We were lucky to catch up with Mark Wallace Maguire recently and have shared our conversation below.

Mark Wallace, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?

I have a few heroes. The one trait they all share is overcoming obstacles, not giving up and adapting to their circumstances to achieve success. For example, one of my heroes is Michael Jordan. Jordan may seem like an easy answer due to his success, but the fact is without his drive and ability to add aspects to his game, he would be a great player. Instead, Jordan’s relentless persistence in practice and in the game, the ability to add new facets to his game at different parts of his career – the advent of his turnaround fade jumper for example – and his ability to adapt to the changing game and ways teams guarded him made him not a great player, but the greatest player ever. The same can be said for my other heroes, including Explorer Ernest Shackleton and Saxophonist John Coltrane. Both of them, in their respective positions, pushed the boundaries of what they could do and did not settle for living in ‘yesterday’s world and on yesterday’s laurels.’ These heroes have influenced me in persistence with my fiction writing. They have also made an impact in other aspects of my career. Instead of staying with what worked for me as 17 years as a print journalist, I adapted to the changing world and segued into a career in videography, digital communications and music production. When I watch someone like Jordan continue to refine his craft even after winning a title, it inspires me to continue to work hard and seek new ways to keep my creative game up.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

I’ve worked in creative communications for most of my professional career. I’ve tried a few other business disciplines but did not find fulfillment. I’ve been really fortunate to have an array of skills to pull from and refine throughout the years including writing, graphic design, brand storytelling, and videography. The main thing I’m proud of is my ability to adapt and to never stop learning. After a few years as working as a reporter back in the day, I added photography to my skill set. Afterward, I taught myself graphic design, then art direction, web design, fiction writing and live streaming. None of this was easy. Some skills came easier than others, but they are all the result of hard work and drive. I bring that to the table as an employee, contractor or teacher.. If I can’t do it, then I will learn it. If I can’t learn it, then I will find someone who can and hire them or learn from them. The bottom line is not to give up and continually strive for excellence.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

For creatives who are introverted, using social media and getting out of one’s shell to grow awareness can be tough. But, the bottom line is you have to meet people where they are in the culture and social media is a very verdant hub where people go to find information, be inspired, and connect. I had resisted the social media lure, but when my first novel was published in 2016, I realized I had to do it to be relevant and gain visibility. To grow my audience, I focused on what I would find interesting. For example, I post excerpts and quotes from my books, but I also post quotes by other authors and creatives that I find inspiring or interesting. Very few people want to know a creative’s opinion on breakfast, but if they share a quote by Maya Angelou, Frederick Buechner, or Susanna Clarke, you will most likely get more interaction and engagement. The point is to be deliberate and thoughtful. If you don’t find it interesting, your audience won’t either. I also started an idea called, “Books on the Go!” when my first novel was published. I take photos of my books in interesting places and have readers submit their photos as well. So far, my books have been photographed throughout Europe, Africa, and North America by readers. Taking interesting photos in intriguing contexts plays well on Instagram and Facebook. The best advice I have is to tell a story and make a connection. Don’t just sell your services. People generally find that boring and will keep scrolling. Have fun!

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think one of the biggest misconceptions non-creatives have about people in our industries is that we just wake up and do it. They do not understand the hours of refining one’s craft, learning, failing, re-learning, and studying that go into making it successful. For example, you trust a plumber, engineer or mechanic to work on a project because they have trained in that craft, have experience, and are professionals. The same adage is true of a creative. The issue I have is most people just see the tip of the iceberg i.e. the finished product and do not realize that it is the summation of an incredible amount of work. I do not think most creatives get the respect they deserve because you cannot literally see all the work that went into it. If you watch a house under construction, you can hear the nails being pounded, watch the bricks being stacked, the foundation being poured, sinks being installed, etc. However, if I show you a logo I’ve designed, I don’t bring along my Pantone color wheel, calendars with years of experience, serif vs. san serif debates, the 50 other designs I created and trashed or my research into industry trends. Being a successful creative is hard work and an honest trade. I think sometimes people in my industry get a bad rap as daydreamers or idlers, but it is usually the farthest from the truth.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.markwallacemaguire.com www.alexandriarising.com
• Instagram: markwallacemaguire
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.markwallacemaguire/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-wallace-maguire-1478117/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeiUjY42d4rP7jyIhnXvhGw