Name, Age, and State: Kayla R. Woodhouse, 14, Colorado

Job-title: Author (read abut her book, here)

Web/blog site URL: http://kimandkaylawoodhouse.com

Give us your job description in 25 words or less. Writing for God, eating M&Ms, and thinking of new story ideas 24/7

Describe a typical workday. We’ll sit down at our computers, get out our medium sized dry erase boards and plan out five or six scenes at a time. About ten minutes after the clicking of keys begins, I’ll get out my mini M&M bags and start munching. Then, for the next couple hours I’ll sit at my desk typing away at whatever God tells me to write. Pretty simple!

What led you to realize that you wanted to do this type of work? God called me to write, I truly believe. I’ve always loved telling stories, and my brother and I have always come up with many story/movie/games together. I guess little by little God told me He wanted me to be a writer, then when our editor/agent, Karen Ball, pitched Mamma and me the idea of writing together, I got the hint that He REALLY wanted me to do this.

Did you have any heroes or mentors in your industry that you admired? Yes. First off God. God uses words in so many things… He spoke, and created the world, Jesus is known as The Word of God, Jesus taught in parables, the Bible is a book… etc. Then there’s my Mamma, my big Bubba, Mrs. Tracie Peterson, Mr. Jim Peterson, Ms. Donita K. Paul, Mrs. Colleen Coble, and Mrs. Kim Vogel Sawyer.

What type of education or training was required to land your job? Well, in my case – I’ve been an avid reader all my life, but that really picked up after I had brain surgery. I read and read and read while I recovered. Then…I just wrote. And wrote a little bit more. Then Mamma started helping me edit, and I went to some of her writer’s meetings. I learned so much. After that, Mrs. Karen became my editor and helped me edit my manuscript more. And some more. And a little bit more after that! ;-)

What do you love most about your job? I love brainstorming and feeling the excitement of a good story idea. Then heading to the computer and letting the story pour out. It’s so amazing to see the imagination-stories come to life on paper! Then I love hearing from our readers. I especially love hearing when one of our books has impacted someone’s life.

What one part of your job do you wish you could hire someone else to do? Writing my synopses. Icky icky blech! I’m not a huge fan of them… but then again, when I write my synopsis is when I get most of my ideas of all the “fine points” in the story.

What advice would you give to teenagers wanting to get into your field of work? If you truly feel like God is telling you to pursue this, find someone you can really trust and (here’s the big catch) who knows what they’re doing to help you edit and brainstorm. Someone who is in the writing field, (not just a friend who happens to have a short story written) and cares about you and your story. But most importantly, let God give you the ideas. If you think that something isn’t glorifying to Him or is something that He wouldn’t want you to write, then don’t write it. After all, when Jesus comes again and all the old things pass away, will those things matter at all? So write stuff that will matter! Stuff that you can say, “I wrote this for You, God.”

How does your job allow you to use your God-given gifts? I believe God has called me to write things that will challenge the believer in their walk with the LORD, and lead the unbeliever to Him. I know He’s called me to do this, so this is what I’m going to do.

Do you have any hobbies or off-hours pursuits that teenagers would find of interest? I love reading my Bible, swimming, painting, playing the piano, and doing puppets with our Puppet Troupe (JOY Puppet Troupe). If you want to start writing, or start writing more intensely, I would suggest having at least an hour everyday that you’ve laid aside to do one of the hobbies/sports/things you like to do. Save that hour for when you don’t feel like writing, or you’re too exhausted to keep up with your story. Even though God may have called you to do this, He doesn’t want you to get discouraged when your writing isn’t “all that YOU thought it would be.” As humans, we have a bad habit of letting ourselves get down in the dumps. But don’t! Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; trust in God, trust also in Me.” So? Trust Him!