Who are you?
I’m Glenn R. Miller, author of Doorman Wanted. I live in Minneapolis, MN. Prior to writing novels full-time, I was a news producer, scriptwriter and director for corporate videos and global events.
What do you write?
I want to make people laugh, or, if not laugh – smile, guffaw, and chortle. That was the tone I aimed for with Doorman Wanted, which looks at wealth, inheritance, and misperceptions around status. We humans are quick to make assumptions about strangers on the street, e.g., overlooking or dismissing those who might be less fortunate than ourselves, or giving too much credit to those who we perceive to be wealthy. My hope is that, beyond simply being entertained, readers might reflect upon their own assumptions and attitudes. This is my first novel, so I am thrilled with the endorsements I have thus far received. I’m now writing a second novel which broadly explores censorship; more narrowly, it looks at censorship during the silent film era. It is intended to be a distant echo of the censorship we are currently experiencing in America. Whereas the humor in Doorman Wanted would fall within the “gentle” category, I sharpen the blade in the next book.
Where do you write?
My home office overlooks one of Minneapolis’s city lakes. Every day, from my desk, I observe canoers, beachgoers, walkers, bicyclists, parents pushing strollers, people chatting, and children playing. I recognize that many writers prefer a windowless room in order to avoid distractions such as this, but staring out on both nature and the ramblings of humanity invariably frees my mind for creative flights of fancy. I have worked out dialog, plot points, and character development over hours of simply staring out my window.
When do you write?
I engage in a lot of throat-clearing, so to speak, before I’m truly productive with my writing. I need large chunks of time throughout a “writing day” in order to actually have 1-2 productive writing hours. I think back often to a classic episode of The Dick van Dyke Show in which Rob is feeling despondent for not having the time to finish the novel he has been working on for years (“A Farewell to Writing,” season 5, episode 2). Laura encourages him to use a friend’s cabin to seclude himself and polish off the final chapters. Agreeing to do so, Rob, with portable typewriter in hand, journeys to the deep-woods cabin and settles in. At last, he will complete this novel he has been telling everybody about for years. But wait, first a paddleball record must be set; the table and chair combo is not conducive to good writing and must be rectified, shifted around, and, ultimately destroyed; the holster-and-gun set near the hearth must be tried on, etc. In the end, Rob goes home defeated, manuscript, yet again, unfinished. The point is, the creative process is often challenging, especially when surrounded by unending distractions. For myself, I need to eliminate all tempting diversions during my morning writing hours – shut off email, block texts, and avoid the temptation of Google research rabbit holes. Nonetheless, when all goes well, I tend to peter out in the mid-afternoon hours. I consider 5-6 hours to be my upper limit for productive writing.
I should also say that, prior to any writing session, I read for 1-2 hours, “listening” for the rhythms that authors I admire employ. I liken that activity to a jazz musician who, surrounded by other musicians, is listening for the tempos and patterns into which he can join.
Why do you write?
My entire life I’ve been an insatiable reader, so it seems only natural that, at some point, I would endeavor to not just consume, but produce. I believe that all human beings require some form of a creative means of expression. I was fortunate in my career to have that outlet on a daily basis, creating scripts, directing video shoots, and overseeing edit sessions. When I’m not involved in a writing project, manuscript, or novel, I am engaged in visual art projects, either charcoal or graphite drawings.
How do you overcome writer's block?
I feel blessed in never having experienced writer’s block. I suspect that comes out of my news production background. News producers are, on a daily basis, under severe time-writing deadlines; writer’s block is not an option in a newsroom. Due, I believe, to that training and professional experience, I have always been a relatively fast writer, comfortable with both blank screens and the necessity for very rough first drafts. First drafts might be absolute dreck or they might be a pearl, but in order to judge, that first draft needs to, at least, be completed. I am comfortable with the knowledge that the good work comes in the editing process.
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
Mastery of the German language has been an off-an-on, lifelong, elusive goal – some might call it a quixotic obsession. Beyond that, I play tennis, travel the world, and read voluminously.
My thanks to Glenn Miller for today's interview.