A lot, actually. In fact, it’s kind of her thing.
In addition to being a gifted communicator, Christina Fox is a wife, mother, teacher and licensed mental health counselor.
Most of all, she is an adopted and redeemed child of God the Father.
Christina writes with an ideal balance of honesty, encouragement, theology and practice.
If you’re not already familiar with her, I suggest you become acquainted.
I’ll start that process with this Christina Fox interview. However, I also encourage you to visit the links throughout the article.
Then, with confidence, you can finally answer the question, “What does Christina Fox say?”
How Christina Fox Became a Writer
When did you first realize that you wanted to, could and should write? Did you take decisive steps toward that goal, or was it a gradual process?
I have always loved writing. I started a newspaper for my high school. I also found writing to be a helpful outlet during my turbulent adolescent years.
While in college and graduate school, though, writing papers and a thesis took precedence.
After I had my first child, we decided that I wouldn’t return to work as a child and family psychotherapist. With my husband’s work schedule, it just wasn’t possible.
So I began praying that God would direct me in how I could use my skills and desire to help others while staying at home.
Meanwhile, I began a blog, mostly to show faraway family and friends how my son was growing and developing.
On that blog, I began to share a little about my postpartum depression. I also shared parenting struggles and the sanctifying work God was doing in me through motherhood.
It resonated with readers, and people started encouraging me to write more about those topics.
They also encouraged me to write for places other than my blog. So I started submitting articles.
More and more doors opened for me to write for bigger websites and publications. That’s what I’ve been doing ever since.
Nice. So it was both intentional and gradual.
Unbeknownst to you, your simple blog for family and friends would become a tool to grow both yourself and complete strangers.
What some may call serendipitous, believers will call God’s providence.
What do you do to stay sharp and continue developing as a writer?
Also, do you ever experience writer’s block? If so, how do you deal with it? Are there exercises that help the words flow again?
I am a voracious reader. I am always in the middle of three or four books.
As I think through and process what I am reading and apply it to my life, it fuels my writing.
I participate in a writer’s critique group and other discussion groups with writers. I read books on writing. I have also attended writing seminars and training.
I do occasionally experience writer’s block. But I find that when that happens, it’s because I am not living life.
It’s hard to write about life if you are not out there living it. So I put my pen down and live life.
I also find that the more I am in God’s Word, the more I have to write about. Hebrews says that the Word is active and alive.
I never walk away from the Word unchanged in some way. It never grows old. There is always something new or a fresh reminder that burrows into my heart and produces change.
Then I often write about what I am learning.
One practical thing I do is keep a journal with me at all times. I am very forgetful, so if I have an idea or thought that could become an article, I write it down before I lose it.
Those are excellent and practical tips for aspiring writers.
Building a Writing Platform
How did you connect with and begin writing for evangelical behemoths such as Desiring God and the other large platforms that publish your work?
Good question. Networking, really.
I started writing for The Gospel Coalition about a year and a half ago.
I met Collin Hansen at a TGC conference and talked to him about submitting an article.
A year or so later, I met an editor from Desiring God at another TGC conference and talked with him about submitting an article.
Through networking and writing for TGC and DG, other doors opened for me.
I began writing for places such as Kirk Cameron’s website, the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, iBelieve and Today’s Christian Woman, among others.
Do you take a different approach with each publication by considering its audience, style and preferred topics? What about your personal blog?
My preferred writing style is more creative and story-driven.
However, most places I write for prefer things to be short, sweet and practical. I’ve had to train myself to write that way.
On my personal blog, I write how I want and with as many words as I want.
So it sounds like the secret to becoming a successful writer in the evangelical blogosphere is simply attending a TGC conference.
That was my attempt at acquiring complimentary registration.
Is there anything else you would add for people who have a gift for communicating through writing but don’t have a platform or readers yet?
I didn’t have a platform or readers when I began writing either.
It happened gradually as I submitted my writing to different places.
My advice is to keep writing, keep improving your writing and keep submitting.
Good advice.
Thank you for sharing how you successfully built your platform.
My hope is that gifted writers reading this today will feel inspired to become tomorrow’s contributors.
Writing About Hope in Christ
Do you have a favorite topic to write about?
I have many.
I write about depression, worry and fear. I also like to write about Christian friendship and encouraging one another with the gospel.
In addition, I have a passion for teaching Jesus to our children and helping them apply the gospel to their lives.
I write about that frequently on my personal blog and in other places as well.
What is the most important thought you want to communicate clearly? What do you hope people think about when they encounter your writing?
My goal is to encourage people to find their hope in Christ.
With my background in counseling, I tend to write about the struggles and trials of life.
I want to point people who are struggling to the hope found in Christ and the gospel of grace.
That, I hope, is the underlying theme beneath all my writing.