Ask the Author: Larry J. Dunlap
Answered Questions (7)
Larry J. Dunlap
Hi Annette. Yes, I understand that Cheryl Strayed literally changed her name because of her remorse for all the happened after her after her mother's death. I'd say that's going pretty far, in a way even more than trying to hike the Pacific Coast Trail. I like the name you use, it would be an inspiring name to use as an author.
I use Larry J. Dunlap, basically adding my middle initial to the name I primarily go by. I can't say that I know why, maybe to add a little gravitas to what seems to be an inconsequential name. Since I was writing a memoir, it seemed like I had to use my real name, though, if I was going to write about people I knew/know. There are a number of things that happen to you as a writer once you decide to write memoir. I've been asked to write a post about that, and I intend to within the next few days.
On the other hand, my family name of Dunlap, even though I thought it was an awkward sounding word, is a good Irish name and basically means the 'bend in the river.' It wasn't until recently that I found that both sides of my family were relatively recent immigrants from the land of shamrocks and leprechauns. I never really liked my given name that much but I've grown accustomed to it. On the other hand, it doesn't provide much inspiration. Fortunately, with my background in documentation and technical specifications, my inspiration always had to come from the actual project itself. There are no such things as writer's blocks or not meeting a deadline in that world. I think that's why this last four years of writing Things We Lost in the Night, A Memoir of Love and Music in the 60s with Stark Naked and the Car Thieves one of the hardest challenges has been learning to write with my five senses instead of the literal sense of things.
It happens that today, this morning, just after the rain we experienced out here in the 909, I could smell the air, you know, the way you do just before, or just after a rain. As a documentarian, I knew it was ozone, of course. But as I thought of it as a writer, I tried to describe the tang of that smell to myself. Despite the fact that the only descriptive word I could come up with was 'flat' smelling, I realized that I'm an author now. My mind tries to describe things that can be written into words that my readers can be interpret with their senses.
I use Larry J. Dunlap, basically adding my middle initial to the name I primarily go by. I can't say that I know why, maybe to add a little gravitas to what seems to be an inconsequential name. Since I was writing a memoir, it seemed like I had to use my real name, though, if I was going to write about people I knew/know. There are a number of things that happen to you as a writer once you decide to write memoir. I've been asked to write a post about that, and I intend to within the next few days.
On the other hand, my family name of Dunlap, even though I thought it was an awkward sounding word, is a good Irish name and basically means the 'bend in the river.' It wasn't until recently that I found that both sides of my family were relatively recent immigrants from the land of shamrocks and leprechauns. I never really liked my given name that much but I've grown accustomed to it. On the other hand, it doesn't provide much inspiration. Fortunately, with my background in documentation and technical specifications, my inspiration always had to come from the actual project itself. There are no such things as writer's blocks or not meeting a deadline in that world. I think that's why this last four years of writing Things We Lost in the Night, A Memoir of Love and Music in the 60s with Stark Naked and the Car Thieves one of the hardest challenges has been learning to write with my five senses instead of the literal sense of things.
It happens that today, this morning, just after the rain we experienced out here in the 909, I could smell the air, you know, the way you do just before, or just after a rain. As a documentarian, I knew it was ozone, of course. But as I thought of it as a writer, I tried to describe the tang of that smell to myself. Despite the fact that the only descriptive word I could come up with was 'flat' smelling, I realized that I'm an author now. My mind tries to describe things that can be written into words that my readers can be interpret with their senses.
Larry J. Dunlap
When I was living through the six year experience in TWLitN, all of us knew we were involved in an incredible experience. When these six years ended, especially for me, the highs had been so high and the lows so low, I hardly knew what to think about them. But as all of us got older, I think we began to realize just how lucky we were to have had those years, and that we hadn't lost ourselves in the temptations and pitfalls so prevalent then. I think I always knew I'd write about those times if I got the chance to, but I had no idea it would become such a personal story. Even now, there are passages that are so emotional to me that I can barely read them. But if I don't invest that much into this story then I don't think I can ask readers to either.
Larry J. Dunlap
That's hard to answer. I've always had the yen to be writing my own books, and I read a lot, so ideas always seem to be available. My usual problem is deciding which of them to work on. When I began my memoir it was because I'd decided it was just an itch I needed to scratch before I got on to the other stories I wanted to write. It took over my life for several years, much longer than I expected, as it changed while I was writing it. However, I'm looking forward to picking one of several projects that I initially had in mind, and have come to mind, since.
Larry J. Dunlap
The first volume of TWLitN, NIGHT PEOPLE is about my first 3 years with my vocalist buddies as we try to become a rock and roll band in San Francisco, Hollywood, and Las Vegas in the Sixties. We find a certain amount of success and we seem on the verge of becoming nationally acclaiming recording artists and I breakup with my longtime girlfriend and companion. Though this book is written there are many, many details that demand my attention. However with the next few weeks I will be returning to the second book, which is essentially written but needs a lot of editing. This book, TWLitN, ENCHANTED takes the band to Hawaii during the most violent time of the Vietnam War where we play for our country's warriors either coming directly from or on their way to the treacherous jungles in Vietnam. It is an eye-opener. But I also meet a wonderful Hawaiian girl, face up with a sex-trafficking ring, risk near-death in high surf and come to understand the dangers behind the outrageous beauty of these islands. The band continues it's rise and Las Vegas beckons, we continue to record and I think I've found the kind of happiness that is out of a fairy tale. When all that changes in a heartbeat, I'm faced with trying to save the band and my personal life even as the music is ending for me.
Larry J. Dunlap
You can't just aspire to being a writer, you have to be one, even a bad one, if that's the necessary first step. Writer's write. If you're not writing, you're not a writer. Being a writer isn't always about putting words on paper, however. The best thing you can do as a new writer is to take a moment to design what you're writing. If it's a short story, work out who's who in the story and how they will change. If it's long form, like a novel, consider a summary of the beginning and ending chapters, and then try to outline what will happen in between by naming or numbering chapters. This will free you up to concentrate on the writing and not worrying so much about whether your characters are off the reservation. Consider yourself the director of your movie, know your script, and keep your actors in line. The thing about it, is that you can end up wasting a lot of time or even failing. Not good for a beginning writer.
Larry J. Dunlap
I've been a writer for many years, and I enjoy the process of pulling ideas and concepts out of the air and verbalizing them in fiction or non-fiction. Sometimes I've high-falutin' ideas that made no sense when I got them down on paper, and sometimes they've sprouted wings and flown. It's clarifying either way. I've had projects where I needed to manage and be responsible for other people. There's something simplifying in the process of being only responsible to yourself.
Larry J. Dunlap
I don't really suffer from writer's block. There are times when I'm not sure what to write, but that's usually solved by going back over where I'm expecting the story will go. It's usually some mechanical problem like when I'm not understanding a character's motivation or goal very clearly, or when the story is in danger of losing it's logic. This also could be from long years as a contract technical writer where there were deadlines to be met. And, I am a planner. I want to be sure of my beginning and ending, and the high points in between, so I'm not often caught unawares. While these can change, and usually do, there is always a foundational understanding of the story that keeps me on track.
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