Mining Real Life for Story Gold With Debut Author Christine Ma-Kellams
This week on The Write It Scared Podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with debut author Christine Ma-Kellams—a Harvard-trained cultural psychologist, Pushcart-nominated writer, and now, published novelist with her book The Band.
We dug into a lot of juicy topics: perfectionism, social media, mental health, a fresh spin on what it means to “write what you know,” as well as how to keep going when the voice of doubt gets loud.
Christine's journey is an inspiration to all of us as she’s someone who has figured out how to trust herself in this chaotic writing journey.
Writing What Only You Can Write
Christine’s book centers on a canceled K-pop star and a Korean-American psychologist who cross paths in a local H-Mart.
It’s sharp, strange, culturally layered, and absolutely unafraid to explore contradictions—between logic and emotion, science and belief, visibility and vulnerability.
And here’s the thing: it’s a story she couldn’t not write.
It pulls from her background in psychology, her fascination with pop culture, and the messy intersections between identity, performance, and connection.
The result is a novel that feels specific, grounded, and totally original—because it’s hers.
There’s a powerful reminder in that for the rest of us: the best stories often come from that place where your interests, curiosities, and lived experience overlap.
The Myth of Perfection
One of the things I appreciated most about this conversation was how clear Christine is about not needing her work to be perfect.
She didn’t spend years workshopping and obsessing. Instead, she focused on writing a book that felt honest and alive.
She did her edits, sure, but she also gave herself permission to stop tweaking and start submitting and then move on to writing the next thing.
It’s easy to get stuck in the idea that everything has to be airtight before we send it out. But Christine is a great example of what can happen when you let go of that pressure and trust yourself.
So do your due diligence. Then, if the work feels strong and true to you, it’s enough. Send it. Move forward.
Story Fuel Is Everywhere
Christine also reminded me of the power of staying present and curious. A big part of her process is paying close attention to real life—to the conversations you overhear at the gym, the weird dynamics at the grocery store, the flash of emotion that hits you when you least expect it.
Those tiny, human moments? That’s the good stuff. It’s all fodder.
Writers sometimes get caught up thinking they need a “big idea” to start a novel. But more often than not, it’s the small, almost throwaway moments that spark something meaningful.
When you start mining your everyday life—really mining it—you realize you already have more material than you think.
When the Book Is Out and the Doubt Creeps In
There’s this strange, often unspoken part of the publishing process that kicks in after the book comes out.
You think you’ll feel proud or validated, but instead, the voice of self-doubt often gets louder. Was it any good? Do I actually suck? Will I ever write something that strong again?
Christine copes by throwing herself into another project.
That’s not about rushing or numbing out. It’s about momentum. About turning your energy toward something you can control when everything else feels uncertain.
It’s a practice I’m trying to hold onto, too: when the noise gets loud, return to the work.
Writing Advice That Stuck With Me
Here are a few of the takeaways I’ve been thinking about since we recorded:
You don’t need to be perfect to be publishable. Imperfection is what gives us authenticity.
You’re not out of ideas; you need to pull ideas from your orbit and mash them with things that already exist.
If a book disappoints you, study it. Learn what didn’t work.
Read as much as you write.
What’s Next for Christine
Christine’s next novel is already in the works, and if you’re curious, it involves a “tradwife” influencer on TikTok.
She’s also sharing behind-the-scenes writing content, travel snapshots, and process reflections on social media at @choppstixz
Her debut, The Band, is available now wherever books are sold.
Final Thoughts
This conversation reminded me how often we overcomplicate things. We chase the “right” way to write, market, or revise. We obsess over the rules, the algorithms, and the timelines.
But maybe we don’t need to. Maybe we just need to remain curious, trust what we notice, and focus on telling stories that mean something important to us and not worry about anyone else.
