Creative Writing Exploratory

I have had the privilege and fun of teaching a creative writing exploratory to six middle school students this first quarter of the school year.
I've been encouraging the students to recognize that creativity is a God-given talent we should all be developing. God, our Father, is a creative God. He doesn't want us hiding our talents under a bushel! Developing a creative life style entails noticing nature, shapes, colours, people. Each person we meet is created in the image of God by God Himself. Amazing thought.

The students have been doing creative writing exercises and are now working on putting together a book of short stories inspired from the various creative writing exercises they've been working on.

Living a creative life is not just about being "an artist." It's about going after your dreams, whatever they are, living authentically, living emotionally healthy spirituality, facing fears and self-doubt and stepping forward in spite of them.
Living creatively and authentically means allowing yourself to be imperfect, allowing yourself to play, to be a beginner. I've really been encouraging my students to spend 10 - 20 minutes a day writing. Rather than saying "someday I'll write a book", if you start writing 10 - 20 minutes a day then you are working on your goal instead of just wishfully thinking about something.