Marcia Argueta Mickelson writes stories that sit right at the fault lines—between generations, between cultures, between who we’re told to be and who we’re becoming. After recently reviewing her latest young adult novel, I was eager to invite her into my writing room to talk less about plot and more about process: how she stays creative when life is loud, the habits that ground (and derail) her writing days, and why immigration continues to shape the stories she feels compelled to tell. In this interview, Argueta Mickelson reflects on creativity, persistence, and the quiet, deeply human moments that make writing—and reading—worth it.
Q: How do you nurture your creativity when life get busy or overwhelming?
A: When life gets busy or overwhelming, I oftentimes don’t have the energy to write. However, I still want to nurture my creativity. Some things that I do are: go for a walk around my neighborhood or do housework that frees up my mind for introspection. I am also trying to teach myself to play piano. I took a few lessons years ago, but I am definitely a beginner. I have some beginning piano books that I use to teach myself a few songs. Practicing those same few songs over and over again helps nurture my creativity and helps me feel creative.
Q: What’s one writing habit you can’t live without and one you wish you could break?
A: Whenever I start writing, I always go back and reread from the start of that chapter where I left off. I have to know where my head was when I was last writing. This helps me get right back into the scene. I can’t just pick up without at least reading the last few pages I wrote.
I wish I could break the habit of writing with my phone at my side because I waste so much time scrolling when I should be writing.
Q: Do you find inspiration in other art forms (music, film, visual art)? If so, how does it shape your work?
A: Yes, I find inspiration in other art forms, especially when I am having writer’s block. If I’m having trouble focusing on writing, I try to listen to music or watch a movie. I hope that I get inspired by a line of dialogue or a lyric. I want to fall in love with a character–something that makes me want to create. I am also inspired by artwork. Seeing the genius of others makes me want to create something too.
Q: What themes do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
A: I keep finding myself returning to the theme of immigration. I am an immigrant, and I feel that immigrants have many different stories to tell. In Where I Belong, I told the story of immigrant Millie Vargas who was an A student and had a great desire to succeed. In my current manuscript, I tell a different story. The main character, Victoria, is the daughter of an immigrant, and she does not have the same drive which causes a rift between mother and daughter. I wanted to explore the vast differences between mother and daughter whose stories couldn’t be more different.
Q: What’s a quirky or unexpected detail about your writing space?
A: I don’t have an actual office with a door. It’s more of a loft space/bonus room upstairs in my house. I share the space with my son who is also a creative. We have side-by-side desks, but don’t often work at the same time because we have different schedules. What’s funny is that we have only one office chair that we share, so I roll it over to my desk when I’m working, and he rolls it over to his desk when he’s working.
Q: What’s the most rewarding feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
A: The most rewarding feedback I’ve ever received happened very recently. I received a comment on one of my videos on TikTok. It was from a student whose class is reading my book, Where I Belong. She said that her class is reading the book, and they are on chapter 4, but she was so invested and read ahead and was almost on chapter 8. This comment made me so happy and feels so rewarding.
Q: How do you define success as an author?
A: I think the first level of success is just finishing the book! There are other levels or steps in a successful journey as an author. Probably the second step is finding someone who believes in your work, whether that be a reader, an agent, or an editor. Believing in yourself is definitely the next step as well. Continuing the work despite the frustration, rejection, and disappointment is another step to a successful journey as an author.
Q: What is your favorite genre to read? Do you write in that genre? Has that always been your favorite genre, or has your taste evolved as you have grown as a writer?
A: My favorite genre to write in is young adult contemporary realistic fiction. I used to write women’s inspirational fiction, but I grew bored of that kind of fiction. I fell in love with young adult literature. It was almost all I read for many years. I’ve tried to expand past that genre to read other stories, but at heart, my favorite story to tell and read is young adult fiction in first person, present tense. I love the idea of being inside the character’s head in such a close way that I know immediately what they are feeling at that moment. There is something special about being at the cusp of a young person’s journey where they are making important choices about their future.
Q: If you could live in the world of one of your books for a day, which would it be and why?
A: I would love to live in the world of The Huaca. In this book, Gabriel de la Cruz has an ancient artifact known as a huaca, and it can connect people to loved ones who have passed away. Through the use of the huaca, people can enter hanan pacha or the upper world. I would love to be able to communicate with my grandparents and others who have passed away, even if it was just for a day.
Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: I’m very interested in working on more picture books. I have a picture book, called Double Enchiladas, that is coming out in February 2027. I have so many picture book ideas and am excited to keep working on more.
Author Bio
Marcia Argueta Mickelson was born in Guatemala and immigrated to the United States as an infant. She is the author of several young adult novels, including The Writing Room, The Weight of Everything, and Where I Belong, a Pura Belpré Young Adult Honor Book. She lives in Texas with her husband and three sons.
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Book Summary
When Jack Utley loses his daughter just as his business is about to soar, it seems he’s traded financial gain for Callie’s life. After an encounter with a mysterious woman on the eve of Callie’s funeral, Jack wakes up to find that time has somehow rewound to the morning of Callie’s accident. Jack gets an opportunity that most grieving parents can only dream of – he saves his daughter’s life.
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