Behind the Scenes: The Creative Process of J.D. Marcey

Behind the Scenes: The Creative Process of J.D. Marcey

I wish I could give some magical insight into my creative process and say, “If I can do it, then you can, too!” But if I’m being honest, I don’t have a lot of rhyme or reason to what I do. I write. Then rewrite. Then write some more.

My inspiration comes in fits and bursts, taken from everything around me, dreams, daily observations, thought experiments (those are always fun), but if I always waited for inspiration to strike, there wouldn’t be much written down. Sometimes I write pages and pages about nothing that end up in a random notebook somewhere stashed away likely never to be seen again. Sometimes I write something amazing on the first draft. (Very rarely, but it has happened, and generally I’m the only one who finds it so.) Most often, I only find the work good once I have put in the work to make it so.

One has to put in the work. That is my first and foremost piece of advice for any creative endeavor, in my case it’s writing, but it rings true for just about anything. Putting words to the page is only the beginning, and arguably the most fun, but it is not where it ends. I have spent countless hours rewriting, editing, revising, and editing again. I would venture to guess that a very small percentage of my work ever sees the light of day.

But when it does, that is a glorious feeling. When someone reads something that I created and likes it, there is nothing better. Whether that someone is a friend, family member, or total stranger.

I want to give some sort of applicable advice. Make sure to write every day. Create writing rituals. Have your sacred space for work. I can even tell you what has worked for me, but all these bits and pieces of advice are just that, advice. Some pieces have worked for me, at least temporarily, but there is no absolute answer.

My favorite piece of advice comes from Stephen King. “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.” Personally, I take this more metaphorically, as my desk is in the corner of the living room and writing with the door closed is literally impossible. The idea though is that your writing should initially be for you, and no one else. Once you are ready, then you can have others read it and offer whatever advice they have, whether they are editors, publishers, or just your friends and family.

I took me a long time to figure this out. When I first started writing seriously, (well, as an adult I guess, I have been writing stories and poetry since I could hold a pencil) I wanted everyone involved in all steps of the process. This resulted in many stories that were such a muddled mess of what everyone else thought should be written about that I completely lost myself and my story. This created an aversion to showing anyone my work, and even after getting through that, I had a hard time receiving feedback. Which has more to do with my own insecurity than anything else as my brain said that whatever anyone else said must be truth, no matter who they were or what they actually knew about writing or storytelling.

Eventually, I realized that without feedback, my writing would never reach its full potential, or any audience for that matter. However, this only works with thoughtful consideration of said feedback. I still struggle with this, though at least now I can recognize it. I can cut my story into pieces, and go through revision after revision, rewrite after rewrite, but it is still mine. 

So, there you have it. I have no sage-like wisdom for creating a lucrative writing practice, simply that if you want to be a writer, then write. If you want to be a painter, then paint. If you want to be a teacher, then teach. Just remember, you have to put in the work.

Photo by De'Mariah Newsome Photography