Who are you?
Hello! I’m Kellan McDaniel (he/himme), a very queer science fiction and fantasy author who lives in Charm City, itself, Baltimore! I’m also a pet dad, human uncle, and tattoo enthusiast.
What do you write?
I write science fiction and fantasy for teens as Kellan McDaniel and adults as K.M. Szpara. Though there are multiple diaries and marble notebooks on the shelf in my office filled with fan fiction from my teens (long before AO3!), I started working on my first novel seriously while I was in graduate school. Used to negotiate with myself that if I wrote a thousand words on a research paper, I could also write a thousand words on my novel… which worked. Mostly.
I did not choose academia.
Instead, I chose imagined worlds and queer intimacy. I chose stories where people feel intensely, navigate impossible decisions, and live with the consequences. There aren’t words or themes I avoid; each has its time and place. When I find the wound, I push my thumb deeper into it.
Where do you write?
I used to be a coffee shop writer, but now it’s a home office for me! During 2020, when I first started working from home, I invested in a big computer monitor, nice keyboard and mouse, and a nice desk chair. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to be physically comfortable while writing, if possible. The sentences flow easier when I’m not constantly stretching my hands or readjusting my sitting position.
For the act itself, I have a desktop screen entirely devoted to whatever novel I’m working on presently with Scrivener for drafting and major revision, Word documents for developmental and copy editing, a playlist streaming, and a browser just for research–and definitely not for messing around for hours.
I’m anti-paper in my house. Controversial for a writer, I know. Instead, I’m a tablet fan. I absolutely love plotting with a stylus on a piece of digital paper that I can never lose, that takes up no space on my desk, and always looks pretty because I can easily erase and change colors. (Which is the most important, obviously.)
When do you write?
I write in the evening and on weekends, when I’m free. Deadlines can force me to set a rigorous schedule wherein I must write a certain number of words per day, but I really cherish being able to write when I want to—when I can’t not. When I’m playing a video game and my brain itches to get back to a character or scene. It’s a luxury I don’t always have, but it allows me to really experience the story in a healthy way. Days off are as important as days on.
Why do you write?
There’s something special about having an idea and making it real. Tending a spark until everything’s on fire. I write because I can’t let those sparks die. Because they light inside me and invite me to create and feel and get wild and be vulnerable. I invite my readers to experience that fire in my stories, with my characters—every iteration of a book is different because every reader is different. You, the reader, bring yourself and your own life and layers to it for a completely unique experience and I think that’s cool as hell.
How do you overcome writer's block?
If I’m on a tight deadline, I push through—or ask for an extension! The latter is almost always possible and is a healthy option. If I’m not, however, I let myself step away. Nothing makes me less productive than sitting and staring at an unfinished chapter. I will inevitably fall down a rabbit hole consisting of wikipedia, reddit, instagram, youtube videos…because my brain wants a break! It’s not ready yet! If I go off and relax—read a book, watch a movie from my queue, walk the dog, see a friend—my brain will wander back in time. The characters will creep to the forefront and knock with a, “Hello, have you considered this delicious tension?”
Well, character, now I have!
Bonus: What do you enjoy doing when not writing?
I absolutely love playing TTRPGs. If you meet me at a convention or signing, please ask me about my D&D character and tell me about yours! I love collaborative storytelling. (And, really, reading a novel is a sort of collaborative story experiencing.)
And when I’m not gaming, I’m contemplating my next tattoo, because I love my body-as-canvas. Whether for ink and jewelry or clothes and hormones.
My thanks to Kellan McDaniel for today's interview.