A Conversation with Joseph Cruey on: The Story Behind the Story

Some stories don’t begin with inspiration. They begin with absence.

The feeling that something is missing and the decision to create it yourself.

Joseph Cruey, also known as Ink Fist Joe, writes dark, morally driven fiction and works closely with other writers as a freelance coach, helping them shape their own stories. His debut novel, The Wraith of Magdalena, marked the beginning of that path, but like many first books, it didn’t arrive fully formed.

In this conversation, he shares what it means to build a story over time, to return to imperfect work, and to recognize that sometimes, the story behind the story is one of persistence.

The Conversation

Where did this story begin for you?

For Dancing with Death, the entire concept started because at the time I couldn’t find a show or book that satisfied what I was craving with this theme. So I decided to write one myself - and this was the first time I ever sat down to write a novel.

The first draft was no good at all. I wrote it, read it, and went on writing other things, never intending on publishing it. Years later, I came back to it and read it again only to discover that it was horrible! But there was enough good to salvage.

So, Dancing with Death went through several rounds of rewrites, beta reading, more rewrites, then professional editing, more corrections, and is now ready to launch this July.

Is there a detail or layer in the story that readers might not immediately notice?

Yes. For Sam, the main character, he’s resistant to change. There are several very obvious indications of this - like the fact that he doesn’t want to move from Atlanta to Virginia.

But there’s another really subtle hint: he’s resistant to modern technology. It’s present day, but Sam is listening to an iPod with wired earbuds. He plays a Game Boy and a Nintendo 64. He only listens to older music.

Something about change makes him deeply uncomfortable.

Did the structure of the story change as you worked on it?

Absolutely. This story had to go through a round of what I call “stitching,” where I had to move entire sections to new places to make things flow better.

Originally, I wrote as I went. This story had no real outline. I knew a small handful of beats I wanted to hit and I roughly knew the ending. Now, it flows much better and builds anticipation and tension naturally.

Are there moments in the book that feel especially personal to you?

I think there are several parts in the book that fit this description. I don’t think I can share too much without spoilers, but I often find ways to incorporate real experiences or feelings into scenes of a book.

Sam makes it easy. He’s the kind of character that’s genuinely nice to most people and has a mostly positive outlook, while still having things to hold him back. In book one, he’s virtually fearless on the surface - which beta readers have actually really loved - but he’s not really.

He’s afraid of change, and I think we’ve all been there a time or two.

What does this book represent for you, beyond the story itself?

Beginnings.

It represents the beginning of my writing journey. Before Dancing with Death, I had only ever written scripts for plays or YouTube. A novel was more complex; it took a lot longer, countless hours - not counting all the rewrites and edits it’s been through.

A Closing Note

Some stories take shape quickly. Others have to be returned to, reworked, reconsidered, sometimes years later.

What stays is not the first version, but the decision to keep going.

If something in this conversation resonated with you, you’re invited to leave a comment below. Not everything needs to be fully formed to be worth sharing.

Stay Connected

If you’d like to read more conversations like this, consider becoming a member of Hidden Voices.

Or pass this piece along to someone who is still in the middle of their own unfinished draft.

Because sometimes, the beginning doesn’t look like one at all.