“For me, the process of writing a novel happens mostly in your head before you actually start writing.” WritingHappensProcessNovel Author:Dan Chaon
“Identity issues are hardwired into the way I think about character - it's almost as if I can't get away from them even if I want to.” IfsThinkingWayWantI CanCharacterIssuesIdentityGet Away Author:Dan Chaon
“I knew I wanted to play around with genre-esque imagery, and the identity theft stuff came in the middle, when I was figuring out how the characters were connected to those images.” PlayCharacterWantedStuffMiddleIdentityConnectedGenreImageryTheftIdentity Theft Author:Dan Chaon
“I was worried that, as a college teacher, if I wrote too much about intergenerational sex my students would be creeped out.” IfsWould BeSexToo MuchTeacherStudentsCollegeWorried Author:Dan Chaon
“When I was younger I was attracted to people who had that kind of artifice - people who were incredibly polished and had a complex persona that always seemed to be turned on. I was really interested in these kinds of people because I felt so unformed.” PeopleKindFeltComplexesPersonaPolishedArtifice Author:Dan Chaon
“Writing about women's sexuality is very scary for me because I'm always afraid I'll get it wrong.” WritingScarySexuality Author:Dan Chaon
“The kind of person I find myself interested in is a cross between being very emotionally complex and very immature. That's what I felt I was like when I was younger.” KindPersonsFeltCrossesComplexesImmature Author:Dan Chaon
“I'd read an enormous amount but had spent so much time in my own head that I didn't have extensive social skills. Suddenly I was in this world where I was surrounded by these incredibly polished and wealthy kids who had gone to prep schools, and I felt daunted by them. I don't think people were aware of how full of anxiety I was... For a long time I felt like I was living in a place where I shouldn't have been.” PeopleThinkingWorldLongHas BeensKidsSchoolSocialFeltMy OwnGoneThis WorldAmountSkillsAnxietyLong TimeEnormousWealthyPolishedPrepsSocial Skills Author:Dan Chaon
