Ask the Author: Zack Kopp
Answered Questions (9)
Zack Kopp
After finishing Happiness, I knew I had to keep writing about my life. I moved into a new apartment near the DU campus soon after which my mom took ill and I started using text-to-image art generators as oracles in place of a spiritual advisor who dumped me as a follower for falling in love with her. My years as punk rock poet Henry Alarmclock were all over and only a few old friends remained. My friend Levin, who helped me box all my mom's books when she got sick and had plans of opening an online bookstore with me. My friend Tewodros Magness, who seemed like he might never die after years of diabetes and kidney failure. My new friend "A.I. Metaphysician" Ray C. Buck who seemed to point at a possible future of virtual enlightenment. But which came first, the algorithm or whatever law created this Uneasy World?
Zack Kopp
Don't try. That's a Charles Bukowski quote and I'm not sure what he meant when he said it but turn that quote over and make something for yourself out of it. Another good one is "SOLZIMER!"
Zack Kopp
Looking for patterns as a writer led me to spontaneous writing which led me to instances of synchronicity in my life (back to looking for patterns) which led me to plotting which led me to intuition which led me back to spontaneous writing which led me to subconscious fiction which led to channeling and now I'm onto screenplays. Give it a shot.
Zack Kopp
For most people and maybe everyone, inspiration takes faith in something. I don't mean this in a religious way, but is there a difference? I'm not sure. Go find your saint.
Zack Kopp
Tonight I finished a sequel to Happiness called Uneasy World about the metaphysical implications of A.I. and reincarnation and death as relates to my intermediatist (Cf. Charles Fort) energetic construct, spiced with more fantastic biography (with different names) of extreme relevance. This mortal comedy is an acknowledgement of death by the living in tribute to my late mother, and will either be published or self-published shortly. For long stretches during the writing of this one, I wasn't sure where things were going, and knew it wasn't finished. Uneasy World has now formed naturally into its best final shape, and I feel sure my mom would be proud.
Zack Kopp
To enhance your own enjoyment of creating a first draft of anything, don't try. Start by imagining characters and let your plot grow naturally out of the details.
Zack Kopp
Years ago I found out about a book called Diary of a Mad Old Man by Junichiro Tanazaki, and I just ordered a copy of that one along with the Memoirs of Billy Shears encoded or given form by Thomas Uharriet with permission of Paul McCartney's imposter since 1966, William Shepherd or Billy Shears, allegedly, as part of a hoax on the public by Britain's Tavistock Institute, allegedly. My first two summer picks will get here in about a week. I also ordered a copy of Norm MacDonald's fake memoir, Based on a True Story, and From Acid to the Body of Christ by Daxx Danzig and Philip K. Dick's The Unteleported Man. Also Torgoff's Bop Apocalypse.
Zack Kopp
A good one I got lost in recently was Harmless Poisons, Blameless Sins by Mohammed Mrabet. That's set in Morocco and might have been pseudo-autobiographical or adapted from folklore so maybe it's not proper fiction, but that's splitting hairs. Mrabet was a Tangiers native promoted by Paul Bowles as a master storyteller. He's still alive, revered as a master painter, which I never knew until five minutes ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed...
Zack Kopp
Thanks a lot. I think so, but it didn't always. Most things are pretty funny in retrospect and I've got good hindsight. That's part of it anyway. And making your protagonist the butt of the humor while still the hero of events is a trick I picked up from John Fante, who's great.
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