Last week I celebrated my 17th birthday!

My family and I went to the San Diego Safari Park (used to be called the Wild Animal Park). Growing up, I went there all the time! It was a huge part of my childhood!

So, to start off the last year before I’m 18, I decided to go to a place I used to as a kid!

I had so much fun! One of my favorite animals there is definitely the tigers!

But I’m not here to talk about my birthday trip. I want to share something about creativity.

I’ve spent the last year of my life being overwhelmed, feeling like I needed to be older to accomplish the things I wanted to in life, like publishing my book. But I know this isn’t true.

I published my first book when I was 16!

Most people say to wait till you’re older, but this doesn’t apply to everything. If you have something you’re passionate about, don’t wait!

At the Safari Park I embraced the child that is still inside me! Every fiction writer has to let the inner child out at some point. Children are known for their imagination.

Imagination is the most important tool in a writer’s toolbox. Without the imagination of a child, there would be no story!

The story behind Finding Doom is a perfect example of this! You can read about it here:

https://reklinzing.com/2019/10/08/finding-doom-begining/

I can’t wait for my next trip to the Safari Park, where imagination (and animals) run wild.

-R.E. Klinzing