I was meeting with a fellow writer last week, and we were talking about what it takes to succeed as a ghostwriter. I told him I don’t think I’m the best writer—but what people seem to value is my insight.

If I do have any insight, it doesn’t come out of thin air. It flows from a wide-ranging curiosity, a lot of seemingly trivial knowledge, and a fascination with how things are connected.

And those connections become the bridges that help readers understand the big ideas that are so life transforming.

Furthermore, as A.I. gets better and better at saying what everyone else is saying, only true authenticity and creativity will stand out from the crowd.

The key is that the knowledge is more than just trivial, because, while it may seem trivial to you, it is not trivial to me.

I could never spend time learning about things that don’t matter to me.

For something to spark my interest, there needs to be something in me that is fascinated.

I believe this is a clue to God’s calling on my life.

When I could get lost in an exploration, I’ve come to think God is moving me. Those who I go to for answers and insight become my teachers.

The Panel

That said, I wanted to gather some of my recent “teachers” into an imaginary panel to talk about the role of curiosity for writers. It’s a wide range of insight that makes your work stand out and helps readers find new angles of understanding the most important truths.

I’ve gathered a panel of voices—mentors, thinkers, entrepreneurs, philosophers—and I will let them speak directly to you, the writer.

What will they say about curiosity, wonder, and truth? How might they challenge the way you approach your craft and your calling?

So let’s imagine you and I are sitting down with this panel. Around the table are Lulu Chang Maservi, Joe Hudson, Dan Sullivan, David Deutsch, and the late Charlie Munger. At the end, a special guest—Edmond Dantès—will surprise us with a word of his own.

(Note: Most of these are not Christians, and for me, that’s the point. Often Christian writing gets so uniform that we all start copying each other. After all, just how creative do we need to be with theology and the main and plain of the gospel? On the other hand, application of the main and plain gets stale, and sometimes seeing how thinkers in “the world” are thinking about the big problems of life, give us new angles to consider timeless truths.)

Lulu Chang Maservi: Keep Asking Why

Bio: Lulu Chang Maservi is a leadership strategist and former global executive at firms like McKinsey and Google. She’s known for her insights on emotional intelligence, resilience, and questioning assumptions.

Lulu leans forward first. “If you want sharper insights, don’t focus on answers. Focus on questions. My career was shaped by one habit: asking why again and again. Not just once. Not just until I had something that sounded reasonable. But until the real truth began to show itself.”

Her challenge to you: In your next piece of writing, pick one claim or idea and ask “why?” at least five times. See what deeper truth emerges.

Joe Hudson: Enter Wonder

Bio: Joe Hudson is an executive coach and founder of The Art of Accomplishment. He’s known for teaching leaders how openness, wonder, and vulnerability can transform both personal lives and organizations.

Joe adds his voice. “Most of us walk through life labeling experiences as good or bad, right or wrong, useful or useless. But when you’re in wonder, you suspend all of that. You don’t judge—you discover. You ask, ‘What’s here?’ And suddenly, the world opens up.”

His challenge to you: Before you sit down to write tomorrow, take five minutes to sit in silence and ask, “What is most amazing about this topic?” Notice answers without labeling them—let wonder open the door.

Dan Sullivan: Follow What Is Fascinating and Motivating

Bio: Dan Sullivan is the founder of Strategic Coach, one of the world’s premier coaching programs for entrepreneurs. For decades, he’s helped leaders discover their unique ability by following what is fascinating and motivating.

Dan jumps in. “If something fascinates you, pay attention. That’s your wiring talking. Don’t dismiss it—follow it. Because what fascinates you is usually connected to what God designed you to do. It’s not an accident.”

His challenge to you: Make a short list today of three things that have fascinated you recently. Then ask: How might I turn one of these fascinations into a story, a metaphor, or a book idea? Or even better, how might one of these relate to the work you’re already doing in a surprising way?

David Deutsch: Pursue Truth, Not Certainty

Bio: David Deutsch is a physicist at Oxford University and author of The Beginning of Infinity. He is a pioneer in quantum computation and one of the boldest voices arguing that the pursuit of truth—not certainty—is what drives human progress.

Deutsch speaks next. “The real enemy of knowledge is not ignorance—it’s certainty. Certainty shuts down the search. But truth is never final, never complete, never finished. The pursuit of truth requires humility and openness.”

His challenge to you: Revisit something you’ve been certain about in your writing or your faith. Instead of asking, “Am I right?” ask, “What more could I learn here?” Let truth, not certainty, lead you.

Charlie Munger: Think Across Disciplines

Bio: Charlie Munger, longtime business partner of Warren Buffett, built his reputation as an investor and thinker by stressing the importance of “mental models”—borrowing insights from many fields to see the world more clearly.

Munger leans back in his chair with a grin. “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. But if you want wisdom, you need a latticework of mental models. Borrow from psychology, economics, history, biology—everything. The more disciplines you draw from, the richer your insights become.”

This is truly the point of this article and Munger has been a huge influence on me.

His challenge to you: This week, read one article, essay, or book chapter from a field completely outside your usual interests. Then look for one connection it sparks for your writing.

The Faith Connection

At this point, I turn to the panel and add my own reflection: “Proverbs 25:2 says, ‘It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.’ That’s what all of you are pointing toward. God hides treasures in Scripture, in creation, in history, in human hearts. Our task as writers and disciples is to search them out—with curiosity, wonder, fascination, truth-seeking, and wide learning.”

Bonus Guest: Edmond Dantès

Bio: Edmond Dantès is the fictional hero of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Wrongly imprisoned, he spends years in a dungeon where curiosity and learning transform him into the Count—a man of wisdom, discipline, and reinvention. In my estimation, his gain was not the treasure he found after he got out, but the treasure of knowledge, wisdom, and decision making prowess that he gained in the prison from his mentor.

He leans in with the quiet authority of someone who has suffered deeply and rebuilt himself. “Curiosity saved my soul in prison. I could have rotted in despair. But instead, I asked questions—about the world, about myself, about the mysteries of life. With each answer came more wonder. And in the darkness of confinement, I discovered treasures of knowledge. When I left that cell, I was not the same man. My curiosity had remade me.”

His challenge to you: The next time you face discouragement in your writing, don’t despair. Instead, ask a new question. Let curiosity be the key that turns prison walls into a school of transformation.

Takeaway for Writers of Faith

If you want to grow as a writer—and as a follower of Jesus—lean into this shared wisdom:

• Curiosity keeps you asking why.
  
  
• Wonder keeps you open.
  
  
• Fascination directs you toward calling.
  
  
• Truth over certainty keeps you moving forward.
  
  
• Multi-disciplinary learning equips you to draw surprising, powerful connections.
  
  

And Edmond Dantès reminds us: curiosity can be the difference between despair and redemption.

Together, they form the posture of a great writer and a faithful disciple: not clinging to easy answers, but searching out the hidden things of God. That’s the path to writing that matters—and to a life of depth and discovery. It’s also the distinction that will A.I. proof your writing career.

Speaking of fascination: I’m fascinated and motivated lately by the idea of Christian entrepreneurship. One difference I see between writers who can write for a living and those who are struggling is a mind and heart for the business side of writing. Check out my Substack newsletter on the subject: The Christian Business Person’s Newsletter.

Blessings,

Jeff B. Miller

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