Grow Your Writing with David
David Martinez earned his MFA from UC Riverside Palm Desert and teaches English, Mythology, and Creative Writing at Paradise Valley Community College. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Brazil and has lived all over both countries as well as in Puerto Rico. His memoir, Bones Worth Breaking, is listed as a one of the best memoirs of 2024 by Esquire. Library Journal’s starred review calls it “a powerfully honest memoir…visceral and emotionally aware…” and Publisher’s Weekly termed Martinez “a writer to watch.” He lives in Glendale, Arizona.
Ask David Your Questions
Ready to see if he’s the right for you? Our next Meet the Mentors panel is coming up on March 15th. Join David and the other mentors for an open Q&A.
Decide if David's Right for You with Our Mentor Interview
What excites you most about writing?
“I like feeling the right words snap into place, the satisfaction when something hits just right. I’ve always loved to read, so writing feels like a natural extension of that. I love discovering my own ideas—writing helps me discover what my ideas are more than anything else.
Being a writer is part of my definition of who I am. I didn’t start doing it seriously until I was twenty-four, but when I look back at it now that first creative writing class I took as a community college student changed my life. Today I have a memoir out and teach college English and Creative Writing. It’s a lot of work, but it has helped build me into who I am today.”
What mindset does a writer need to grow?
“Always look for and work on projects that push you out of your comfort zone. The best work, in my experience, comes from times when I know I have no idea what I’m doing. Be open-minded. Above all, the best way to learn is to constantly and consistently write whether you’re feeling it or not.”
What makes a good writing mentor?
“A good mentor is someone who can see the mentee’s work for what it is instead of an extension of their own work. They’re someone who is kind and capable of understanding and nurturing the mentee not only for who they are but where they are at. They are someone who will tell the truth about how they perceive the mentee’s work with compassion and deep thought.”
What is your style of feedback?
“Nonfiction is difficult to write (especially memoir), and it can be difficult to hear feedback and know how to respond to it. However, honest feedback is necessary for any writer. I try to be compassionately honest about what I see on the page. I’ve written about a lot of traumas and know how difficult they are to maneuver through, and I’ve had to learn to edit places that hurt. This is why my feedback is given both through conversation and writing responses. I want to make sure I’m in line with my mentees’ intent and focus as well as emotional investment. My focus is on helping my mentee to carefully craft what needs to be said with precision and beauty.”
What was the most recent "standout" book you read?
“Stênio Gardel’s The Words That Remain. It’s a beautiful novel, and the language and story are poetic. As far as memoir, Obed Silva’s The Death of My Father the Pope is captivating, and I couldn’t put it down. In the Country of Women by Susan Straight held me with her mesmerizing prose and carful research into the women who appear on the page.”