An Interview with Daniel Micko: Author of An Eighth Grade Gay-Straight Alliance

Daniel Micko, a literary alchemist, transforms life’s quirks and societal complexities into captivating narratives. His books are like fine wine – best enjoyed with contemplation, occasional chuckles, and a touch of mystery. Join him on this journey of words and wonder.

Tell us about your book.

An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance allowed me to step outside my comfort zone. I challenged myself with characters whom I didn’t know and had to look up details to understand. Currently, it’s my most popular book and it gets a lot of acclaim. In writing this book, I learned how injustice can hold your emotions hostage.

Why did you want to write a book?

I planned to get to 9 books before I write a sequel to my first book, The Moonshine Wars. I’m about to publish my seventh. An Eighth Grade Gay Straight Alliance is my fourth.

Why did you choose to self-publish?

Rejection and an experience with vanity publishing that left me wanting more. In 2016, I decided to read up on publishing, writing, and entrepreneurship. My first book lit a fire in me to go through the process again and again until it becomes second nature. It’s how I learn anything. I’ve gained more confidence as I’ve progressed.

What tools or companies did you use, and what experience did you have?

Amazon of course but I learned I had to get an editor and cover artist. I first used Fiver which was good but it wasn’t enough for me. Then I read a book which showed me 99Designs and eBook Launch. Those are good ones!

Would you self-publish again?

I plan to self publish more. It seems like it suits me.

What do you think are the main pitfalls for indie writers?

Skimping on editing and cover design. You can write a book in 30 days. All you need is a rough draft. If you get enough editing done then you’ll have something really special.

What tips can you give other authors looking to self-publish?

Learn and watch videos. Apply what you’ve learned and go from there. Develop your preferences and your confidence will come. Be consistent and honest with yourself about the end goal. People give up in six months or less. Make time for this and it will grow.

What was your steepest learning curve during the publishing process?

Critiques will bring it home for you. There’s nothing like an honest word to remind you what to improve upon. Developing thick skin is essential. Also, social media requires some trial and error. Once you can develop a marketing plan you can begin to engage with your audience.

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

When I know what book I’m going to write hopefully I’ve been taking notes. I use the first 30 days to cultivate those notes and organize my thoughts. The next 30 days is writing a rough draft. After that, it’s all downhill.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

I get ideas frequently and I make sure I write them down somewhere. Mostly in my phone. If I get enough ideas together then writer’s block is mitigated. You can’t have writer’s block if you have a character description and a plot outline. Be logical and get your rough draft done.
Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

To be honest, I went on Publisher Rocket and researched keywords. I found “middle grade LGBTQ” and typed that into Google. “Gay Straight Alliance” came up and I fell into an internet rabbit hole. It really got my mind going and I looked up YouTube videos and documentaries as I was working on character descriptions.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

I like screenwriters and movies so Aaron Sorkin or Woody Allen or Quentin Tarantino are my inspirations. I feel like when I was coming up, books influenced movies but now I think movies are influencing books. I describe the images in my mind first, then I think about good sentences.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

My wife and kids are a big inspiration. We’ve got a lot of artists in our family. I’m surrounded by ideas and ingenuity. They encourage me so I keep writing. I love them. I got married recently and I’ve learned that encouraging words go far. Support is more valuable than sarcasm.

Why did you write about this particular subject?

I’m drawn to marginalized people. My motto is to promote diversity and explore exclusion. It takes me to some happy places and not so happy places but it’s all very compelling for me. I like learning about people who could be out in the world. I create the people I’d like to meet.

Your books often tackle pressing issues related to social justice. How do you balance delivering a powerful message with the art of storytelling?

Balancing storytelling and social justice messaging is indeed a delicate art. I firmly believe that stories have the power to inspire change when they engage the reader emotionally. Rather than being didactic, I aim to immerse readers in the lives and dilemmas of my characters. This emotional connection enables me to convey nuanced messages organically, encouraging readers to reflect on the themes and issues long after they’ve finished reading.

My approach is to let the narrative guide the message, allowing readers to arrive at their own conclusions while prompting critical thinking and discussion. It’s about respecting the intelligence of my audience and trusting them to be active participants in the dialogue I seek to create.

If your characters threw a wild party, who would be the life of the party, and who would be the one stuck with cleanup duty the next day?

If all my characters were in the same party then I think there would be a fight and Travis Malaka (Tears From the Dark Onion) would be left to clean it up. I think the life of the party would be the Mexican Cartel guys or maybe Jordan. But there would definitely be a fight. 🙂

If your characters were in a sitcom, who’d be the witty comic relief, the lovable klutz, and the hopeless romantic?

The witty one would Dr. Jordan Roberts. That’s easy. The klutz would be Sydney but she’d get really upset and lash out. The romantic? Well, that’s gonna be tough. I think Price, Sonny, or Ezmerelda but maybe it’s Big T or Little T. They all do some weird things for love.

What are your plans now your book is published?

I’ve got more coming and I’m incorporating social media advertising to get the word out. Hopefully, I can find a way to build writing into something special. I’m interested to see what happens.

What did you learn on your journey as an author?

Hard work and persistence pay off. It’s a marathon to be an author. It’s a muscle and if you make the muscle as strong as it can be then the marathon isn’t so hard. You might not even sweat while running.

What’s next for you as an author?

I have a book about my father coming up. I should have it out by January.