Ask the Author: Dak Kopec
Answered Questions (6)
Dak Kopec
I'm lucky that I don't experience writer's block too often. If I did, I would just plan a road trip alone and let my thoughts wander. My biggest problem is time. As many of us know, writing rarely pays the bills, and creative writing is a beast because of the need for self-promotion. So, I need my full-time job, which takes me out of my creative zone. Additionally, my academic publications, which is a different writing style, require a different head space. So, my two most significant obstacles are a lack of time and the inability to stay focused on a creative project.
Dak Kopec
My life! While my fiction novel Broken Boys Beyond Friendships is loosely—and I do mean loosely—based on events in my life. However, the way the story came together and the dramatic license are all fictional.
Dak Kopec
Escape from reality. I'm an introvert, so writing for me allows me to hang out in my head--away from others. I enjoy thinking about what could have been and what might be. Writing allows me to delve into these ideas to imagine the results. I think this is fun—okay, I sound weird now.
Dak Kopec
Take your time! We often rush to get things out because we all know you need to be in the right place at the right time with the right story to be successful. But sometimes, going too quickly makes you miss the little things that make a book rich for the reader. I say trust in your life path and produce something excellent.
My second advice is to know yourself and admit your weaknesses. For example, I consider myself a great communicator but terrible at details such as grammar and punctuation. Because of this, I used two different copy editors for my novel. Own those weaknesses so that you can get help.
Third, make sure you love what you're writing because you will read it a million times. I have eight versions of Broken Boys Beyond Friendships, and I have read that novel hundreds of times, which is another reason to bring in good copy editors:-)
My second advice is to know yourself and admit your weaknesses. For example, I consider myself a great communicator but terrible at details such as grammar and punctuation. Because of this, I used two different copy editors for my novel. Own those weaknesses so that you can get help.
Third, make sure you love what you're writing because you will read it a million times. I have eight versions of Broken Boys Beyond Friendships, and I have read that novel hundreds of times, which is another reason to bring in good copy editors:-)
Dak Kopec
I'm working on two projects. One is a sequel to my novel Broken Boys Beyond Friendships. This second book will be set in the present and will demonstrate how Blake reclaimed his life and turned his experiences into something positive. The second project is another textbook that discusses the design of healthcare facilities. So yes, bouncing between fiction and academic writing is also a challenge. I sometimes think I must have multiple personalities (ha, ha, ha).
Dak Kopec
Driving. I drive to Las Vegas from Palm Springs--roughly a four-hour drive--monthly. I listen to the long hair '80s rock bands, and ideas and scenes pop into my head. I will say that administrative type work—you know what I mean—the kind where you have a list of tasks and check off what you've done is a killer for my inspiration. I'm unsure why admin work negatively affects my creativity, but it does.
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