Just released: Bestselling author's latest book tells how to make a living as a writer

By Mark Young

James Scott Bell

An interview with novelist James Scott Bell regarding his latest how-to book on writing might—at first blush—seem a little off topic for this blog about cops, crime and novels. You are right, but let me plead my case. I feel strongly enough about this just-released book that I've chosen to break the rules this one time. There comes a time in any writer’s career where they find themselves fighting off feelings of discouragement and disillusionment. I believe that How to Make a Living as a Writer (HLW) can be one of those tools that helps writers regain solid ground in their publishing career.

This book goes well beyond what the title suggests—selling books and making money—by giving a writer a holistic approach to writing. Writing quotas, time management, and creating a workable business plan are just a few of the topics discussed in HLW. Jim writes from experience as both a traditionally published author and as an indie author. His twenty-year career includes many novels, anthologies, books on writing, and a weekly contribution to the popular blog The Kill Zone.

It is a privilege to have James Scott Bell with us today to discuss his latest book on writing.

MARK: Jim, thanks for joining us here on Hook’em &

Book’em once again. What prompted you to write this book? Who do you consider to be your target audience?

JIM: I have always been about helping writers not only write better, but write with an eye toward making actual money. I believe in professionalism. I believe it’s quite all right to make a living doing what one loves to do. 

In my case, it was writing. When I started out to pursue this dream, I didn’t think the odds were so great. But it’s what I wanted to do and I never stopped, and I managed to make it my career.

With this book I wanted to pass along the principles I used that I think will help all writers who want to be pros.

MARK: What is the most important message you want writers to glean from this book?

JIM: That you have to think of this as a business. You have to put some rational thought into this if you want it to give you a return. When I began to pursue writing as a career it was after several years of being a lawyer and also running a successful small business. I had learned both study and entrepreneurial skills. These were invaluable to me.

The good news is that these principles are not difficult to understand or put into practice. The trick is in the doing of them. That’s discipline. I explain how to be disciplined in the book.

MARK: In HLW, you debunk the idea that only a few chosen writers ever succeed in this business. Why are you so positive that new writers can actually make a living at this game?

JIM: Because the playing field has changed drastically in the last 7 years. The Kindle was introduced in 2007. The next couple of years saw writers starting to self-publish on Amazon with great monetary success. At the same time, there is still a traditional publishing industry, which I continue to be part of. The key is there are options now, and the writer who approaches things systematically, with a commitment to quality, improves his or her odds of making significant bank.

MARK: In a chapter titled The 7 Things You Absolutely Must Have to Succeed—you cast doubt on the concept that writers must have talent to make it in the writing game. Please share your take on this issue with our readers.

JIM: What I actually say is that talent has to be there, but it’s the least important quality. There are many, many naturally talented writers out there who never make it. There are a number of reasons for that. One is that they rely on the talent but never master the craft. Or they’re the sort that “just wants to write” and never think about being businesslike.

On the other hand, there are always those who may not be as gifted who work hard and work smart, and they surpass the “unrecognized geniuses.” That’s true in anything—sports, schooling, the arts.

MARK: In another chapter—titled Running A Successful Business—you discuss creating a business plan. How can this help to focus a writer to look at the bigger picture?

JIM: Every successful business has a plan. That plan may change, it may morph, it may be thrown out for another. But you have to have a direction and steps to take that are reasonably related to your goals. I give a sample plan in the book that anyone can adapt.

MARK: Later in HLW, you discuss the importance of time management and how to squeeze more time in a writer’s busy schedule. There are those writers just starting out who may be ‘contemplating’ writing their first novel. They may have a fulltime job, a family to take care of, or other commitments that make their hope to write seem like an impossible dream. They may take a look at HLW and say, “Wow! I can never accomplish all this.” What would you say to them?

JIM: I deal with that. The key is finding out how much you can reasonably write in a week, taking into account all the other responsibilities you have. That becomes your weekly quota of words. I suggest upping that number by 10%, to stretch yourself.  But keep it. Be zealous about it. I know there are some writers out there who think a quota is a crimp on their style. I beg to differ. I’ve had a quota ever since I started and it’s the biggest key to any success I’ve happened to achieve. As Robert B. Parker put it, the most important thing a writer does is produce the words.

MARK: Based upon all the topics you’ve discussed in HLW, is there one area in your own writing career that you found hardest to master? Why?

JIM: It’s hard for me to single out one thing. A writing journey is a series of challenges, and you do what you can to overcome them. I’ve always felt I could learn anything I needed to know in order to succeed, and the rest would be up to hard work. I don’t believe in pure luck. 

I will say I’ve always been interested in the mental game of writing, too. Learning how to handle rejection and keep going, things like that. Most of it boils down to slaying expectations and concentrating on being productive every day. Every moment you’re writing in flow is a moment you’re not worried about things you can’t control.

MARK: Where can writers purchase How to make a Living as a Writer?

JIM: The book is available as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo. The print version is available here.

MARK:  You have taught at a number of writing seminars nationally and internationally, and hosted your own writing seminars. What are a few of the most common questions you encountered from writers attending these sessions?

JIM: Many people want to know about structure, if it really matters that much. I tell them to try making an omelet without eggs and a frying pan. It’s not that structure is a rigid slave master; it’s that it works for connecting readers to stories. So once you understand it you can feel free to mess with it all you want, just know that the more you mess the less you’ll sell.

I also emphasize that you don’t have to try to copiously outline an entire novel before you write it. You need freedom to be creative. But creativity alone is not enough. Throwing eggs on the road is not art. Breaking them one-handed into a bowl, scrambling them up, putting them in the pan and throwing in selected cheeses and spices, that is art!

MARK: Speaking of writing sessions, you teamed up with two other men— agent/author Donald Maas; and Chris Vogler, movie/novel consultant and author of The Writer’s Journey—to help others improve their writing skills. What do the three of you try to teach at these retreats? Where can a writer go to find out more information on this?

JIM: If it was only Vogler and Maass, I’d call this the best storytelling conference going. I am pleased to be part of it. Vogler leads off with his mythic take on storytelling, providing the wide universe of what connects us deeply to a work of fiction. I follow with my specifics on the critical areas of fiction—plot, structure, character, scenes, dialogue, voice, theme. Maass comes along after and gets the writers into the nitty gritty of their works-in-progress, prompting them to deeper and better stories.

On the fourth day, the three of us lead a chapter by chapter analysis of a great novel that everyone reads beforehand. At this upcoming session it will be To Kill a Mockingbird.

People can find out more at the Story Masters site.

MARK: Any last words of wisdom to share with writers struggling to gain traction in this writing game?

JIM: Recognize that it IS a game. A good game, a fun one, and one that can pay off if you know how to get the odds in your favor. That’s what my teaching is all about, getting people to a place where their chances for success improve. It takes time and it takes practice, but so does anything worthwhile. So I counsel writers to write until they die. That about covers it. 

MARK: Jim, thanks again for taking the time here to share your thoughts about the writing business. I am sure your latest book on writing will be a success. 

Writing friends, be sure to check out How to Make a Living as a Writer.

*******

James Scott Bell is the #1 bestselling author of Plot & Structure, and thrillers like Don’t Leave Me, Blind Justice,Deceived, Try Dying, Watch Your Back, and One More Lie. Jim is currently at work on two series: pulp style boxing stories featuring Irish Jimmy Gallagher and the vigilante nun series Force of Habit. Under the pen name K. Bennett he is also the author of the Mallory Caine zombie legal thriller series, which begins with Pay Me in Flesh.

Jim served as fiction columnist for Writer's Digest magazine, to which he frequently contributes, and has written four craft books for Writer’s Digest Books: Plot & Structure, Revision & Self-Editing, The Art of War for Writers and Conflict & Suspense. His Write Your Novel From The Middle was an instant #1 Amazon bestselling writing book. A former trial lawyer, Jim now writes and speaks full time. He lives in Los Angles and blogs every Sunday at The Kill Zone.

Getting Inside A Cop’s Head: Interview with Ellen Kirschman, Police Psychologist

By Mark Young

Dr. Ellen Kirschman

Fiction writers are always trying to figure out what makes a cop tick. What makes cops run toward danger rather than fleeing from danger? Are there any psychological motivations and stresses that might make a law enforcement officer crack or cross the line between law abider and law breaker? How far can their characters be pushed in the novel until their world collapses?

 There are a few writers who have been granted a rare glimpse into the cop culture—their motivations, their fears, and their worst nightmares. Police Psychologist Ellen Kirschmen is one of those unique individuals who has gained access to police culture for more than thirty years. 

Ellen wrote about cops in her doctorate dissertation titled Wounded Heroes. Her first book, titled I Love A Cop: What Police Families Need to Know, was motivated by her desire to help law enforcement families cope with the stresses of the job. Later, Ellen wrote Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know to help mental health professionals and others to know how to relate to cops. Several months ago, Ellen came out with her first mystery novel, Burying Ben, a story about a female police psychologist trying to survive the police culture as a civilian, a woman, and a political liberal. The world of main character Dot Meyerhoff is turned upside down when a rookie cop by the name of Ben—whom she is counseling—unexpectantly commits suicide and leaves behind a note blaming Dot for his death.

MARK: Ellen, welcome to Hook’em and Book’em. I would personally like to thank you for helping those in law enforcement face the psychological challenges of the job. In my career, I have witnessed the damage the job has done to these officers and I know the barriers you must have faced during your career. Thank you! 

That being said, I also must add that I know that in some cases harm has been inflicted on officers when psychologists did not understand the police culture, they violated confidences, or when police departments used these psychologists as a means of discipline to force the cop off the job.

I imagine it is a fine line you must tread when trying to help these officers and their families. Before we get into this subject more deeply, please explain to our readers how you became a police psychologist and what are the goals of this unique professional?

ELLEN: I was working as a clinical social worker in a psychiatric clinic. Several of my clients were married

to cops (this was a long time ago when there were few women officers) and the stories they told about their home lives were quite distressing. When I asked my clients to invite their husbands to a session, not only did the husbands never show up, their wives quit therapy soon after. All this piqued my interest: what was it about the job that created such problems for families? More out of enthusiasm than experience, I put together a class called "I Love a Cop" at my local community college. The first session was filled to capacity and there were 40+ women on the waiting list. I had stumbled into an unfilled need. 

There are approximately 250 police psychologists in the US. By that I mean those whose practices are primarily devoted to public safety and who belong to recognized police psychology organizations such as the police psychological services section (PPSS) of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Over the past several years, the profession has received recognition as a specialty by the American Board of Professional Psychology. In brief, the goal of the profession has been to apply behavioral science principles that are ethically and empirically based to problems facing law enforcement at both the individual and organizational level.  The four basic domains of police psychology practice are assessment, organizational consultation, intervention, and operational assistance. Many, if not most, police psychologists have assessment practices. My background is in the consultation and intervention domains. 

MARK:  The police culture is very guarded for obvious reasons—public scrutiny, possible civil or criminal sanctions, and fear for the safety of their families to name a few. It would seem your success in helping officers might depend upon how they got to your office—voluntarily seeking counseling or department-mandated Fitness For Duty (FFD) evaluations. Please define the differences between the goals of voluntary counseling and FFD evaluations?

ELLEN: My practice has always been voluntary. In fact, I spent twenty-five years consulting to one agency where my office was located on the flight path between the briefing room and the locker room. This was an unusual decision made by the officer-led task force who hired me. They wanted to normalize counseling and make it part of healthy self-care. Officers had the option to see me in a private location as well. I did a lot of counseling "on the hoof." Apparently, standing up and talking while leaning on the doorsill doesn't count as therapy. Neither does talking in patrol cars or in the locker room.

There are two major differences between voluntary counseling and FFD evaluations. 1) In an FFD the client is the agency who requests the FFD, not the officer; and 2) There is no confidentiality for the officer in an FFD. In voluntary counseling a clinician could lose his or her license for violating confidentiality. The only exceptions are when the client is a danger to self or others, abusing a child or an elderly person, or incapable of caring for self.

MARK: Under what conditions are FFDs ordered by the police departments?

ELLEN: FFDs have never been my speciality. Your readers are best served by checking out the FFD Evaluation Guidelines published by the PPSS. According to those guidelines the purpose of an FFD is to determine whether the employee is able to safely and effectively perform his or her essential job functions. A FFD is considered when there is an objective, reasonable basis, founded on direct observation, credible third party report, or other reliable evidence, that the employee's ability to work safely and effectively is in question. An FFD should never be used as discipline. Nor, for that matter, should mental health providers ever be used as stand-ins for decent supervision.  

MARK: Let’s switch gears for a moment. You have just released your first novel titled Burying Ben. What is the gist of this novel?

ELLEN: Dr. Dot Meyer has barely settled into her new job as department psychologist for the Kenilworth Police when Ben Gomez, a troubled young rookie that she tries to counsel kills himself. Overnight, her promising new start becomes a nightmare. At stake is her job, her reputation, her license to practice, and her already battered sense of self-worth. Dot resolves to find out not just what led Ben to kill himself, but why her psychologist ex-husband, the man she most wants to avoid, recommended that Ben be hired in the first place. Ben’s surviving family and everyone else connected to him are determined to keep Ben’s story a secret, by any means necessary. Even Ben, from the grave, has secrets to keep. By the time she uncovers the real reasons behind Ben’s suicide and brings the people responsible to justice, Dot has not only resurrected belief in herself, she has also acquired some surprisingly useful new skills: impersonating a public official, burglary, and assault with a deadly weapon. 

MARK: What motivated you to write this story?

ELLEN: I was delusional. After writing two non-fiction books, I actually thought it would be easier to make things up. It isn't. I've always worried that a client of mine would kill him or herself and I've wondered how I would cope with the guilt. Writing Burying Ben gave me a chance to work this out on paper. Writing fiction is payback time. I get to take pot shots at cops, at my fellow psychologists, at my ex-husbands, and myself. Lastly, and most importantly, it is time to talk about police suicide and the fact that officers are two, perhaps three, times as likely to kill themselves as they are to be killed in the line of duty.

MARK: You found switching from non-fiction to fiction to be challenging but I suspect you are having fun. Am I right?

ELLEN: Very challenging but a lot more fun. Writing non-fiction is a journalistic endeavor. The challenge is to get your facts right and present them in an understandable, readable package. Fiction requires the writer to capture the reader's imagination so that he or she is locked into the story, cares about the characters and wants to know how the whole thing turns out. Non-fiction readers can pick up a book and put it down again at will. A good novel should have the reader baring her teeth at anyone or anything that interrupts her before she finishes the story. 

MARK:  Just prior to the release of Burying Ben, you and two other colleagues released a non-fiction book Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know. Is this strictly targeted toward clinicians, or would others—like fiction authors—find this book of value in understanding cops?

ELLEN: Several mystery writers have told me that they own dog-eared copies of I Love a Cop that they use for inspiration. I think Counseling Cops could be equally helpful. The book is targeted toward anyone who counsels law enforcement officers; in addition to mental health providers that would include chaplains, medical doctors, and peer supporters. 

MARK:  What was the purpose behind writing Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know? Can you provide us an example as to why this book is necessary?

ELLEN: The purpose of writing Counseling Cops was to create culturally competent clinicians. My two co-authors are both retired officers as well as psychologists. Their experiences on-and-off the job make this a much richer book than had I written it myself. As you know, cops find it very difficult to ask for help. They're supposed to solve problems, not have them. To a cop, having problems equals being weak. So when pressure mounts and an officer finally reaches out for help, he or she deserves to see a provider who understands cops and the culture in which they work. Here are two examples from the book of how things can go wrong: 

"Tracy was looking for a therapist. The first therapist he consulted teared up and didn’t think she could bear listening to the kinds of challenges he encountered at work. The second therapist reassured Tracy that he understood the impact of carrying great responsibility because many of his clients were CEOs of large organizations. Tracy responded in anger. 'When a CEO makes a mistake, the company loses money. When I make a mistake someone dies.'" The therapist Tracy finally chose was a combat veteran who knew firsthand what it meant to put your life on the line and the costs of doing it year after year." P. 6.

"Bill had been in two shootings that resulted in his killing two suspects. He was having nightmares and seriously considering quitting police work in order to avoid the possibility of a third deadly encounter. His department EAP referred him to a local clinician who had a lot of experience, none of which involved law enforcement. This was Bill’s first-ever counseling session. The therapist listened to Bill’s story carefully. When Bill was finished talking the therapist asked him “So, are you ready to stop killing people?” Bill left the session very upset. It wasn’t until he talked to some of his friends who had been in therapy that he learned how inappropriate and un-therapeutic this question was and accepted another referral to someone familiar with the police culture." P.8

MARK: What are some of the more prevalent issues you deal with when a law enforcement officers walks through your door? 

ELLEN: As you said earlier, trust and confidentiality are probably the biggest hurdles to forming a therapeutic alliance. In terms of clinical issues, or common problems, cops probably don't vary greatly from their civilian counterparts. I don't know of a scientific answer to your question, but I'd say family problems probably top the list. The issues we cover in Counseling Cops are alcoholism, substance abuse and addiction, depression and suicide, trauma, organizational stress and betrayal, family issues, growing old on the job, sleep deprivation and shift work, and something we call the Emergency Responder's Exhaustion Syndrome which is a combination of depression, exhaustion, isolation, and anger. 

MARK: A lot has changed in the law enforcement community in the last 30 years—including the way stress-related issues are understood and handled by officers and police departments. What are some of the positive changes you have witnessed that might help these officers survive?

ELLEN: Critical incident debriefings are common these days. They vary, of course, in effectiveness, but they are way more helpful than choir practice. Large urban departments and many smaller ones now routinely provide access to low cost confidential counseling as well as police chaplains. In my opinion, one of the best changes is having well-trained and well-managed peer support teams. Cops like talking to other cops, if they can be trusted.

MARK: What are some of the areas that law enforcement might do a better job in helping these officers cope?

ELLEN: I would like to see every agency, big and small, have a confidential peer support program including family members, family orientations at first hire and again every five years, a chaplaincy program, supervisors who are knowledgeable about spotting mental health issues and compassionate when talking to their officers, and easy access for officers and their families to culturally competent, confidential, low cost counseling. I'd like to see police academies devote more time to teaching officers how to manage stress and develop resilience, and I'd like to see field training programs incorporate behavioral science principles and promote wellness, both physical and psychological. 

MARK: What suggestions would you give authors trying to create plausible and realistic cop characters? What sources of information would you suggest?

ELLEN: You mean after reading my books? Go on a ride-along. After all these years I still learn something new every time I do. Attend a citizens' academy. You'll learn a lot and have an opportunity to interact with officers. Volunteer at your local police department. Whatever you do, don't watch cop shows on television. 

MARK: Any other suggestions as to how these authors might obtain a better understanding of this closed culture?

ELLEN: Learn about guns. Practice on the range. Try your hand at a firearms training simulator (FATS). If you're qualified and have the time to invest, consider becoming a reserve officer or putting yourself through a police academy. 

MARK: Are you still a practicing police psychologist or are you pursuing other goals at this point in your life?

ELLEN: I no longer have a private practice. I do continue to teach peer support, self-care for cops, give workshops for public safety families, and for clinicians who want to work with first responders. My biggest commitment is to the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat (WCPR) for first responders with post traumatic stress injuries (PTSI). I volunteer to do four six-day retreats a year. If any of your readers and their spouses or significant others are suffering with symptoms of PTSI, I encourage them to find out more about this amazingly effective, all volunteer, peer driven, clinically guided program at www.wcpr2001.org. 

MARK:  What is ahead in your writing career? More fiction? More non-fiction?

ELLEN: More fiction. I've just completed the first draft of the second Dot Meyerhoff mystery and I can't wait to start revising. 

MARK: What would be one thing you’d like to share with new police officers just starting out in their career?

ELLEN: Remember, this is a job, not an identity (nobody wants to hear that, especially not rookies). Work hard to find some balance in life. Police work entails a lot of negativity. Negativity is contagious. Try not to catch it. Remember that all you can control in life is your professionalism and your integrity. Don't waste time trying to change anyone else. Keep your expectations realistic. You may love the job, but it won't love you back. Most importantly, know the difference between your work family and your real family. Your work family can (and will) be fickle. If you treat your real family with respect, they'll be there when the job isn't. 

Thanks for giving me this opportunity.

MARK: Ellen, thank you for joining us here on Hook’em & Book’em.

*******

Author and writer, Ellen Kirschman, MSW, PhD, has been a police and public safety psychologist for over 30 years. Ellen’s work with first responders has taken her to four countries and 22 states. After giving up her private practice, Ellen spends her time writing, teaching, and volunteering as a clinician at the West Cost Post Trauma Retreat for first responders. Her first book, I Love a Cop: What Police Families Need to Know, has sold more than 100,000 copies. Her next book, I Love a Fire Fighter: What the Family Needs to Know was penned after the tragic events of 9/11. Her next non-fiction book, published this year, was Counseling Cops: What Clinicians Need to Know, the third in the ‘Need to Know’ series. Just released, Burying Ben, is her first foray into the fiction world of writing.

Ellen lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, a photographer and a retired remodeling contractor. In their spare time, Ellen and her husband enjoy hiking, traveling, and cooking. Find out more about Ellen at her web site at www.ellenkirschman.com.

Encouragement for Writers

Kind Words Never Kill Dreams

Rejection brings one of those gut-wrenching emotions to every writer trudging down that path toward publication. Every writer struggling to achieve some level of literary success—whether to publish an article, a book, or a novel—will encounter that punch-in-the-stomach rejection.

It is time to take a break from rejection. Take a deep breath and bear with me for a moment.

I want writers and readers to take a respite from crime, cops, mysteries, and publishing chaos. It is time to take a mental health moment. Time to step away from everything and everyone in order to regain some level of sanity. You need occasional moments like this, writers, if you have faithfully pursued your writing craft.

Think back on when you last received a word of encouragement. Think hard.

Such a moment came to me a few weeks ago. And I came away from that experience with a suggestion that might help you endure those nasty rejections.

A well-know author sent an unsolicited email a few weeks ago after I posted an interview regarding that novelist’s work. The writer was very kind and expressed appreciation for the article. This person closed with words of encouragement about my writing. Those words lifted me for a moment. The day seemed a little more alive, a little brighter because of those few words.

I bring this up for a reason. So often writers are hit with rejections from many quarters—editors, agents, publishers, even other writers. This just comes with the territory. Most writers learn to develop thick skins, to learn from constructive criticism, and allow other critical barbs to bounce off their toughening epidermis. However, writers are not always successful. Sometimes they let those verbal or written jabs fester like wood slivers under the skin. If not exorcised, the impact of these rejections will fester until a writer’s ability to move forward is compromised. Then, the writer succumbs to this disease called rejection.

Letters of rejection become symbolic badges of courage for many writers, tangible proof that the literary world fails to see another literary opportunity before their eyes. Not that rejection is totally without some redeeming qualities. Occasional gems of criticism are lodged between these pages of standard rejections, comments that might be useful to the writer in the future if taken to heart.

.

Many writers keep a file of these rejections. The reason to documenting this swelling number of rejections might seem odd to normal folk, but there are some advantages to keeping a record of failures.

Many writers may keep such a file because they believe someday their dream will come true. A writer’s daily pilgrimage to the mailbox may someday be rewarded by a book contract, stuffed inside a thick envelope. Or, they might find a letter from an agent, desperate to represent the next John Verdon or Seig Larrson. Then these letters of rejections will become a writer’s proof that they paid the price, their tangible evidence of a  painful pilgrimage to the altar of publication. They will be able to pull out these rejection letters with relish, turn to another writer, and say: “See, they just did not understand what I was trying to do here."

Rejection letters can be used to give comfort to others. One well-known author knew I was upset by a rejection.  The published author pulled out his own rejection letter from the same person who turned me down.  His rejection letter stated his work was just not compatible with today’s market. The author persevered anyway, and published many, many novels in that genre. In a strange way, sharing his rejection gave me encouragement.

The sheer number of rejections that any writer faces in their fight to be published can be staggering. Unfortunately, the publishing industry is also struggling to survive. As a result of that struggle, they are even less inclined to take chances on new, untested writers. The chances of succeeding in this industry—to some writers—seem overwhelming.

This is why I wanted to take a mental health moment and offer a suggestion.

These words of encouragement I received a few weeks ago stayed with me. Writers use rejection to spur their resolve to prove everyone wrong. I think a more positive way to approach this struggle is for writers to use these moments of encouragement as a way to boost their resolve. To give themselves a mental pick-me-up when things seems on the downturn. Try to focus just as much on the positive as the negative. Think back on those moments when someone gave you a word of encouragement. Do you remember how you felt? Did you record these moments as faithfully as you did your rejections?

Here is my suggestion:

Start a file and keep every documented shred of encouragement that comes your way. Label your file “Encouragement” and put it right next to your rejection file. Before long, I bet this encouragement file will be thicker than your rejections. This might help put everything in perspective. Pull out those encouragements when you need a boost.

Take a moment and think about those words of encouragement that comes your way. From your spouse or best friend. Maybe you went to a writer’s conference and showed your work to agents, publisher authors, and publishers. Someone in that crowd is bound to give you a word of encouragement. Document it and file it away. You might even return that encouragement. Send a note to the encourager telling them what their kind words meant to you. Pass on a kind word to those aspiring novelists you see on blogs, at conferences or in your own community.

Harsh words may kill a writer's dream. Kind words will keep those dreams alive.

I don’t mean to get all touchy/feely here. I know some of you know I was born and raised in California. And—like my U.S. Marine Corp drill instructor—many people think everyone from that sunny state are a bunch of sissies (Obviously, I cleaned up what my sergeant really said). But writing is a tough job and it not for sissies. You have to develop a certain toughness to keep plugging away, day after day, without seeing success in the near future. Even gun-ho marines take time to step back and get a perspective on things. Writer need to do the same.

So, pull out that file when your days get dark and the blank page is staring back at you without blinking. When your next letter of rejection lands in your mailbox. Take a look at all those words of encouragement.

Then, get back to writing.

Q4U: When was the last time you received a word of encouragement about your writing?

Q&A: Criminal Minds

Getting Inside a Criminal’s Mind

One of our readers wants to know about criminals. What makes them tick? How can a writer get inside a killer’s mind? So today— try to think and feel like a crook.

One cautionary note: I'm not a lawyer or a psychiatrist (although some people think I need the services of both sometimes). My comments are not to be construed to be the letter of the law or heartily approved by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. These answers are based upon twenty-six years in law enforcement; six years covering the police beat as a journalist; and, hopefully, a tad of common sense. To risk a cliché, take my comments with a grain of salt. 

So here goes…

Julia asks …I am a (novice) writer and want to include intrigue in my novels since that is what I enjoy reading and I don't believe you should write what you wouldn't read. One issue I have when writing the villain is the "why" to his (or her) concentration on the hero (or heroine). Having never personally dealt with a stalker or murderer I would love to gain insight into why criminals, who are after one single object, don't just give up. Why do they continue until it becomes lethal to those that get in their way, or to themselves? Why isn't life more important to them than material objects? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

MARK: Welcome to the writing community, Julia. All of us in this unique community of writers struggle to understand our characters’ motivations, to understand both the surface and deep character of each individual. You’re on the right track.

Killers, stalkers and other criminal minds fill our mystery stories with tension, conflict and danger. We need these rascals, otherwise the lives of our good guys might seem a little bland. How do we try to understand the criminal mind? What motivates a bad guy to be bad?

First, we need to understand that every character is not all bad or all good. Otherwise, our character would lack believability. But there is something special about bad guys. Sol Stein’s books, Stein on Writing has a chapter on characterization titled “Competing with God: Making Fascinating People.” Regarding villains, he writes:

In life, villains do not uncurl whips and snarl. They seem like normal human beings. But normal humans are not villains. What distinguishes the true villain is not just the degree to which he hides his villainy under an attractive patina to snare his victims, but his contact with evil. There is no social solution to the true villain’s villainy, he cannot be reeducated and become a nice guy. His villainy is an ineradicable part of his nature.

Just before I left law enforcement a few years ago, I had an opportunity to sit down with two killers and talk about their past. One killer—I’ll call him Frank—was a ranking prison gang leader who’d killed many times over the years. The other killer—Fred—killed once; a brutal, planned-out, killing carried out without any remorse. Both men were doing life without the possibility of parole.

Here are just three of the  things I learned from talking to these two killers:

First, both men lacked true feelings. Frank was very charismatic, good looking, and extremely strong. Fred, my second killer, was a skinny, wimpy whiner. At first glance, Frank and Fred shared nothing in common. But I began to see they did share something when I looked into their eyes. There was no emotion, no feelings emanating from those windows into their souls. It was like looking into the eyes of a shark.

Secondly, I grasped an understanding that both men were not wired like us. Those normal feelings we all share—warmth, love, even hate—seemed foreign concepts to Frank and Fred. I watched as both men studied me. I realized they were trying to understand how a normal person should act. Then, they tried to emulate those reactions during our conversations. Frank’s and Fred’s contact with evil  seemed to have scarred their ability to relate to others in a human way. Only God knows when these men united with evil. Right and wrong seemed alien to these guys. Only survival mattered.

The third thing I learned: Both men enjoyed killing. They drew a certain level of satisfaction from killing others. I saw it in the way they talked about these brutal acts, the mechanics of how they butchered other men. This act handed down from Cain gave them purpose, a sense of power. Killing was just a means to an end. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Not all bad guys need to be this warped in your story to be believable. But the truly evil ones walk a different path than the rest of us. I must admit, Frank was the person who interested me the most. He was articulate, intelligent, and well organized. He was engaging, and—a point I found fascinating—women seemed attracted to him. He’ll make a really good bad guy in one of my novels someday. But I would never introduce him to my sister. And Fred—he’ll end up in a novel as a character that no one likes—evil, whiny, and sniveling. It will be hard to make Fred likable.

So, how do writers get inside a killer? How do you make your reader believe this evil character is real? You must taste and feel what motivates these villains.

Novelist Brandilyn Collin wrote Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets A Novelist Can Learn From Actors to help writers crawl inside the skin of their characters. Like actors, novelists must make their audience suspend belief and believe the character emanating from that page. Collins paraphrased interaction between Richard Boleslavsky, a director of the Moscow Art Theater, and a young actress documented in that director’s book, Acting: The First Six Lessons. Collins writes:

The young actress asks, “Suppose I don’t find a similar feeling in my life’s experience, what then?” Boleslavsky replies that anyone who has lived a normal existence has experienced to some extent all the emotions of mankind. The woman challenges him. Surely this can’t be true. What if she must play a murderer? She has certainly never murdered anyone or even felt the slightest desire to do so. Hogwash, replies Boleslavsky (Collin’s paraphrase). Ever been camping when mosquitoes were around? he asks. Ever follow one with your eyes and ears, your hate spurring you on, until you killed it? The actress admits that she has. “A good, sensitive artist doesn’t need any more than that to play Othello and Desdemona’s final scene,” Boleslavsky declares.

You, too, can get into the mind of a murderer.  Just amplify that feeling until you’re one with a killer.

Now, where is that insect repellant? A mosquito just buzzed and my killer instinct kicked in. And I think I can use these feelings in my next chapter.