Introduction
Today I’ll be talking to David Metzger. David has worked as a pediatric oncology nurse at UCSF Children’s Hospital for twelve years now. The bravery, laughter, perseverance, and the many smiles of the children and their parents who he has worked with have inspired this project.
Nurse Papa is a prescriptive and heartwarming book written from the perspective of a pediatric oncology nurse who is also a father. The meditations within are directed at parents and all people who are looking to ask and answer some of life’s big questions. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will learn about yourself.
The podcast episodes are below and I reviewed Nurse Papa previously here.
In part 1 of this interview we’re going to be talking about finding balance in stories, how to keep creating when no one seems to notice or care, and his publishing experience, spoiler alert – it wasn’t great.
What I found interesting…
Even though he’s writing nonfiction, Metzger uses other perspectives to build more context in his book. In doing this, he’s getting angles he hadn’t thought of before. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, point of view and perspective are so important. Make sure you’re taking the time to think about the perspective you or your character has.
Misconceptions
One of the major misconceptions I had about his book was that it was going to be sad the entire time. It really wasn’t. In the interview, Metzger talks about how he structured the book to provide balance between the harsher aspects of the book with some of the lighter sections.
Nonfiction is notoriously difficult to publish. When I spoke to Amy Elizabeth Bishop (literary agent) in a previous interview, she confirmed how important platform is for nonfiction writers. Check out part 2 of my interview with her.
Metzger and I talk about what to do to build a platform and how difficult it can be.
Next time
In Part 2 of this interview, David and talk about how he managed to write a book while being a parent and a holding down a nursing career. And he talks about how he writes with limited time. Be sure to check that out next week!
Feeling present
During the interview, David says something that really made me think about my own priorities. As a parent of a young child, I’m guilty of feeling relieved when my daughter sleeps in late or decides to take a longer than normal nap. And if she takes a shorter nap or gets up early, I’m overwhelmed by the work that needs to get done. I’m constantly living for her bedtime because I know it means I’ll have time to get stuff done. But I think I need to work on realigning my priorities, being fully present in those moments. I mean, even before I had kids I’d often find myself out with friends or at dinner with my wife and thinking about my writing time, obsessing over it, wondering if I was doing the right thing of watching a movie with my wife. And thanks to this book, Nurse Papa, and this conversation with David, I’m going to try to adjust my mindset, be fully present when I have time with my daughter, even if it is 2 am and she’s refusing to sleep. So think about those moments that really matter to you, and I’m not talking about scrolling social media. I mean, maybe that’s therapeutic to you but honestly think about what connections you value in your life and ensure you’re fully present for them.
How to measure success
During the interview, we talked about how David measures success. I really love his answer and think about how you might measure your own success in whatever it is you’re pursuing. It’s an important aspect of writing to consider. With so much rejection and so many doors being closed on writers throughout their careers, it’s vital that you build a system for identifying and celebrating success. Try to make your goal line for success entirely under your control. And remember, writing is hard. Don’t beat yourself up!
Thanks so much for hanging out with Nurse Papa and I. As I’m sure you could tell, David and I really connected over our writing aspirations while parenting. If you have someone in your life who wants a writing career but feels too busy to get it done, please share this episode with that person so they know they’re not alone.
I’m going on a 1-2 week hiatus because I recently welcomed a new addition to my family and need some time to get back on track! Very fitting following an interview on fatherhood…
Next time, we’ll chat with accomplished copywriter Nicki Krawczyk of Filthy Rich Writer. She’s was so much fun to talk to and if you want a job where you wake up every day and write for good money, you’re going to want to make sure you listen in! Be sure to sign up for updates so you know when I’m back in action! See you next in a week or two!
