Grant Cousineau asked Dennis Lehane:

You write such wonderfully rich, deep characters and put them in situations where they must unravel a mystery that often challenges them to their limits. When writing, does the character usually come to you first, or do you usually concoct the plot first and then decide which type of character would be most interesting to that plot?

Dennis Lehane Usually, I get character first. I’m very into flaws. I feel they define a person in a far more interesting way, dramatically-speaking, than strengths do. I honestly couldn’t give a shit about “heroic” characters if their “heroism” is their sole trait. I’m messed up, most people I know are messed up, and the ones who don’t seem to be are hiding something far worse than the rest of us. They’re the worst of all. So I double-down on the flaws. That’s my way in.

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