Comments on: How We Spend Our Days: Dan Chaon

By: freshly pressed | catching days

freshly pressed | catching days — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 13:44:26 +0000

[…] series back in 2009, and a guest writer has written about one of his or her days (or in the case of Dan Chaon, his nights) on the first of each month since then. 49 writers so far. If you’d like to read […]

By: cynthia

cynthia — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 02:10:09 +0000

In reply to Sarah Laurence.

I’m definitely at my worst in the morning, Sarah. And about books, I’m getting ruthless–just read one book to page 100 and abandoned it, read 20 pages of the next one, then 10 pages of #3. But #4 is a winner–The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers.

By: Sarah Laurence

Sarah Laurence — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:55:35 +0000

I enjoyed Dan’s candor and humor. I’m not at my best in the morning either. You have to like a guy who names his dog Ray Bradbury and trains him to sleep in. Good advice on not finishing every book you start.

By: cynthia

cynthia — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:44:59 +0000

Hey June, I am also militantly anti-morning : ) Darrelyn, hope your husband enjoyed the post. Richard, I suggest starting with Await Your Reply–terrific narrative drive. Jodi, I think I was sitting next to you while Dan was talking. Dave, Dan’s writing advice validated my recent decision to jettison books that didn’t totally captivate me without finishing them. Susanna, great to hear from you! I’m also behind in visiting my favorite blogs. Thanks to all of you for reading and commenting!

By: susanna

susanna — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:06:56 +0000

Hello Cynthia. Longtime no write. Feel like I’ve not commented here for far too long. Been blown up and away by all manner of things. great to stop by and read this post. Dan you made me smile. I loved your description of a writer as needing to be spontaneous, wild and then also an artisan, oh yes, yes, yes, yes, I am with you!
All best
Susanna

By: davemalone

davemalone — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:30:34 +0000

This was really great. I want to have a pint with Dan, no doubt. (And on his schedule.)

I like how he operates so differently than I do as a writer! This was a fantastic line: “But I’m also strangely glad that I have found a way to live in an alternate universe. I’ll touch down in the real world with my classes and my students, at the supermarket…”

And I loved his advice that folks read in many different genres. Good one.

By: Jodi Paloni

Jodi Paloni — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:45:41 +0000

Dan, I loved hearing you in College Hall at VCFA and subsequently enjoyed reading ‘Await Your Reply’ and a sampling of your short stories. I could hear your voice in this post. I appreciate the enthusiasm for not waking early and the permission to drop a book unread. And that you named your dog after a famous writer. My dog is named after Huck Finn. Boy, what a mistake that was, the little mischief maker.

By: Richard Gilbert

Richard Gilbert — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:56:37 +0000

Strangely charming, because honest. This makes me want to become more familiar with Dan’s work, because he’s up to something, deep in the night.

By: Darrelyn Saloom

Darrelyn Saloom — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 21:38:42 +0000

I thought my husband hated morning more than anyone. And he’s a horseman, a farmer. I often feed his colts and fillys and mares in the wee hours so he can spend time with his mistress: sleep. But I’m happy to do it. He’s a good man. And I plan to read Dan’s piece aloud to my nocturnal beloved this evening when he’s fully awake.

By: junebug65

junebug65 — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 15:20:56 +0000

Dan Chaon is one of my absolute favorite authors. He’s brilliant. I didn’t know about “Stay Awake;” I’ll be looking into that!

“Militantly anti-morning…” Love it.

I’ve come to realize that writers are fascinated withother writers, especially about our work habits. Maybe it’s because we work in isolation. Regardless, most of us spend our time very differently from the rest of the world. People don’t get it, but I don’t care.

Thanks to you and to Dan Chaon. Great interview.