I don’t know if you noticed, but I am a writer. And as a writer, inspiration comes from everywhere. One of the things I learned quickly was that writers love to read. Reading keeps your brain sharp in the space and also inspires. You never know when a line of dialogue, the perfect twist, or engaging prose will ignite your own creativity. For me, I have always found that inspiration in my favorite authors, and Matthew Quirk is near the top of my list. Of course, when I was given the chance to interview him, I dug into his transition from what I do to what he does now and discovered many inspiring insights that everyone should know. Whether you want to be a writer or not.
Getting into the ‘hopeful hobby’ and ditching plan B
I wanted to write for 20 years before I actually did it. And, I didn’t do it because I never thought it was a practical path. I saw it as a hopeful hobby. It was plan A, while the security of a Monday-Friday 9-5 job was plan B. The problem was I only ever focused on plan B, and it took a global pandemic to violently shove me into the life I wanted. After being laid off from the law firm I worked at through 2020, I fell into writing. I was surprised to find that Quirk had a similar path.
“It’s easier to jump when you’re pushed! I lost my job at The Atlantic in the 2008 recession, but it was amazing how everything worked out. Two days after I got my notice, I heard back from a big-time agent that I should keep going on the writing thing, so I did and haven’t looked back.”
So, what is the lesson here? Maybe it is ditch plan B…maybe it is dive into your hopeful hobby. Or, maybe it is trusting the universe to create space and be ready to walk into it and put in the work.
Nuggets of wisdom
Of course, I always want advice. I believe that you can learn something from everyone you meet, as long as you are open and you give them the space to teach you. With Quirk, I wanted to know what advice he got when he was coming up and making the transition from writer to novelist. And, I am sure that the advice is workable with almost any industry.
“A few gems come to mind: ‘Write a s***ty first draft,’ ‘Don’t buy the boat.’ And my dad, a very practical guy, Navy veteran and school administrator, told me when I was thinking of switching from physics to English: ‘Follow your muse.'”
It is funny, as a writer, I think about the first draft and immediately go to the really bad book I published about ten years ago. But then I thought about where I was when I published it. Where I was in life. And you could definitely say in those years I was in the middle of my sh**y first draft of my life. During the process, I would have given up a dozen times if I hadn’t had people in my corner. Now, I love my life, and it is built on the experiences from then. So, write the sh**y first draft of your life. Make it something to build on. And, to be quite literal, boats are a terrible investment, so don’t buy that thing.
Flip the hand and let gravity do the work
Before the pandemic, I worked at a criminal defense firm, and we employed a licensed professional counselor to help our clients work through the life side of their situation. I was working hard, trying to prove myself every day because it was the best professional opportunity I had up until that time. I remember venting to her one day about how I felt I was one mistake away from losing all of it, and I was holding on as tight as I could. She simply smiled and handed me something from the desk. I don’t remember exactly what it was. She told me to hold in my hand, my palm facing down. As I did, I wrapped my fingers around it and squeezed so it wouldn’t fall. Then she told me to flip my hand over and open my fingers. It was easier to hold because I wasn’t fighting gravity. I was using it. Most of us grip so tightly to something, afraid we’re going to lose it. This is where Matt went when I asked him about mistakes he had made.
“I can think of a few: worrying too much through the ups and downs. It’s a tough industry, and there can be a sense that every book has to top the last or you’ll get thrown off the merry-go-round, but things seem to work out if you just keep at it and write the best novels you can. And I can sometimes overstuff books, which has blown up in my face a couple of times. I’d also have learned to write on a somewhat saner schedule sooner instead of going until three and four a.m. for years.”
It comes down to trust. You got to the merry-go-round for a reason. You belong there. Trust that you can do the job. No matter how perilously fast the merry-go-round is going, trust that you can hold on.
Tips from a bestseller
When I struck out on my own to be a freelance writer, I had two things going for me. 1 – I had severance from the law firm to keep me afloat. 2 – I had someone ready and willing to let me write style articles for him full time. Those are two of the hardest parts of getting into this industry. Financial security and getting your foot in the door. I was incredibly fortunate. Because of that, I didn’t struggle as much at the beginning. The law of averages then went into play, and I struggled mightily after that. So, what tips for success does our bestseller have?
“Keep your day job for as long as you can. Writing is a lot more fun and easier without the extra pressure. And I have a bunch of writing tips on my website, but the most important ones would probably be to write that s***ty first draft to get over perfectionism and to do your thinking away from the computer (I recommend a walk), then come back and write it down.”
Simple transitions through small steps keep the pressure low and allow you to make mistakes. And dive deep into that sh**y first draft (literal or metaphorical). Finding ways to create space for improvement begins with messing up. To get good at something, you have to embrace being bad at it.
What is next?
This interview came on the heels of reading his 2026 novel, The Method. And like any good fan-out moment, I needed to know what was next for one of my favorite authors.
“I’m writing a novel about a San Diego firefighter and Marine veteran who finds out that a super-spy type has been using his identity. I love it, and it’s always great to set a novel where I spend most of my time.”
Takeaways from my time with Quirk included committing to plan A, trusting my position on the merry-go-round, and taking small but deliberate steps. Oh, and maybe the most important, embrace that sh**y first draft.
