Q&A with Scott Savage

Hi, my name is Scott Savage. I'm a writer and pastor. I serve as the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at North Phoenix Baptist Church. I write regularly at scottsavagelive.com along with guest posting on sites like OffTheRoad.com, FlourishPhx.com, and STORYChicago.com.

How did you get started as a speaker and pastor?

I started speaking when I was a student at Grand Canyon University. I ran an evening chapel program with other students that attracted over 500 students from across the Phoenix metro area. I was regularly communicating on stage and teaching in that setting. I also ran the intramural program for GCU, so I was speaking at sporting events and other gatherings. My dad is a pastor too, so I grew up watching him preaching multiple times a week. Communicating to large groups has been in my blood for a long time.

Let’s talk about the creative process and how you work

I'm always tweaking my own creative process. During my current season as the father of 3 kids under 3 years old, I schedule intentional blocks to develop creative projects. I take one day a month, where all I do is write. I write for several hours every Friday and then in the evenings on Sunday and Monday. And then I find little windows (a 15 minute break on my iPhone or an open lunch) where I try to hit 250 or 500 words without worrying about editing. I have an overnight writing retreat in the works before summer. I always have a list of topics I want to write about or outlines for future projects, so when I get free time, I can focus on writing not brainstorming.

What are you working on now?

Recently, I launched a free Ebook on ScottSavageLive.com. I'm doing a ton of guest posting this spring. Also, I am continuing to adjust and submit a full-length book proposal to agents and publishers.

What tools do you use for your work?

Every creative project I work on intersects Evernote. I'm always collecting ideas for guest posts or my own blog posts using Evernote. When I write, I typically start in WriteRoom (a distraction-free software). I work with our church's graphic designer to build my slide decks in Keynote when I preach on a weekend. My messages are highly visual with over 30 slides and at least one prop. Occasionally, I'll go analog and pull out my Moleskine journal and a Pilot G-2 pen. But even those pages ultimately are scanned into Evernote.

What is your ideal work environment?

I prefer distraction-free environments for writing. I love writing in coffee shops with large headphones and a Spotify playlist of some ambient music from Lights & Motion or Explosions in the Sky. I've written at home a lot this year while my wife was on bedrest and with my kids being sick constantly. I've learned any environment can be ideal for writing if I am intentional and looking for opportunities to gets words out of my head.

Where are your favorite places for sharing experiences?

I love sharing experiences over food, coffee and while being active. I love sharing experiences that lead to laughter. When I think something is funny, my laugh moves to a cackle that is extraordinarily loud. Most people know I've entered a building by my laugh, not the sound of my voice.

Who are the creatives you admire most?

I've learned a lot about writing and creatively from people like Jeff Goins, Seth Godin, Michael Hyatt, and Steven Pressfield.