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Writing
The Myth of “Write What You Know”
5/3/2011
Almost every time I talk to a group of aspiring writers, I hear someone tell them how important it is to “write what you know.” It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m always tempted to stand up like a character in an old courtroom drama and say, “I OBJECT!”
Write what you know? Write what I know? If I wrote what I knew, I wouldn’t be writing thrillers. Believe it or not, I have never been a clairvoyant, a military lawyer (or any kind of lawyer), a manufacturing CEO or even a high-performing technology salesman. I’ve never been a Special Forces operative, a hired killer, or a teenaged girl.
Sure, I do research. I do a lot of research, which you can read more about here. I’ll go to great lengths to get the details right; did you see my post over at Criminal Element about being sealed in a coffin as part of the research for BURIED SECRETS? (More about that later; stay tuned in the weeks ahead.) But research is only part of the job, and excessive research does seem to support a belief in writing what you know.
The truth is, the novelist’s job is to write what we don’t know. Imagination is not only the author’s job, but the author’s privilege. It’s also the reason most of us got into this work to begin with.
If I had started out writing what I knew, I’d have written very short stories about a kid who lived in upstate New York and wanted to be a cartoonist. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not knocking those stories. I love Philip Roth’s novels, and John Cheever’s, and Sue Miller’s, and Tom Perrotta’s, and all those authors who make art out of everyday life. But the thing was, that wasn’t what I wanted my life to be.
I’m still not admitting that I daydreamed in class – okay, maybe a little. When I did, though, it wasn’t about the details of my own life. What would the point of that have been? No, I spent that time in my imagination traveling with Dave and Chuck to the Mushroom Planet, when I was younger, or playing baccarat with James Bond and catching trains with George Smiley, when I was older. I apologize to the teachers who suspected me of daydreaming, but my time was better spent than they realized. What is fiction writing, after all, but focused, purposeful daydreaming on paper?
Over the course of ten novels (11, if you count the one I’m finishing now), research has given me the practical details of so many lives very different from my own. More important, however, I’ve spent countless hours imagining what it was like to be them. I’ll never be a hedge fund manager, or a jet engineer, or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I don’t need to be. I’ve already imagined those lives — and feel lucky to have this one, which has enough space for all of them.
To aspiring writers, then, I say, don’t write what you know. Write what you imagine. Write what inspires you. Write the story you want to tell, and fill in the details later. Research is fun, but it shouldn’t interfere with the momentum of your story, in either the reading or the writing. What you can’t find out, you can always make up. That’s why they call it “fiction.”
… Read moreMy Desk, Up Close and Personal
4/20/2011
Browsing through photos of other writers’ desks made me take a closer look at my own, in all its clutter. My desk, which takes up almost an entire wall of my office, is a 19th century library table made of quarter-sawn oak. It’s eight feet long. Even so, it’s hard to see the wood for all the things it’s accumulated: office supplies, toys, gadgets, and the paper that goes with being a writer even in this electronic age.
“Clutter” is the wrong word, I’ve decided. It only looks like clutter to the uninitiated. Every tchotchke on my desk comes with a story of its own. Many were gifts, a few were prizes, all have sentimental value as reminders of the people and places that support my writing every day.
Rather than clean it all up, I mapped it out — for my own benefit, as much as anything. My website now includes an interactive guide to my writing desk, which you can tour here. Mouse over the various items on the desk for the stories behind them.
I’m not saying every writer needs all of these things. I’m just explaining why I do. And now I look at the photo, I see a few clear spots of wood — which means there’s still room for anything else I really need . . .
… Read moreListening to (and Learning From) Criticism
2/22/2011
Criticism can never be a science: it is, in the first place, much too personal, and in the second, it is concerned with values that science ignores. The touchstone is emotion, not reason. We judge a work of art by its effect on our sincere and vital emotion, and nothing else. — D.H. Lawrence
A person who publishes a book willfully appears before the populace with his pants down. — Edna St. Vincent Millay
I concluded last week’s blog by saying I trusted that readers new to HIGH CRIMES (being rereleased in paperback on March 1) would let me know whether the story still holds up, 13 years after its original publication. Until I wrote that sentence, it hadn’t really occurred to me: people will write. While I hope most of that feedback will be positive, some readers will need to let me know about parts of the book that didn’t work for them.
I read these emails, just as I read my reviews. Even if a reader is writing to criticize, the criticism means that the book made an impact, that the reader cared enough to want the story or the characters to go a certain way, and be disappointed if they didn’t. In this day and age, when readers are busy and distracted and have so many demands on their time, I’m honored when readers take the time to write to me — even if they’re writing with bad news.
I used to assume that any writer who claimed not to read reviews was lying. Over the years I’ve met a handful of authors whose claims I believe, but I would never be able to follow their example. I’m not that strong; I want to know what people think. I pay attention to feedback. While all feedback isn’t equally valuable, I’ve learned to recognize the criticisms that ring true, and appreciate feedback that shows me ways to improve my writing.
Getting feedback from HIGH CRIMES is going to be a challenge, because I believe — I hope — I’ve learned a lot since I wrote that book, in the late 1990s. While I’m proud of HIGH CRIMES, and I’m grateful for its positive reviews, I believe I’m a better writer now than I was 13 years ago. Some part of that is due to the feedback HIGH CRIMES received when it was first published.
I discuss the art of processing feedback at greater length here, but today I’ll highlight one piece of advice I’ve found especially useful: pay attention to comments you get from more than one reader. The rule of three applies: if three readers ask me something about a character or a plot point, I need to fix something.
What’s frustrating, of course, is that once the book is on the shelf, my ability to fix anything is limited. But I’ll note the feedback and remember it for next time. No work ever reaches a state of perfection, but at least I can try for new flaws with every book.
Giveaways of paperbacks and DVDs of HIGH CRIMES will continue between now and March 1. Subscribe to the newsletter, “like” the Facebook fan page, and follow me on Twitter for chances to win!
… Read moreWhy Is a Raven Like a Writing Desk?
2/7/2011
Why is a raven like a writing desk? — The Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll doesn’t give us an answer to this question, but one look at my own desk supplies an answer: both ravens and writing desks (mine, at least) collect shiny things.
Ravens’ tendency to snatch up things that catch their eye and hide them for later makes them natural role models for writers. My desk is full of treasures and distractions, although everything on it is something I really need: my computer, of course; two monitors, so I can look at more than one thing at once; my favorite pens; my hourglass, to measure out uninterrupted writing time; my beloved Blackwing pencils, for marking up manuscripts; and the latest addition, my Batphone, because you never know when Gotham might need saving.
But I’m in good company. View this slideshow of famous writers' desks.
… Read more
A Resolution for the New Year: Set Meaningful Goals
1/4/2011
I can always tell it’s January because the gym gets crowded again, full of people working off their New Year’s resolutions. In fact, my Twitter newsfeed is about evenly divided between people complaining about the unusual waiting times for machines and people complaining about the pain of returning to the gym after too long an absence. Both sides seem to agree, however, that by February everything will be back to normal, as the New Year’s resolutions lose their strength.
The magic of that new calendar page inspires resolutions, but the ebb and flow of gym attendance confirms something I already knew: resolutions don’t last. What lasts are goals, and the first of the year is a good time to set some. Going to the gym might be boring, but if the goal is to be able to take an extended bicycle trip or hike the Appalachian Trail, you’ve got something to work toward.
it’s the same way with writing. The goals can be big or the goals can be small, but you need to set them so that you know what you’re working toward.
A deadline, of course, is a rigid external goal. It’s the ultimate goal, but far from the only one. Lots of authors I know set daily word targets; some even go as far as to force themselves to stop themselves once they’ve hit 1,000 words, or 2,000, or whatever. Because I outline, I tend to think in terms of scenes or beats. As I work through a manuscript, those beats serve as smaller goals within the big goal of finishing the whole book.
Goals can and should be about more than the words on the page, though. In his wonderful book ON WRITING, Stephen King talks about the fact that he writes first and foremost for an audience of one: his wife, Tabitha. That’s more specific than most authors get, I think, but it is important to know what reaction you want from your readers. The atmosphere and tone of your story are just as important as the plot, and you can’t create them unless you know ahead of time what you want them to be.
The metaphor I go back to is the drive from Boston to upstate New York. I know where I’m starting and I know where I need to go; I start with a clearly defined goal. But the subtler goal, equally important, is the answer to the question, “What kind of trip do I want to take?” Is this a midnight speed run, or a country drive? Do I want to dodge the radar guns, or find a nice bed-and-breakfast along the way? Do I want my passengers to arrive refreshed, or do I want them stumbling out of the car, reeling as if they’ve gotten off a roller coaster? The luxury of a 400-page-novel is that I can do both, if I want to, as long as I’ve set the goals in advance.
Looking for help? You learn to write by writing, and most how-to books aren’t much help. Stephen King’s ON WRITING is an exception — a great read that is fascinating, inspiring, and offers some excellent practical advice on the writing life. Here are a few others I’ve found useful:
- Anne Lamott, BIRD BY BIRD. A frank, funny, practical look at the writing life, particularly good on the subject of ways writers sabotage themselves.
- Robert McKee, STORY. Directed at screenwriters, but useful for novelists because of its emphasis on structure, which is especially important for thrillers. The three-act structure is another handy way to set goals for your work-in-progress.
- David Morrell, THE SUCCESSFUL NOVELIST. Previously published (in a slightly different form) as LESSONS FROM A LIFETIME OF WRITING, this book will — sadly — not make you write like David Morrell. That would be too much to ask. It will, however, give you terrific insights into the process of creating a compelling, commercially viable novel. Best of all, it feels like sitting down for a long conversation with David, who is one of the nicest, smartest guys in the business.
- Al Zuckerman, WRITING THE BLOCKBUSTER NOVEL Some of Zuckerman’s examples are out of date, but the basics remain, and it’s very smart.
… Read moreTo Swear or Not to Swear: Bad Language in Thrillers
11/30/2010
It happened again not too long ago: a reader wrote in to take issue with bad language in my books. “I find the use of the four-letter expletive to be unacceptable,” he wrote — not specifying which word or even which book, but I can guess.
The reader, who was very polite and said kind things about my books, noted that I’m not alone. “Every author I read . . . has a tendency to throw the four-letter vulgarity in almost every chapter.”
Well, I’m never happy about making readers unhappy — but this topic is one I’ve spent a good deal of time thinking about, and I think it’s worth discussing again.
My goal is to write a book that’s both entertaining and a fair depiction of the worlds I’m trying to portray. I’ve written before about research (and will again). I spend a lot of time in the environments I write about, trying to get the details right. One of those details is how people talk to each other.
So when a reader writes to ask, “Why do your characters use profanity?”, my first response is, “Well, why do some people use profanity?” Once the doors are closed, the language in many high-level corporate offices could come straight out of a David Mamet play. In VANISHED, I wrote about some very bad people doing some very bad things: stealing, lying, aiding and abetting murders. Without giving too much away, I’ll tell you that even worse people do worse things in BURIED SECRETS. A villain who doesn’t care about trust, honor or human life is probably not going to be too careful about his language. Therefore, both VANISHED and BURIED SECRETS include some words I wouldn’t say at a dinner party.
But I am sensitive to people’s concern, especially when readers say they don’t feel they can share my books with their kids, or certain friends. I want everyone to be able to read my books, including my own teenaged daughter and her friends. I don’t want the language in my books to distract from the story I’m trying to tell. It should all be seamless, so that you believe the environment I’ve created. So I’ve gotten more careful about the language I use, and I pay close attention. If characters in one of my books use bad language, it’s because those people would do that in real life, and I think it’s necessary to show them as they are. On the other hand, if they wouldn’t — as Nick Heller’s most trusted colleague, Dorothy, and COMPANY MAN’s Audrey Rhimes wouldn’t — it’s important to show that, too.
… Read moreNow That You’re Writing, Keep Going
11/9/2010
If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, or even if you’re just trying to write a book on your own, you may already be noticing how the excitement of getting started begins to slip away. That first week may have the thrill of any new beginning, but by the middle of Week 2, it may already start to feel a little tedious, or less important than it did at the beginning of the month.
Writing is a habit like any other. Like exercise or any other discipline, it takes some time for it to become part of your routine. The experts say it takes about a month for a good habit to take root, which is another reason I see value in NaNoWriMo: if you’re really doing it, by the end of November, you should have formed the habit of writing. So here are four more pieces of advice to keep your momentum going. 1. No e-mail! In order to write you really need to get into the zone, and to get into the zone you need to be distraction-free. E-mail interrupts our attention span and scatters our concentration. I love e-mail, but it’s the enemy — so I ration myself. When I’m writing, I’ll check email at scheduled intervals. I police myself with a computer program called Freedom, which blocks Internet access for periods of time up to eight hours. If you don’t want to download another computer program, use an hourglass or a kitchen timer, if the ticking doesn’t drive you crazy. But do whatever you have to in order to get yourself at least 30-60 minutes of uninterrupted, undistracted writing time at a sitting. 2. Set interim goals. While NaNoWriMo’s target is a “short novel” of 50,000 words, a full-length novel can be anywhere from 75,000 to 150,000 words, or even longer. You can’t think about writing 150,000 words (400 pages); you’ll panic and paralyze yourself. But if you write 1,000 words a day, you can finish the first draft of a 200-page novel in less than three months, even if you take some weekend days off. 3. Work toward a deadline. NaNoWriMo’s deadline is November 30, but even if you’re not participating, you’ll see that your life presents natural deadlines: the end of the year, your next birthday, your 25th high school reunion, etc. Everyone needs deadlines. 4. Reward yourself. One of the biggest challenges of writing is turning off the internal critic, the part of your brain that second-guesses everything you’re doing, or harps on all that stuff you’re not doing while you’re writing. Override those voices by promising yourself rewards for getting work done. “When I hit 5,000 words, I’m going to the movies,” or even, “When I finish this paragraph, I can have another cup of coffee.” It worked in kindergarten and it works for me now. And I’ll add this, while I’m handing out advice: more quickly than you might expect, you’ll figure out what works for you. Every writer I know has his or her own way of getting the job done, whether it’s scheduling cups of coffee or doling out M&Ms as a reward for meeting word count targets. There is no right or wrong here, as long as your word count continues to rise. Good luck!
… Read moreAnalyze This
5/20/2010
With nine novels published, it can still be nerve-wracking to have someone analyze my writing.
Author Culture has a nice post about "Pacing Emotion" in COMPANY MAN. And Margie Lawson features a Deep Editing Analysis of VANISHED.
… Read more
Aspiring Writers Want to Know...
7/29/2009
Joseph discusses the craft of writing and how he got started as an author. This video offers useful information and an interesting story about bestselling novelist Lee Child and outlines.
… Read more