Joseph Finder's Blog, page 5

How to Make Friends and Influence People, or the Art of Research

Ah, research. My favorite subject. I’ve had a lot to say on the subject already, and I’ll have more to say in the months ahead about the research I did for BURIED SECRETS, which went to extremes even for me.

 

But this week, as Wikipedia celebrates its 10th anniversary, I want to spend a little time talking about methods, and why the old ways are sometimes best.

There’s no question that the Internet has revolutionized research. It’s the writer’s best friend, especially if you’re writing historical fiction, or setting scenes in places you know you’ll never go. The treasures of the world are now digitally archived, and Google Earth gives you an uncanny level of detail about almost any street corner your characters might visit.

But I still do a lot of my research the old-fashioned way, and I encourage other writers — particularly beginning writers — to do the same. Your first-grade teacher was right: if you want to know something, the best way to find out is to ask. 

The acknowledgment pages in my books tell the story. The acknowledgments for VANISHED ran more than three pages, and the thanks for BURIED SECRETS may run even longer. I get all my best information from experts in the field, whether it’s air freight or furniture construction or the art of the comic book (sorry, graphic novel). Over the years, cold-calling or cold-emailing sources has gotten me not only crucial information, but story ideas and lasting friendships. It’s probably easier now that I can show sources books I’ve written, but this was something I started to do at the very beginning of my career, and any aspiring author can do it, too. You just need to follow a few basic guidelines.

First, know what you need to know. Before you call or email anyone, have a clear idea of the information you’re looking for. Maybe you need to know the standard equipment in an ambulance; maybe it’s the width of a semi-truck tire, or the rules for transporting explosives across state lines, or courtroom procedure for juvenile offenders. Do as much background research as you can ahead of time, and identify the gaps in your knowledge before you approach a source. Write down your questions beforehand, with follow-up questions in mind if necessary.

Second, be willing to admit what you don’t know, and pay attention to all the information you get, even if it’s more than you’ve asked for. As much background research as I do, sometimes I discover I’ve only got one side of the story, or the book learning doesn’t match up with my source’s firsthand experience. Some of the best information I’ve ever gotten — and more than one story idea — has come from my source saying, “Yeah, but the question you want to ask is . . .” Let your sources tell you what they know, even if it’s not exactly what you need. You never know what might come in handy.

If you can, meet your background sources in person. If what you want is background information, phone is better than email and face-to-face meetings are better than the phone. Real conversations lend themselves to open-ended questions and storytelling, which is where I get some of my best background material. People love to talk about what they do, and are flattered when someone really makes the effort to understand their jobs.

The TV show “Castle” is every writer’s fantasy: he’s cool, he’s debonair (aren’t we all?), and he rides around with a NYPD homicide detective. That’s going to extremes – it’s a TV show, after all — but you might be surprised by how willing law enforcement organizations are to work with writers. Most big-city police departments have public information officers who are willing to field queries, and many even have citizen training programs that offer the opportunity to learn police procedures. Involved citizens are the police force’s most valuable resource, and chances are good that your local police will be happy to answer your questions and help you get involved.

Law enforcement officials aren’t your only potential sources, though. For the thriller writer, sources are everywhere. Your bank teller, your insurance agent, the bartender, the postal clerk: once you start talking to people, you realize that everyone is the hero of his or her own story, and has interesting things to tell you. You just have to figure out what to ask.

Figuring out what to ask is your job as a writer. The guidelines above all boil down into one last rule for interviewing sources, which is to respect their time, and remember that they have jobs of their own. Talking to a writer may be a nice change of pace in their day, but it’s not usually what they’re paid to do. If they’re talking to you on their own time, respect that and appreciate it. Buy them a cup of coffee or a meal, if they’re allowed to accept it, and remember to thank them in your acknowledgments.

I should double-check the thanks for BURIED SECRETS, while I’m thinking about it.

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In Praise of Audiobooks

It’s been a while since my first four books were available in print, so I was especially pleased last fall to discover that audiobook versions of THE MOSCOW CLUB, EXTRAORDINARY POWERS, THE ZERO HOUR and HIGH CRIMES are now available through Audible.com.

I’m a fan of audiobooks, especially on long drives. A good audiobook is something between a book and a movie, bringing the action to life and giving you a completely different perspective on a story. Even though I know my own stories — after all, I wrote them — listening to them on audiobook feels like discovering them all over again. As Holter Graham and I discussed in this short interview. I have my own ideas about what my characters sound like. The narrator brings his or her own interpretation to the story; the result is a new work of art based on the printed novel.

Audiobook readers are artists in their own right. I’ve been lucky to have some great readers matched up with my book — including the legendary Scott Brick, whom I discovered is a rock star in the world of audiobooks. He moderated a panel I was on at BookExpo America a few years ago, with George Pelecanos and the great nonfiction author Mark Bowden. It was a standing-room only crowd, but they hadn’t come to see us; they had come to hear Scott Brick’s voice in person.

Scott’s the reader for the audiobook version of Gregg Hurwitz’s THE CRIME WRITER, a terrific thriller that is even more exciting read aloud. THE CRIME WRITER is one of the audiobooks I recommended for Audible last year, as part of its “Breakout Thrillers” promotion. While I’m recommending, here are a few more of my favorites, which I put together for Audible a couple of years ago:

- ANGELA'S ASHES by Frank McCourt, read by the author. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and what better narrator than McCourt himself?

- THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas, read by David Case. One of the all-time great stories, and a wonderful rendition.

- THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE by James M. Cain, read by Stanley Tucci. Short, sharp, classic.

- THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS by John Buchan. Orson Welles does a radio version of this that’s available on Audible. It’s a classic thriller, brooding and paranoid, suitable for all ages.

- THE INVISIBLE MAN by H.G. Wells, read by Scott Brick. This story enthralled me as a kid, and Scott Brick's reading of it still does.

- A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens, read by Jim Dale. A story meant to be read aloud, and Dale's one of the greatest British narrators.

- FREAKONOMICS by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. Kept my family totally entranced on a long car ride, and talking about it for miles afterward.

- CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl, read by Eric Idle. I love Roald Dahl's stories and have always loved this one, which is allegedly for kids but really for adults, and the reading is wonderful.

- ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY by David Sedaris. Hard to go wrong with David Sedaris reading David Sedaris, although some of this is suitable for adults only. Even comes as part of a boxed set along with NAKED and DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM.

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A Resolution for the New Year: Set Meaningful Goals

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.

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Why I Love Twitter and Facebook

As 2010 draws to a close, we’re seeing a lot of “Best of” lists, not only for the year but for the decade. “2011” still looks like science fiction; we are living in the future.

I’ve always been a gadget guy, but I think back ten years and can’t believe the technology that’s part of my daily life today.

Information moves faster and more easily now than at any time in history, for better or worse. This new world of instant information changes the subjects I write about, but that’s a topic for a future blog post. What I’m thinking about today, in this holiday season, is how important the online communities of Twitter and Facebook have become for me, and for any author who wants to reach the widest possible audience.

Some of my writer friends ask why I love Twitter, and what I get out of it. First of all, and most important, I enjoy it. When you work alone at a desk all day, Twitter is a virtual coffee break, a chance to catch up and see what the rest of the world is talking about. 

But Twitter and Facebook are both perfect illustrations of Malcolm Gladwell’s theories at work in the real world. Malcolm and I are mutual admirers; we had a long conversation that became part of the audiobook for KILLER INSTINCT. (You can listen to short excerpts of this conversation here and here.) In his book THE TIPPING POINT, he writes (among other things) about how ideas and products can spread like viruses, through the interaction of "Connectors," "Mavens," and "Salesmen." "Connectors" are people who know lots of other people, and help spread the word about things; "Mavens" are the experts among their friends; and "Salesmen" are skilled at persuading others.

As many books as I might sell, my Twitter and Facebook friends are the front line, the first group of people giving me immediate feedback and spreading the word. They’re the ones who tell me what they’re interested in, what they like, what they don’t like — and they’re telling all of their other friends, as well. I’m constantly gathering information and processing ideas, and many of those show up first on Twitter or Facebook. I’m always fascinated to see what catches people’s imagination, and what other people are talking about that catches mine.

This week my Twitter community passed 10,000 followers. That’s the population of a small town, and I am happy to be part of it. Thanks to everybody who makes my online life so interesting, whether it’s on Twitter or Facebook, and very happy holidays to each and every one of you.

 

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What I Learned at the Movies: How to Talk Like a Tough Guy

It’s getting to the end of another year, which means it must be time to go to the movies. I’ll say this with a straight face: it’s research for me. If an author’s job is to “show, not tell,” the movies have a lot to teach us about the economics of storytelling.

Although storytelling through dialogue is an important skill — and I’ll discuss this at greater length in a future post — sometimes it’s equally important just to have something cool to say.

 

Want to talk like a tough guy? Go to the movies. The heroes of my books are seldom at a loss for words. When I go to the movies, I’m always listening for the catchphrase, the next “Hasta la vista, baby” that becomes part of our general conversation. 

 

A few immortal lines that tell us everything we need to know about the characters, and quite a lot about their stories:

 

“Say hello to my little friend.” Tony Montana (Al Pacino) in Scarface (1983). One of the taglines for this movie was “He loved the American Dream. With a vengeance.” It’s all right here, in this line; Tony Montana, wretched refuse of the Mariel boatlift, figures out a way to get what he wants. Who needs Harvard when you’ve got an automatic weapon?t

 

"You've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) in Dirty Harry (1971). This movie has five credited writers, four for the screenplay and one for the story. I don’t know which one of them wrote this line, but it’s genius. Think about what this line tells us: Harry Callahan is a guy who cares more about justice than the law, and has a deeply twisted sense of humor. Not to mention some anger issues.

 

“Is it safe? Is it safe?” Dr. Christian Szell (Laurence Olivier) in Marathon Man (1976). Keeping people out of dentist’s chairs for more than 30 years now . . . William Goldman’s line, pulled straight from the book, is chilling because it illustrates the character’s complete, deadly obsession with a secret the rest of us don’t know anything about. Anyone who’s seen this movie will shudder at this line forever — and if you haven’t seen this movie, what are you waiting for?

 

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) in Goodfellas (1990). It’s the first line of the movie, and everything follows from here. It’s not just a line of dialogue, it’s the movie’s log line, its capsule summary; it tells us everything we need to know about Henry Hill and the world he lives in.

 

“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” Cody Jarrett (Jimmy Cagney) in White Heat (1949). How crazy is Cody Jarrett, the psychopathic, mother-loving gangster Jimmy Cagney plays in White Heat? Very crazy indeed. Faced with apocalyptic disaster, Jarrett’s going out like a winner, and he wants us all to know it.

 

They get addictive, these movie quotes. Leave your own favorites in the comments section.

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Why Write a Serial Thriller?

Today marks the paperback publication of WATCHLIST, the print edition of two serial thrillers I had the honor of participating in — THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT and its sequel, THE COPPER BRACELET. Both books were based on ideas by Jeffery Deaver and edited by Jim Fusilli, and a total of 22 authors participated in the projects, including genre masters such as Linda Barnes, Lee Child, David Liss, and Lisa Scottoline.

The books have been successful beyond all expectations. Not only were they bestsellers in audio format, but THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT won the Audie for best audiobook of 2008. It’s always a great feeling to be part of a successful project, but as I’ve given some interviews and participated in a roundtable discussion about these books, I’ve realized that I got some big benefits from the projects as well.

First, the process gave me new insights into my colleagues’ imaginations. One of the main attractions of writing a novel is the control it gives you over the world you create. I get to decide who the characters are, what they do, and what happens to them; I might never rule the world, but I rule my worlds. But it was exciting to see what Jeff Deaver came up with, and riff on his ideas. Likewise, especially in THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT, I was almost overwhelmed by the variety of ideas and plot threads jammed into those first eight chapters.

Second, I got some new insights into structure and pacing, or at least was able to use what I knew in a different way. I wrote Chapter Nine of THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT. So much had happened by that point that I had to work hard to make my chapter fit into the different storylines — not only from the writer’s point of view, but from the reader’s. By the time I got the story, other authors had given the reader several terrific action sequences. I wanted to write an action sequence, too, but I stopped myself; it would have been overload. What the book needed, at that point in the story, was something quieter. (I learned another lesson from that, too. When it came time to write the second book, I asked editor Jim Fusilli for an earlier chapter, and got Chapter 6 of THE COPPER BRACELET.)

Third, I got to use some ideas and material I hadn’t been able to fit into any of my own books. Every author has more ideas than he or she will ever have time to write, and I do so much research that I’ll never be able to use everything I know about a given topic. For THE COPPER BRACELET, I got to use research I’d done for VANISHED, and explore a subject that’s always fascinated me: how someone would get into Russia secretly. It had been much too long since I’d set anything in Moscow, which was my first love and my first area of expertise. I jumped at the chance to set a scene there, using both old memories and information from a more recent visit. I set a scene in a club for retired KGB officers that’s based on a real place, a place I was invited to. Few Westerners have ever been in there, and I was delighted to be able to write something based on the experience.

It’s been great to see these books have such a long life, and find their way to readers in both audio and print formats. I’m glad to have been involved, and I hope they’ll send readers to other works by all the authors who participated.

 

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Nick Heller and WikiLeaks

Read a short story in this weekend's Wall Street Journal. Nick Heller tries to stop a WikiLeaks employee from publishing classified photos in Waiting for the Train to Minsk.

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To Swear or Not to Swear: Bad Language in Thrillers

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.

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Why is a raven like a writing desk?

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.

 

Open publication

 

Want more? Check out dozens of other authors’ and artists’ workspaces. The sands of the hourglass on my desk have run down, and it’s time for me to get back to writing . . .

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Now That You're Writing, Keep Going

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!

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