Ask the Author: Doug Cooper
Answered Questions (6)
Doug Cooper
My novel OUTSIDE IN was inspired by the Thoreau quote "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." I looked around and said, "The desperation is not so quiet anymore." I wanted to depict a modern search for identity in which the lead character gets lost in a haze of excess and instant gratification and becomes the opposite to understand who he truly is.
Doug Cooper
The most enjoyable part of writing for me is when a person from a completely different background who I have never met reads my work and completely understands my intention and purpose in creating it and benefits in some way either entertainment, education, self-discovery, etc.
Doug Cooper
Faces inspire me to write. Being in a busy place with a diverse collection of people like an airport or grocery store gets my synapses firing. Their expressions, voices, and movements get me thinking about who they are, what they did before, and what they will do after and activates the storyteller in me.
Doug Cooper
My advice is something I continually remind myself: Writers write. It's easy to get caught up in all the other stuff that has to be done. The most important thing is to keep creating. The writing journey is a long one. To help manage frustrations, set your expectations that it is a three-book, five year adventure. This will help deal with the ups and downs after the first book is published and keep you productive.
Doug Cooper
I'm currently in Las Vegas working on a new novel called THE INVESTMENT CLUB about five broken people who meet at a blackjack table and discover the greatest return comes from contributing to others.
Doug Cooper
The two things I do to remedy writer's block are as follows:
1) Go For A Walk: The change of scenery, the visual stimulation, the movement, and fresh air can all dissolve the blockage and spark some creativity.
2) Freehand Journaling: Grab my journal and a favorite pen and just start writing whatever comes to mind. The objective is to just get words down on paper. Usually within a page some ideas crystalize.
1) Go For A Walk: The change of scenery, the visual stimulation, the movement, and fresh air can all dissolve the blockage and spark some creativity.
2) Freehand Journaling: Grab my journal and a favorite pen and just start writing whatever comes to mind. The objective is to just get words down on paper. Usually within a page some ideas crystalize.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more