing. English education, and faith.
In high school, I had a mandatory typing class, and am I ever grateful for that! It is a most necessary skill for a writer. Hunting and pecking would waste so much time that can be redeemed for greater purposes. Thank you, Mr. Ingram, for teaching me that priceless skill!
The second major skill is my education in English. I had phenomenal English teachers in high school. We had to write stories every week as part of the curriculum, called Reading/Writing workshops. I dreaded them at the time, but they prepared me for my life’s calling. Thank you, Mrs. B and Mr. Hosterman!
Third, but most definitely not least, is my faith. Life is hard. Writing is hard. To quote The Princess Bride, “Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.” It’s essential to have a rock solid foundation of truth and a moral compass that doesn’t shift with the tide. While everything around me changes, my anchor does not move. He does not change. When I don’t know what to do or need wisdom, I know where to turn. All I have to do is ask and listen. Having truth and hope is key to a fulfilled life, no matter the circumstances.
I encourage everyone to invest in these three areas. They will serve you well as you continue on your journey, no matter your career.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was raise me in a faith-filled home. Because no matter what happens in life, I know there is a God who loves me and walks with me each step of the way. He has a plan for me and each person on the planet. It’s not necessarily the plan I have for myself because life rarely happens as we hope or plan. But I’ve learned this life isn’t about me and what I want my story to be. It’s about the story He wants to tell through my life.
He’s created each of us uniquely to do something no one else in the world can. We have a purpose. We have gifts and talents to use and share with the world.
My parents modeled what it was to have a relationship with God, how to learn about him, to talk with him, to hear him. They had me in church and Sunday School, and they went too. It was a priority to them, and I saw that, and it became a priority for me. I saw how they got through some really difficult things, and who they turned to: God. I don’t have all the answers. But I know the One who does. My parents always pray for me daily. I never want to take that for granted. Prayer is powerful, but it shouldn’t just be something I turn to only in desperation. If I only knew how powerful it really was, I don’t think I’d ever cease praying.
Image Credits
Photo of Scott Caan and Christie E. Hayman courtesy of Michelle Coskey
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