Revision, Rejection, and Perseverance with Kevin Carey

Kevin Carey came to writing and filmmaking later in his career, but has wasted no time producing a wide range of poetry, fiction, and documentaries, including a crime novel, Murder in the Marsh, and a middle grade novel, Junior Miles and the Junkman. He’s also the coordinator of creative writing at Salem State University in Massachusetts, where he teaches intro and upper level creative writing courses. Kevin tells me how he got his start with writing, how his MFA experience changed both his writing and the opportunities available to him, the importance of reading your work to others, and much more. Episode breakdown: 00:00 Stranger's grief sparked passion for poetry teaching. 08:53 Transitioning from poetry to fiction writing journey. 14:54 Drawing inspiration from hometown for crime novel. 21:40 Deciding not to work with an agent. 26:12 Friend's art gallery led to film business. 28:03 Close friendships and passion in documentary filmmaking. 35:28 Writers struggle to let go of perfection. 40:09 Encouraging honest feedback, experimenting, and releasing pressure. 45:38 Successful writers helping and inspiring young writers. 50:19 Diverse students in writing classes seek guidance. 58:42 MFA program: discovering joy in completing novels. Check out the full show notes at fycuriosity.com, and connect with me and fellow creatives on Substack. Please leave a review for this episode and in it, tell us how you deal with feedback. If you enjoyed our conversation, I hope you’ll share it with a friend. Want more? Here's a handy playlist with all my previous interviews with guests in writing.