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October 27, 2026 — Timothy Trainer is featured in the Copyright Alliance: Creator Member Catch-up with Author Timothy Trainer

From the Copyright Alliance: Create. Innovate. Protect

On today’s blog, editors wrote: This week, we caught up once again with author, attorney, and podcast host Timothy Trainer. We firstinterviewed Tim back in 2017, and since then, his career has continued to evolve. He started a podcast titled Tim’s Travails, where he interviews fellow attorneys and other experts, including our CEO Keith Kupferschmid. Tim’s newest book, The China Dilemma: The Boomerang Effect, was recently released on September 21, 2026, and is the third book in “The China Series” he authored. After reading Tim’s catch-up blog, we encourage you to read his latest book, available on Amazon, and follow him on Twitter/X.

How has your creative career evolved since we last spoke?

First, I have more time to devote to writing now that I have retired from my legal career. Second, I’ve concentrated on fiction writing. My Creator Spotlight blog was several years ago, and it was after I wrote a non-fiction book. My novel, The China Dilemma, is the third novel published since 2023. To the extent that my creative career is evolving, I hope I’m starting to get a better feel for fiction writing.

How has copyright continued to fuel your growth?

Personally, there’s little conscious thought given to copyright as I begin to think about a new story and as I’m doing the research and writing. I suppose that to some extent, I am aware of staying away from story lines that we’ve either seen on the screen or read over and over. To the extent that copyright fuels growth, it is being conscious of wanting to inject something in characters, actions, or scenes that aren’t as familiar as in previous books that I’ve read or programs I’ve watched. In that sense, it’s searching for something original, which is what copyright is protecting.

Is there anything related to copyright that you want to learn more about? What resources do you use in order to learn more about copyright?

I may be starting from a slightly advantageous position. My legal career was in intellectual property law. Specifically, I focused on copyright and trademark enforcement back in the days when I worked at the U.S. Customs Service, now Customs and Border Protection. A former Customs Service colleague and I co-authored a legal treatise on the subject of border protection of intellectual property for fifteen years.

In recent years, the issue of copyright has become more complicated with technology developments and the new world of challenges presented by AI. AI is something I need to be more aware of as AI generated material is all around us. When it comes to resources, instead of reading court cases, I think reading the blogs available on the Copyright Alliance website are helpful and other similar sites. I appreciated Keith Kupferschmid, your CEO, doing a podcast with me to talk about AI and its impact on copyright.

Where do you draw inspiration from when you create your works? Is there a specific creator you look up to and, if so, why?

Looking back on the four novels I’ve written so far, I’ve been fortunate to travel literally around the world. Between the many places, the people and the work, they’ve provided a nice core body of reality that I rely upon to create the stories in these books. I like mixing these experiences with the elements of fiction that I create. I can’t say that there’s a specific writer that I look up to except to say that when I think about the James Clavell and Ken Follett historical fiction novels, I know I’ll never be able to write books equal to those levels of quality.

Have you ever experienced creative block? How do you overcome it?

I have and I’d be surprised if any novelist said they’ve never experienced it. In fact, I’m struggling at the moment because The China Dilemma has just been published, and I want to move on to the next project. I’ve done research for the story line I’d like to pursue. I’ve created characters and I’ve written several thousand words. Unfortunately, I’m not seeing a clear path forward yet toward the first thirty to fifty pages.

One way for me to overcome it is to get away from the keyboard. Sitting there hoping that magic will strike doesn’t usually work for me. An idea strikes when I’m totally away from the screen. The gym is a great place for me to let my mind wander, and I’ve had several “answers” come to me while on the treadmill. The shower is another place, although I’m not there as long as I’m on the treadmill. Ultimately, it’s when I’m not in front of the computer and I’m not thinking about the block.

How has AI technology impacted your work and career?

Timing is important. I think I ended my legal career just as AI was beginning to make itself felt in everything. It was bad enough when CDs, DVDs and other technologies arose and caused massive problems for creators because of copyright infringement on a massive and global scale. AI will take copyright violations to another level and we’re already seeing that. I don’t know if it has affected me personally, but I’m thinking about it. If I’m fortunate enough to keep writing publishable works, I won’t be surprised if language in publishing contracts change. As a writer, I don’t want to see AI taking over and producing works to the point that there’s no human input.

If you could pass on one piece of advice to other creators, what would it be?

The immediate thought coming to mind is Nike’s trademarked phrase “Just do it.” If a person is inclined to make music, paint, sculpt, write or whatever the creative thing is, do it. History informs us that we can’t stop progress and new technologies that will be used for both good and bad. There will always be that next thing to replicate, copy, steal and undermine the efforts of creative people. And, just as we’ll have to cope with the infringers, we’ll have others who will be there to defend the creators and their works, so keep creating.