Blue-Collar Ethics Make a Book Happen
Melinda Palacio -- September 6, 2008
When it comes to writing, David Starkey is the jack of all genres. He's published over 400 poems, written a text-book, a how-to poetry manual, essays, short stories, plays, and his latest work, a memoir. His ability to zero in on a project, focus, and get the job done stems from his blue-collar upbringing. Starkey is one of those rare writers who can multi-task, keep his family happy, and finish his book projects.
A sense of maturity has drawn the prolific poet and author to veer towards book-length projects. Before moving to Santa Barbara, the young professor, 46, had reached tenure in Illinois. His move to the Central Coast freed up his time for more creative projects. Starkey isn't thrown off by the barrel of rejections he's received over the course of the past 22 years of his writing career. He doesn't even keep the slips or letters. "I've never been one to paper my wall with rejections, he said. "I just throw them away and I get back into the game." The determined author has known he's wanted to write since he was in junior high school. He went to college knowing exactly what he wanted to be in life, a writer. The Louisiana native says his love for reading is very much a part of his strength as a teacher and writer. He especially admires fine writing by writers such as Cormac Mccarthy, who for Starkey sets a high bar, " I'm always inspired by good writers. I'd rather say, this is what I'm supposed to be doing, than say I'll never be that great."
With his strong work ethic and ability to complete a book in little over a year, it's surprising that agents and publishers aren't knocking down Starkey's door. He attributes this muddle to the quirkiness of his writing style. "My writing falls into a gap," he said. "It's not clearly commercial and not experimental. My wife (Sandy) is always on me to write a best seller, but I don't think I have that," says the hard-working writer and poet who's happy with his modest success and who prides himself on helping other writers and artists succeed.
Starkey's role as the host of Santa Barbara's Creative Community television show allows him to promote the work of other writers and artists, including the editors of Ink Byte.
As a TV show host, a professor, a director of a two-year writing certificate program at Santa Barbara's City College, a musician, a poet, a writer, a husband, and father of four children, ages 7-23, it's a wonder the expert multi-tasker can actually see his projects to fruition. He works on projects in bits and pieces and then when a deadline approaches, he puts all of his energy into finishing the due project. Most people who have a day-job and a family work on their writing in the same manner as Starkey, but few dedicate their spare time to their writing. For Starkey, the writing comes first and everything else follows. He works with the numerous interruptions, sometimes only getting in one solid hour of writing before life and other work interrupt. Thanks to the strong work ethnic that his Louisiana oil field worker granddad instilled in him, Starkey follows through with each project and finishes what he has started.