Dr. Alan Sanderson lives in Enoch, Utah.
What are some names of the books or other media you have created?
I have two main creative outlets:
1) The Medicine and Faith blog, started in 2014, where I write from my perspective as a Church member and as a practicing neurologist, and
2) My music website, started in 2017, where my family members and I post our recordings and collaborations, as well as tutorials and reviews of the software and hardware tools that we use in our home studios.
What inspired you to become a creator of media?
The Medicine and Faith blog was inspired by Elder Uchtdorf’s encouragement for Church members to share the gospel online. I was also influenced by Clayton Christensen’s book, The Power of Everyday Missionaries. But I think I have always been a creator. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to make music, images, and stories.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Medicine is my career; writing and music are just hobbies. That said, it was an honor to receive a Praiseworthy Award at the 2018 LDSPMA conference.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given in your creative journey?
Have fun!
What advice do you have for someone just starting out in your field?
Creating is more fun when you are learning. Learn new skills, build your foundation, and be willing to try new things.
What keeps you inspired in your daily creative work?
The joy of creating, the satisfaction of improving my skills, the payoff of seeing or hearing the finished project as a real thing in the world. The thrill of good web traffic and comments is like a sugar rush—it doesn’t last long enough to get your next project done. Your primary motivations have to be intrinsic in order for them to be durable, especially when you are a hobbyist.
What would you like others to know about you or your creative process?
I work on projects intuitively, based on what interests and motivates me from day to day and week to week. I don’t hold myself to a timeline or a schedule, but I try to keep two–three projects going all of the time so that there is always something in the pipeline. Also I don’t worry much about whether other people will like my creations. If I can satisfy my audience of one (myself), then I’m happy.
In what ways do you feel you have been able to be a voice for good in your creative pursuits?
People comment to me pretty often that my music is uplifting or that they learned something from a blog post.