Best-selling author Dan Chaon admitted he gets nervous when speaking in front of people, but no one could tell from the large audience made up of students, faculty and Mount Pleasant residents who filled the seats of the Charles V. Park Library auditorium Thursday evening.

Chaon kicked off his reading in a way unlike anything he, or many other authors, have ever done. Instead of reading material already published, Chaon decided to give those in attendance a treat of some of his works-in-progress.

Chaon read an excerpt from six of the different stories he’s working on and told the audience to offer suggestions or criticisms.

His ability to maneuver between the humorous and sinister is one of many features that distinguishes his work. The first excerpt Chaon read aloud was from a story called “Power Out: A Shape in the Yard:"

“It’s three in the morning, and I’m talking to my brother’s psychiatrist. ‘If he should try to contact you,’ the lady says, ‘you have to understand that he’s dangerous to himself and to others. I want to give you a number that you can call if you hear from him. This is extraordinarily serious,’ she says. ‘Do you have a pencil or pen?’ she says. My brother is sitting on the couch as I’m talking to her, and I’m watching as he takes off his shoes and socks. He begins to chew on his toenail. ‘Who is that?’ she says. ‘Nobody,’ I say.”

After his reading, Chaon answered questions from the audience and spoke about his writing process.

“I have an agreement with myself that I write 400 words a day, and, a lot of times, it’s just 400 random words,” Chaon said. “… I start all kinds of parts of stories and eventually, hopefully, something turns into a real story."

This was great advice for graduate student Erin Lewis, who attended the event to enjoy hearing Chaon's work aloud and to also hear about his writing process.

“... I’ve been trying to figure out how to incorporate writing (into my life) everyday,” Lewis said. “I haven’t found a good way to do it. I’ve been trying to do one story a day, but 400 words is a lot more reasonable.”

Sponsored by the English Department and the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences Visiting Writers Series, Assistant Professor of English Robert Fanning said this was a great reading for students to witness.

“I’ve been talking to students after the reading, and they're unanimous that they love the reading,” Fanning said. “They all really learned a lot as writers and he’s a very big name in the fiction world, so it’s a terrific opportunity to see a writer that’s big in his field but very down to earth, humble and friendly.”

Although Chaon is an award-winning writer, he said he feels as though he didn’t do anything different from those who aren’t national bestsellers.

“I just think I got lucky,” Chaon said. “I think luck has a lot to do with it and being at the right place at the right time, meeting the right people.”

Assistant Professor of English Jeffrey Bean, who had Chaon as a professor when attending Oberlin College for his undergraduate studies, said it’s a rare opportunity when someone can be in Chaon’s position.

“He’s a best-selling author, but also the critics love him,” Bean said. “Academics love him … that’s a very rare combination. It’s usually one way or the other.”

When it comes to critics, Chaon is able to avoid allowing bad reviews or negative criticism affect him.

“I don’t think it does me any good because it’s not really any of my business either,” Chaon said. “I mean, people have opinions, and I just have to keep doing what I’m doing.”

Graduate student and Office of Information Technology Communications Manager Kole Taylor is familiar with some of Chaon's work.

“I read some of his stories in previous classes like 'Among the Missing' last year and really, really liked it,” Taylor said. “And, from what I heard of his method and how he writes, that’s something I’m a big fan of. So, I thought it would be great to come out and see him, and also he’s a professor of one of my favorite professors so I thought, 'He’s got to be good.'”

Chaon said he takes inspiration when writing from things as simple as reading the newspaper.

“Most of my stories are based on reading the Cleveland Plain Dealer,” Chaon said. “The city section, the local news, because it’s so full of just horrible behavior on everyone’s part.”

Chaon said the best advice he can give any writer or someone who frequently deals with writer’s block is to simply read.

“Read everything; read fiction, read nonfiction, read science, read history,” Chaon said. “I’ll read poetry. And that’s a way to get inspired and also a way to deepen your own work.”