Takeaways

Paul William Kruse tells queer love stories that are influenced by his Catholic roots and evolving experience of family.

His creative journey began with acting in theater and later transitioned to writing plays and films.

Paul explores themes of queer love, strange and odd experiences, and the things that are often dismissed as petty or spectacle.

Queerness informs Paul's creative life and practice, and he explores queerness in narrative and story outside of traditional forms.

His creative process involves starting with a moment of spectacle and using structure to shape the story, with a focus on revision and feedback. Knowing when a play is done is a challenge, and it often comes down to personal instincts and a feeling of certainty.

Trusted readers are important for getting feedback on a play, but it's crucial to find the right people who understand your vision and can provide valuable insights.

The revision process can be difficult, and it's important to find a balance between relying on others for feedback and trusting your own instincts.

Social media can impact creative work by fracturing attention spans and reducing capacity for deep work, but it's important to actively work on maintaining focus and deep writing processes.

Creative myths, such as the idea that artists have to be miserable or that writing every day is essential, should be challenged and reevaluated based on individual experiences and needs.

Creative practices can have a spiritual element, and they can shape how one listens, observes, and moves through the world.

Paul Cruz is working on a podcast about queer experiences of family, and he has upcoming projects that explore the lives of women he grew up with.

For more about Paul, check out his website.

For the books mentioned in this podcast, check out this link.

To get creative support (and to support this podcast) check out Patreon.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Paul William Kruse

02:07 Telling Queer Love Stories

09:05 From Acting to Writing

13:36 Exploring Queerness and Ephemera

16:08 Queerness as a Driving Force

27:42 Creative Process and Revision

28:07 Knowing When a Play is Done

30:41 The Revision Process and External Feedback

34:00 Trusted Readers and Feedback

37:15 The Impact of Social Media on Creative Work

39:08 Debunking Creative Myths

44:37 The Spiritual Element of Creative Practice

54:43 Upcoming Projects