Author Q&A: What chickens can teach us about creativity

Architects, surgeons, sculptors, poets, chefs, and knitters all practice creativity in their fields of interest and expertise. Historians, novelists, landscapers, and nurses find creative ways to put their skills into action. Creativity lives in all of us and reveals itself in uncountable variations and configurations.

For my friend Ann Byle, it was a flock of chickens that set her on a path of creative discovery. Her book Chicken Scratch: Lessons on Living Creatively from a Flock of Hens(Broadleaf) launches today! This little, accessible hardback book offers a link between backyard hens and the God-given creative impulses we all hold. My older sis raises chickens, and she tells me they have distinct personalities. Ann apparently sees the same phenomenon and connects the world of chickens with creativity—one of my favorite subjects. You don’t have to be “a creative” to qualify as creative. Here Ann answers questions about creativity, chickens, and living a creative life. 

Q: Chickens? Really? What about chickens sparked your creativity to write this book?

A: One day I was working on my laptop at a table on my deck. Up popped a chicken who stared at me over my laptop and seemed to ask, “What are you doing, Ann? Can I help? Got any snacks?” I started posting pictures of them on Instagram and people liked it. Pretty soon I was discovering how creative chickens really are, and how we would all do well to mirror that creativity in our lives. It was an odd and funny juxtaposition—chickens and creativity—but it worked. I had originally planned to do the book just for writers, but my publisher asked to expand its audience to all creatives. A creative and brilliant idea. 

Q: What are some of the characteristics of a creative person?

A: Creatives are curious about the world around them and, particularly, about the field they work or play in. Knitters are curious about new yarns and patterns. Bible scholars are interested in the newest research and archaeological discoveries that impact Scripture. Architects are curious about new design tools or materials. Gardeners are curious about new types of flowers or vegetables.

Creatives are also courageous explorers, willing to step outside boundaries to find new ways to work and live. With that comes the ability to say no to negative self-talk and to ignore what others say about their art, plans, dreams, and goals. Their ultimate authority is God, not others; they move forward with God’s pleasure in mind. Another thing creatives do is nurture their creativity through things like reading widely, exploring outdoor places, visiting museums, going on retreats, unplugging tech, tasting new foods or going new places. Creative people are always looking at new ways to do things, asking new questions, trying new things.

Q: In February I ate a grasshopper. For sure that was a new thing. What do you mean when you say that all people are creative in some way?

A: I’m convinced that God has gifted everyone to be creative in their own way. I have a friend who makes the most glorious purses, totes, and wallets with leftover fabric and a sewing machine. Another is an entrepreneur who can see the big picture and moves forward to change our community for the better. Whether we are bankers or elder care workers, therapists or builders, each of us has a level of creativity that we can nurture and explore in our jobs or our personal lives. Whether we choose to develop that creativity is another story. So many people think they aren’t creative, but we all are if we can find our creative niche and get over our fear. 

Q: What did you learn about yourself as you wrote this book? 

A: I learned that my inherent nosiness about life and people is about being curious, and that my role as a journalist and writer is part of that. It’s okay to be a little nosy—despite what my kids used to say about not talking to any of their friends. Also, creativity is fun. I loved learning how to play the ukulele, decorate a cake, knit, and draw chickens as part of writing this book. Being creative is about living life fully and using all of our gifts well.

Q: Random: Tell us some trivia about chickens that we can use at parties?

A: Chickens are smart animals! They can learn and remember things, communicate, and express their opinions. Also, who knew that the color of the egg is most often determined by the color of a chicken’s ear lobes? Our hens have red/brown ear lobes and lay brown eggs. White ear lobes? White eggs. 

Yup. Definitely did not know about chicken earlobes. 

Ann Byle is a freelance writer and book author who lives in West Michigan with her family and a variety of animals including three chickens. Find her at annbylewriter.com.