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Quote by Dan Chaon

“That's how I work, whether with stories or novels - they start with an image that comes to me in a daydream, and a lot of times I'm walking around with these pictures in my head for awhile before I start writing.”

Quote by Dan Chaon

Author

Dan Chaon is an American writer known for his unique narrative techniques and profound psychological descriptions. His works often explore themes of family, memory, and identity, and are highly appreciated by readers. more

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“I keep a daily journal of whatever weird thought comes into my mind, like when I had a dream I was in North Dakota in the middle of a blizzard and for some reason the Egyptian pyramids were there, too - that I was able to shuffle into the book.”

Mind Book Reason Dream Able Middle Journal Pyramids Egyptian I Had A Dream Dakota Shuffle Blizzard North Dakota Egyptian Pyramids

Author:Dan Chaon

“I start with an image, then I go from the image toward exploring the situation. Then I write a scene, and from the scene I find the character, from the character I find the larger plot. It's like deductive reasoning - I start with the smaller stuff and work backward.”

Writing Character Stuff Situation Scene Reasoning Plot Exploring

Author:Dan Chaon

“The danger in writing about a world you don't know very well is that you can get lost in it, and sometimes I'll end up with a hundred pages I don't know what to do with.”

Knows World Writing Wells Ends Sometimes Lost Danger Pages Hundred

Author:Dan Chaon

“I always worry that knowing too much about a novel or a story early on in writing will close it down - it feels fatalistic in some way.”

Way Feels Writing Stories Worry Novel Knowing Too Much Knowing Too Much

Author:Dan Chaon

“My main reader was my wife Sheila, and I haven't written a lot since she died.”

Wife Written Havens Reader Died My Wife Sheila

Author:Dan Chaon

“For me, the process of writing a novel happens mostly in your head before you actually start writing.”

Writing Happens Process Novel

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.”

Ifs Thinking Way Want I Can Character Issues Identity Get 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.”

Play Character Wanted Stuff Middle Identity Connected Genre Imagery Theft Identity Theft

Author:Dan Chaon

“Plot was always secondary in my mind.”

Author:Dan Chaon

“One of the things I rarely do is write about sex.”

Author:Dan Chaon