Many moons ago, when we lived in DeKalb, Illinois, we attended the Evangelical-Free Church. I will never forget one memorable service when the then-youth pastor, Kyle L. White, delivered the sermon after witnessing the birth of his firstborn that morning. We were new parents as well, and ripe for his reflections. I have long wished for a transcript of that sermon. It was profound, and delivered with awe and reverence.
A few years later, I started a small writer's group at the church. I needed accountability to complete my Institute of Children's Literature course. I had hit an impasse in my final assignment of 3 chapters of a novel. Thus, began a wonderful stint of cameraderie and encouragement in the best writing group I've attended. We shared our work monthly, and even joined up to attend the annual Write-to-Publish Conference in nearby Wheaton, IL. Oh, the laughter during those hour-long commutes to the conference! Meeting Kyle through his sermons was impressive. But discovering his writing was equally so.
Kyle is an author/illustrator/storyteller. I think of him as a modern contemplative writer. His literary and artistic works have been published by Prism Magazine, Zondervan Publishing, Windy City Sports, and Door Peninsula Voice. He has written eight books, some of which include: Wisconsin River of Grace (2009), Neighbor As Yourself (2016), Haiti! Up! (2018), Bear. With Me {A Field Journal} (2019), and Freezing, Thawing: New & Revised Stories From the Midwest (2020).
Several of these are available through his Amazon author page. He served as the 2022 Artist-in-Residence at the Sycamore Public Library and has had his books featured on Northern Public Radio. When not drawing or writing, he actively presents workshops on art, writing, and storytelling. Kyle graciously agreed to answer my questions to highlight his writings on my blog.
Q1: I scribbled stories as a young child and wrote poetry in my teens. Yet, I didn't really consider myself a writer until I completed my first National Novel Writing Month 50,000 word challenge. When did you first think of yourself as a writer?
Kyle: I think I’ve always thought of myself as a
“creative”, since I was a kid. I don’t know if we still use “creative” as a
noun. But writer, specifically? In junior high and high school I experienced
the most academic success and encouragement in the areas of writing and
journalism, so I think I must have identified as a “writer” to some degree. But,
post-college, writing became a guilty pleasure or hobby. When I found myself
underemployed in the early 2000s, tho’, I started freelance illustrating and
writing–it’s then that I felt like a “writer”. But also at that very same time,
the two of us became part of that writers’ group at our church. Thank you, because that community and rhythm did the most to
restore or establish my identity as a writer. Because of that group I found more
of my voice, began writing the things that were unique to me, started
publishing essays, and then from those I published my first book. I wonder if
your identity, Wendy, as a writer, was helped along at all by being involved in
the NaNoWriMo community, and not only the completion of the task… ?
Q2: I'm sure you're right, Kyle, although there wasn't as much community in that as in our group. I never really had others cheering me on from the sidelines. Even my kids often teased about all that effort just to secure a Nanowrimo certificate. But, I think that was when I began leaning more into novel-writing (writing Christian YA at the start, a tough sell). And I felt I really was accomplishing something significant. For years, that was my chosen focus, until it shifted more toward non-fiction. What kind of writing do you prefer?
Kyle: I used to write these longer essays, to
kind of justify my existence: how much “clever” can I pack in here? But when I
began reading my writing in front of audiences, I got tired of hearing myself
talk! So, I began simplifying and reducing. Like shifting from sermons to
homilies. It felt more conversational with, and kind to, audiences. Short,
humorous, reflective pieces, typically. I’m motivated by writers like E.B.
White (his editorials), Louis Jenkins (prose poems), and Frederick Buechner
(his creative non-fiction, in particular). I also pretend to write poetry once
in a while. I want to leave space on the page for the reader to think.
Q3: Your writing has universality and depth. I'm impressed with how you take something that has inherent humor and then, suddenly, that humor drives a deep, spiritual insight. It is as if you think in metaphor. For example, in your book, Neighbor As Yourself, you have a piece about catching and releasing a fish. On the surface, it seems to be a sketch about the challenge of removing a hook from a large, shaking bass. Yet, eventually, the reader is contemplating emotional wounds and Christ's finger both poking and healing them. Do you keep a notebook of images and develop the metaphors later, or are you capturing both the insignificant and the significant simultaneously while it is happening? Tell us a bit about your writing process.
Kyle: Your questions are beautifully written and so
encouraging–they make me want to finish some projects! As a kid, some of my
earliest memories are of being in bed at night, looking out the window and
wondering what’s behind that curtain of stars? I do feel as tho’ I’m always
looking through a thing to the bigger story on the other side of it. Maybe
that’s every writer? Louis Jenkins, one of my favorite poets, has this piece
about retiring from his poetry business. In the closing line he says, maybe
he’ll: “Take up golf. Spend more time with the family. Maybe I’ll just walk
around and look at things with absolutely no compulsion to say anything at all
about them.” I love it. My writing process is sporadic, but I am consistent
with keeping a net out for metaphor. A sketchbook, or notebook, being my net.
Most every day, in my notebook, I’m playing with some drawing, or bit of words.
Q4: I'm a big fan of your essay, "Circus World Museum," as it emphasizes the role of the church in this sin-sick world. It is one of my favorites. But then, I also love the lighthearted "To Whom it May Concern" (a job recommendation for Autumn) and "Funeral for Summer." There's also the "Quotidian Meeting of Insomnia Committee." Do you have any favorites from your writings?
Kyle: Thank you. I haven’t read those for awhile and I
need to go back and take a look. One piece of mine that I am consistently
satisfied with, and that I like reading to audiences, is “Wendell Planted a
Tree for Me.” It’s from Freezing, Thawing: New & Revised Stories from the
Midwest (2020). I like it ‘cause it has the elements that I’m most always
digging for in my pieces: humor, community, mortality, God. There’s also a
piece called “Geeses” from my upcoming book. It surprised me the way it came
out fully formed, like it had been brewing underneath.
Q5: I'm always curious about the preliminaries various writers prefer. Like Dickens, I walk before I sit down to work on a novel. It prompts the creative juices and allows time to simmer in ideas and characters. However, I haven't worked on a novel in a long time, and the weather tends to foil my outdoor walking. Do you have specific locations for writing or tools of the trade? Do you begin each session with walking or with prayer?
Kyle: Yes, walking is thinking and that leads to
writing for me. Any time I am afforded space to think–vacations, solo road
trips, morning coffee–that leads to writing. Being in Wisconsin, my homeland,
inspires me to write. I don’t necessarily pray before writing– I would say that
the act of writing is prayer in my experience.
Q6: I love that! Yes, oftentimes writing is prayer. Several of your essays focus on writing. I'm thinking of "Hunting for Words" (an apt comparison), "The Muse," and "Postcards from the Edge of the Bluff." In that last essay, you say, "Why write? To love and to be loved. I write because 'I wish you were here.' The 'here' being inside my head. A scary thought? But my writing self is probably my truest self. I write to know and to be known. I write to send a postcard." Have you ever wanted to abandon writing or have you ever experienced a dry spell that lingered? What would be your recommendation for a writer in that liminal space, when the muse is silent and showing up is hard?
Kyle: Thoughts of abandonment come more when I’m
trying to figure out how to reach a larger audience with my creative work. It’s
such a social media game and can leave lots of artists lamenting, “What’s the
point?” But in terms of writer’s block, the problem is more my inconsistency in
taking time for writing. When I do need inspiration, walking helps to jog
things loose, like you mentioned. And reading poetry–Louis Jenkins, Wendell
Berry, Billy Collins–makes me want to play with words. Joni Mitchell,
supposedly said: “Unlike some of my peers, I haven’t really hit a writer’s
block. When I hit a block I just paint, which is an old crop rotation trick.”
Sketching and drawing help stir up my writing, too.
Q7: Yes, you are not only a writer, but also an illustrator. I have one of your lovely prints on my wall to remind me to press on in my writing goals, stewarding whatever gifts God has given. That print, and other unique, contemplative art prints can be purchased from your art website (link here). What is your favorite thing about the intersection of your writing and your art? Do you sketch daily, or when you have something in mind?
Kyle: All of my creative spark started with comics.
Then, in high school and college, I was the schools’ newspaper cartoonist. So,
my art interests mostly have to do with: How do I marry image with text, in
small spaces, in the most meaningful way? I draw daily and think it’s the best
way for me to pay attention in the world;
I often facilitate classes on “sketchbook as practice,” and on field
journaling.
Q8: For the past few years, I've enjoyed receiving your newsletters. You invite interaction. You generate thoughts about creativity and art. If any reader would like to sign up for your newsletter, where can they do so?
Kyle: Thank you! People can find all my points of
contact here: https://linktr.ee/kylewhiteink
Q9: What is your favorite method of getting your work out to readers and listeners?
Kyle: Favorite and effective are two different things
apparently! The typical routes: Instagram; newsletter; etc. I also do readings
on our local NPR station–they have a segment called “Perspectives” where locals
can share opinions and thoughts on most-any topic. And I have had “story
nights” which are interactive readings. I think those story nights are my
favorite and most effective avenues.
Q10: Do you have a work-in-progress right now?
Kyle: I have a new book that released on 4/26/26 called
Just Out There Somewhere: Thoughts About Moving On. Thanks for these wonderful questions, Wendy. And thanks for being such an advocate for writers.
If you'd like to sample/listen to one of Kyle's NPR Perspective pieces, you can click here. This humorous 90-second listen is called, "About That Book You Borrowed." I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce others to Kyle White's writing, art, and storytelling. Check out his work. You'll be glad you did! Now, I'm off to request Kyle's new book as a Mother's Day/birthday gift. Then, I'll check to see if Kyle lent me a book I've failed to return. Ha!
