Ordinarily, I wake up at the same time (before the sun rises), eat breakfast, and get to work while it is still dark. I have learned over the years that it is important to be spiritually grounded. I’m prone to be very spontaneous and impulsive, so I need to start my day with some quiet reflection.

I accomplish this by reading a little bit from the Bible every day. Then I ask God what He would have me do that day. Following that, I get started on the email backlog. After which, I get on with whatever duties are required of me that day. I usually try to do any writing in the morning, while my mind is sharper.

As a managing editor, I have the final say about content. I work hard at author-editor relations. I chair editorial meetings and do quite a bit of editing myself. I wish I could do more writing, but that is not my role at this time.

• Realize that good writing is hard work. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.
• Strive to rewrite with fewer words. That way, you’re less likely to give the reader an excuse to quit reading.
• Read your work out loud, as you would want it to be heard. You’ll notice weaknesses in transitions, awkward phrasings, and needless repetition
• At the same time, don’t fall in love with your own voice.
• Read material by good writers!

A love for the careful usage of the English language and a love for other human beings (I do work for a ministry, after all) are important. It’s good to have some God-given ability to put words together artfully too. A sharp eye for typos is also helpful. In fact, it’s essential for good editing but not necessary for writing.

I spent my childhood in West Africa in the 1960s, away from the influence of Western media. So I read magazines and books at an early age. My father taught English and Bible, and he loved poetry, which he read or quoted to me on a regular basis. His favourite was Robert Frost. And I had a third-grade teacher out there who absolutely loved good writing. I never wanted to disappoint her, so I tried hard to do well. I remember writing something that year about gorillas, and my mother didn’t believe that I had done it by myself! By the time I was in fourth grade, I actually enjoyed writing, but I hid that fact from the other kids.

What does it mean for you to honour God in your work?

I can’t pinpoint one verse. My life verses tend to change. But a passage that has continually helped me feel loved is this one, from Hebrews 12:5-8 (and Proverbs 3:11-12 as well): “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child. As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children.”

Since I am both a writer and an editor, I see both sides of this industry. Writers are by nature narcissistic, even the shy ones. We all love to have our work read by people. So, we need to learn humility. At least I do. I find that I must learn that lesson again and again. This is such a competitive field that you also require persistence. And, of course, we need thick skin, because good writing requires good and sometimes ruthless editing. We need to learn which critics to ignore, and which ones to learn from. Some times they’re the same person, so you’ll need discernment, which is another character trait I lack.

Editing, on the other hand, requires sensitivity to the writer’s intentions and passions. What is the writer trying to say? How can I help him or her say it better? Have I damaged the writer’s voice by my edits?

Even though I always believed my best innate ability was to use the written word, I balked at entering the field. But my first job out of university turned out to be a writing position for a political action committee in the United States. I thought I was on my way to a successful career as a political staffer. But slowly I began to realize that political solutions to the human condition are only stopgap measures. And that’s when I began to feel a pull toward ministry. I wanted to write about the need in the human heart.

Peter is a character I identify with. He is so impetuous and spontaneous. He did great things and terrible things, all in the span of hours, sometimes minutes. He generally said what was on his mind the moment it appeared there. And yet God used him to help found the church.

If you had asked me that question 25 years ago, I would have said satire. Now, it’s a love story. God’s relentless love and pursuit of me; my wife’s undying love of me; my love for her; the unqualified love of my young children. Life is meaningless without love.