Remember a few months ago when IWU shared the news that he’d completed his YA dytopian series — the Derrick King Series, comprised of eight books? Meet the author!
(PS: he has a standalone novel, the Witch of November, out as well; it’s a thriller, with a touch of mystery and a touch of sci-fi.)
Find them in paperback at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Ebooks and audiobooks can be found at Amazon.
Do you have a writing routine? Where and when do you write?
I say no, but my wife would say that I write every day. That’s not true; yet, she has a point. I write most days when I’m working on a first draft.
Before we were married, I wrote my first novel mostly in coffee shops before work. I guess that counts as a routine. However, the past eight years I write in what I think of as a studio rather than an office. I typically get started midmorning and go until happy hour, er, I mean 4 o’clock. I suppose you could say that coffee and beer are my bookends.
Do you have any patterns or rituals associated with your writing time?
I don’t consider this a ritual. I write the entire first draft before I start editing. I read and listen to the draft several times before it goes to my first readers, who provide feedback, flag errors, and ask questions. Once I’ve sent the book to those first readers, I’ll start on the next book.
What do you do when you hit a wall with your writing?
I have not had that experience other than perhaps between stories. It took five years to write The Derrick King Series. During that time, I didn’t have to think about the next story, thus no block. With the series completed, I’m not actively writing at the moment. I’ve been working on promoting my books, so I don’t feel like I’ve hit a wall, I’m just doing something different. I have a rough draft that I started before the Derrick King Series, and it is about 40% complete. That will likely be my next book; although, I have another idea pestering me a little.
Do you plan your book in advance (plotting and outlining) or are you a “discovery writer” (AKA “writing into the dark”)? Or are you somewhere in between?
I do not plot or write an outline, so I guess I’m “writing into the dark.” I start with a “what if” and go from there. I have a general idea of the direction of the story, but the characters often take me down paths unplanned. I think that is another reason I don’t get stuck. For example, if I know Sally and Bob need to go from Point A to Point B in the next scene, I start them out the door and let them take it from there.
What’s the last book you read that made you go “wow!”?
I don’t think I’ve had a “wow” moment for a while, which is unfortunate. Recently, I read Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, a novel, and enjoyed the voice, the characters, and the story.
I know this violates the ‘writer rules’, but I took a break from reading midway through The Derrick King Series. While I had a general idea of how the story would progress; specifically, that Derrick had to go from Point A to Point Z. However, I didn’t know how he would make that happen. I worried I might read a great idea and then it would creep into my writing instead of letting the characters work it out.
What book or author do you find yourself recommending and why?
For an overall body of work, Michael Crichton because of his research, details, and range.
What’s on your To Be Read pile?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a pile, but I’m searching. I’ve read all of my favorite authors, some have died, others seem to have hired ghost writers. Unfortunately, some of my “wow” experiences lately were not because the book was good.
What advice do you have for readers?
You mean besides, “Read my books?” Just joking. Well, mostly joking.
I would say, don’t be afraid to try something new. Don’t be afraid to give up on a book that’s not working for you. I usually read about 100 pages before making that decision, or about 30% if it’s an eBook. I assume anyone reading this already reads a great deal, but if you’re not reading as much as you’d like or, heaven forbid, not at all, set a goal for yourself.
What author, past or present, would you wish to have a long conversation with? Why?
Michael Crichton. Several things intrigued me about Crichton. He wrote a broad range of topics, from The Great Train Robbery, set in the mid-1800s to Jurassic Park. Also, I admire his attention to detail and research. How his books seemed like far-fetched fictional ideas when published but turned out to be widely accepted science a few years later.
Hollywood made him famous, yet in an interview during his heyday, he called Hollywood people “idiots”. While I’m under no illusion that I could stay on pace with his intellect, I think he would be interesting. He’d probably call me something unflattering as well too, but perhaps I could learn something.
Do you have early memories of reading or writing you’d like to share?
I had been working on my first novel for a while. I had been reading books on writing, but mostly grammar, punctuation etc. I didn’t come from the same background as many writers. I didn’t have a degree in English or writing. Originally, my writing was heavily influenced by who I was reading at the time. More accurately stated, I was striving to emulate my favorite authors.
There was a writer’s conference in town, so I took time off work and attended. I learned a great deal and decided to join a critique group. When I finished my first draft, I asked the group if they would look at it and they agreed. I’m certain they regretted making that commitment when I carried in two thick spiral-bound books for each of them. Granted it was double-spaced and single-sided, but it was still huge.
They told me it was too long and needed a lot of work. I was hoping they’d say it was great. Did I mention I had a lot to learn?
I reduced it by fifty percent. I got me and my mob of famous writers out of the way and let the characters tell the story.
What books and/or authors have most influenced you as an author?
All of the fiction and non-fiction books I have read have influenced me. Some inspire me, some make me want to avoid the pitfalls that cause me to stop reading.
Like I said, my original draft of The Witch of November was me trying to mimic whoever I was reading at the time. It was not my voice; it was a mishmash of poorly written imitations. That sort of influence wasn’t working. Don’t try to be someone else. There’s only one you.
Reading other authors is vital but strive to find your own voice.
What do you most enjoy about being a writer? What do least enjoy about being a writer?
Cliché, but I enjoy the creative part. Then the editing starts, which feels more like work. Editing does have its moments though. I enjoy wordsmithing and polishing sentences.
People reading and enjoying my books is the best part. A reader wrote to me the other day and said she felt like she knew the characters personally and they had become her friends. I strive to develop the characters and hearing that meant a lot to me.
My least favorite part is marketing. I don’t like self-promotion. Although, I have done a couple of author events and find talking to readers enjoyable.
What would you tell a new writer?
An excellent question to which I’m ill-equipped to provide a great answer. A friend sent this to me: Give someone a book, and they’ll read for a day. Teach someone to author a book—and they’ll spend a lifetime mired in paralyzing self-doubt.
I chuckled, but he wasn’t wrong. I suspect most writers can relate. Don’t let the self-doubt stop you. Don’t buy into “writer’s block.” Just write. Start the scene and go. You might end up deleting it the next day, but that’s still better than staring a blank screen all day.
I spent the last few years of my career doing technical writing. I don’t write nonfiction now. Non-fiction requires a different approach. Here are few things that helped me. Consider your audience. Perhaps you are writing to people who already have a good deal of knowledge or maybe they know little about the topic. In my case it was important to write like I was explaining the topic to someone new. They had to understand part one before they could understand part two. Leaving parts out or getting out of sequence could cause confusion and errors.
Keep your writing clean and uncluttered. Use accurate words. Use consistent language. This is not where one should pull out their thesaurus and try to dazzle people with their vocabulary. Write at the appropriate grade level. I once read that sixth grade is a good target. It won’t be written above most people’s heads and highly educated people won’t feel insulted.
Even though it’s nonfiction, try to keep it interesting. Write in first person whenever possible. Avoid large densely written pages. Try to get some white space on the page. Read books on nonfiction and technical writing.
Much of what I just said applies to fiction as well. I believe technical writing helped me write fiction. Perhaps the most important thing is to learn the craft and never stop improving your skills. Go to workshops. Consider joining a critique group. Don’t be afraid to leave a critique group. I mentioned the group that helped me. I learned a lot. However, I also recognized when I needed to leave and focus on my writing.
I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop based on The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers & Screenwriters by Christopher Vogler. I read the book following the workshop and I think it’s essential for learning the elements of a story or myth. I also, read, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King. Take a look at Natalie Goldberg’s numerous books on writing. Search out your own books on writing.
The most important thing is this: stop thinking about it, stop talking about it and write.
Find Daniel L. Copeland online
- On his website, daniellcopeland.com
- On Facebook
- On YouTube — which also includes videos of motorcycle travel with his wife, author Liz Barbie (writing as Libbie K)
