Gas in the tank

Would you ever consider retiring from writing? Under what circumstances? How does it make you feel to consider retiring?

by Dietrich

Retirement was the reward that came after decades spent working at my career. Meaning, from that point on, I had time to turn my attention to what I really wanted to do. And I’ve got no idea what you’d call giving up on that.

While I ran a business, I dabbled at writing fiction now and then over the years, abandoning a couple of attempts at a novel, now and then trying my hand at short stories and screenplays. I wrote in snatches of time, often at the end of a long day. I didn’t know it then, but I never put in the kind of time needed to really develop a style. What I had was desire, and when I retired, I was finally able to put in all the time I wanted, and I didn’t hold back.

“You have to put off being young until you can retire.”  

I’m not sure who said that, but it’s true. After leaving the career, I’ve always felt fully charged, getting to do something that I love, something that has never felt like work. Since day one, I’ve been getting up every morning, sitting at my desk and getting back into whatever make-believe world I’ve created, seeing where it will take me on that day — and nothing beats that.

Back when I started, I often wrote morning till evening. These days, I tend to write for a few hours at a stretch, occasionally going longer. I spend less time writing, but I do a lot less rewriting, so in the end I actually get more accomplished in less time. After the first year of writing all day and into the evening, I became aware of the need for balance, allowing time for the batteries to recharge, meaning there was also more time for family, friends, commitments and other interests.

Writing is a mental exercise. Physically, we show up, plop in our chairs, and move our fingers. How hard is that really? While we’re not exactly pro athletes, it’s good to stay in shape in order to keep sharp. Unlike the middle-age pitcher whose fastball isn’t so fast anymore, many writers actually seem to get better with age, as long as we take care of ourselves. 

If the time comes and I feel that the mental well is drying up and I’m turning out rubbish, then I hope I’ll have the good sense to pack it in, or that someone will come along and pull the plug … I mean on my Mac. But, for right now, it’s all good fun, and as long as the ideas keep flowing, then I’ll keep on writing.

Released June 7th, 2022

Go by the gut

Do you think about craft while you are writing? (how to construct good characters, settings, plot) Or do you just let her rip and worry about that “later?”

by Dietrich

I don’t think about craft as I write, I just let it happen. If it feels right, it goes on the page. There’s always the next draft to catch what seems wrong or isn’t worth keeping, and I often chuck things out and add in better parts. The first draft usually runs a hundred pages or so, then by the time the second draft’s done, it’s more than doubled. And it grows with every pass. I never know until I get to the last page whether it needs more work. And I’ve learned when it’s done and not to overwork it.

Craft is the part that got me to the starting point where I felt I could let the creativity loose. I read some books on the subject, two of which I recommended a couple of posts back, and then there was some trial and error, and some instinct. Some of what I gathered seeped in by reading the works of great writers. One part that needed plenty of attention when I started was my rusty grammar. It had slipped from the time I left school to the time I actually started writing. So, I got a stack texts on the subject and studied until my eyes crossed. It was a great exercise and it came in handy. Now my subjects and verbs tend to agree; I know the difference between effect and affect, and I can spot a dangling modifier from a page away. Although the exercise did leave me wondering why the language mavens haven’t come up with a pronoun for when we don’t know if a person is male or female – we can’t just keep calling them ‘they’ or when there’s just one of them, can we?

The funny thing is I often toss the rule book of language right out the window and err on the side of what sounds right for the story; let’s call it style. Sometimes when I reread a page, there’s barely a grammar rule to be found. I let my characters speak in their own words, and I can tell you most of those marginals never studied grammar at all.

On constructing characters: Well, I come up with an idea for a scene or story and drop in the kind of character I’d like to see in the situation. Then over the course of the writing I get to know them, or rather I let them show me who they are. I don’t guide them, I let their nature do that, and that comes out as the story progresses. And by the time I’ve got a first or second draft, the characters seem pretty authentic and real.

The setting comes that way too. I think of a scene and then I come up with the best time and place for the situation, and the story builds by scene to scene.

Plot isn’t plotted, not in my house. I let my instinct take care of that too.

Do you just let her rip and worry about that “later?” Once I gained some confidence, a style or voice developed. I came to know my strengths and weaknesses, like when something isn’t working and has to to taken out, and I’ve come to know when a story is finished, and it’s time to stop polishing it. So, yes, these days I just let ‘er rip.

Behind the scenes

Writing is a lonely pursuit but the community is strong and supportive. There are many unsung acts of kindness and generosity going on behind the scenes. Tell us who has mentored you in your writing career or gone above and beyond to help you get a leg up in the business.

by Dietrich

Solo maybe, but never lonely.

I first noticed the generosity of the writing community soon after I signed the contract for my first novel. Months before the book was released I traveled to Albany to my first Bouchercon. My publisher Jack David recommended that I check it out, then arranged for me to catch a ride from Toronto with Canadian author John McFetridge, a guy I hadn’t met, but a crime- fiction author who I’d been reading for years, one of Canada’s best in my opinion. Needless to say, I was thrilled to go on that road trip. We got along really well, had a lot of common interests, and I learned a lot about the industry from John on that drive. At the conference, I met a lot of other authors and folks in the business, along with many avid readers. And right out of the gate, I was taken by the sense of community and the level of support writers had for each other. As a matter of fact, a couple of the writers I met there write or have written on this blog.

Two years after that one, publisher Jack piled a van full of ECW authors, John McFetridge among them, and we drove from Toronto to Bouchercon in North Carolina. Over a dozen hours on the road one way, we arrived in the wee hours. During the next few days, I again noticed the camaraderie and support of the writing community.

After the first book came out, I attended many writing events and book launches and festivals. I met a lot of writers, and I picked up some tips by watching pros like William Deverell and Owen Laukkanen entertain audiences at their book launches.

“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” — Ernest Hemingway

After catching the event-bug, I started organizing Noir at the Bar events here in Vancouver. I really didn’t have a clue about what I was doing at first, I just wanted to see it happen, and I was pleased that authors were eager to sign up and even more pleased with the great turnouts that these events have had over the years. And I need to mention the great deal of support from one of my favorite local bookshops, White Dwarf/DeadWrite Books. The owners, Walter and Jill, have been at every event, bringing and selling books for all the authors that have taken part since the first one back in 2014.

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”

— Richard Bach 

Every great writer I’ve ever read over the years has been a mentor. Their words continue to inspire me and make me want to do better. Then there’s Jack and everybody at ECW Press who have worked on one aspect or another of my stories, and there’s Emily Schultz who’s been my editor through eight novels to date, and she’s so good at what she does – a great author too.

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” — Louis L’Amour

Every writer knows what it takes to put out a finished work, so it’s a good thing writers tend to be supportive of each other – funny way to behave really since we’re all competitors too.

One word at a time

What advice would you offer a new writer wanting to get their first novel published in today’s highly competitive publishing environment?

by Dietrich

We all have different habits and routines that help get it done. If you’re new to writing, it may help to read a couple of how-to books like Stephen King’s On Writing, or Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing. And listen to those who have been at it for a while. Check out associations like The Author’s Guild, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Canada. Some offer directories, workshops, seminars, events and conferences where you can connect with your tribe.  

Listening to writers at talks and panel discussions can be a big help. Most of the writers I’ve met along the way are generous with helpful advice and support, willing to share their experiences and point a new writer in the right direction. Then take everything you hear and adapt what works best for you.

Look up writer events like ’Noir at the Bar’ in your town, find out who organizes them and try and get in the lineup. It’s a chance to read your work in front of other writers and a receptive crowd.

Be patient. Don’t be anxious to get a story published before it’s time. Write for the simple joy of getting lost in the worlds and characters you create. Write as often as you can, develop a voice and a style that just flows out of you. Get lost in it, block out the real world and all the white noise. Find your way into it every time you sit down to write.

“Abandon the idea that you are ever going to finish. Lose track of the 400 pages and write just one page for each day. It helps.” — John Steinbeck

“If I started to wait for moments of inspiration, I would never finish a book. Inspiration for me comes from a regular effort.” — Mario Vargas Llosa

When you have a first draft complete, step back from it. Take a break, and then look at it with fresh eyes. This way it’s easier to spot things that need to be reworked, parts that should come out, or something new you want to include.

Read what inspires you to write. Read a lot.

“You cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you.” — Stephen King

Avoid all things negative. Anything that drags you down will mess up the creative flow, get you second-guessing yourself and keep you from writing at your best.

“Every great or even every very good writer makes the world over according to his own specifications. It’s akin to style, what I’m talking about, but it isn’t style alone. It is the writer’s particular and unmistakable signature on everything he writes. It is his world and no other. This is one of the things that distinguishes one writer from another. Not talent. There’s plenty of that around. But a writer who has some special way of looking at things and who gives artistic expression to that way of looking: that writer may be around for a time.” — Raymond Carver

Don’t submit a story until it’s really ready. Don’t rush because you’re dying to get something into print. It’s more important to find your voice and work on a style all your own. Polish your story and make it as tight as you can before letting anybody see it.

Don’t try to write a best seller. You can’t force something like that, plus there’s no magic formula to writing one. Don’t try to sound like anybody else, just write from the heart and put out the best book you can. Write it for yourself.

Heard any good books lately?

If you listen to audiobooks, how do you find they compare to old-fashioned reading, as far as absorbing the content? What are the pros and cons of each? If you don’t listen to audiobooks, why not?

by Dietrich Kalteis

Comprehension between reading and listening to a novel seems to be on a par. The story comes to life either way, but given a choice, I’d rather settle down in a favorite chair and read the novel. I’m not as likely to sit at home and listen to an audiobook, but they are great when I’m on the road or doing something where I can’t physically read a book. 

There was that time I was driving on the 401 and passing another car on a straightaway. My fellow motorist had the cruise control set, doing the speed limit while holding a novel open against the steering wheel. It must have been one of those books you just can’t put down. For me, listening to an audiobook while traveling at highway speeds would be the better way to go. Maybe I suck at multitasking, but to my mind playing an audiobook rather than reading while in motion means I’ll get more enjoyment out of the novel, and I’m far more likely to arrive at my destination.

Choosing between an audiobook or a book also depends on the type of book and the subject matter. If it’s heavy reading, I might want to reread parts or even take notes, which makes sitting with the book and giving it my full attention a better choice.

I heard somebody say audiobooks were a kind of cheat, figuring the listener gets some undeserved reward for listening instead of putting in the work of reading the book. I’ve never thought of reading as work, and I don’t think I deserve a gold star because there’s some extra step in decoding the written word.

When I’m on a flight or train trip, sitting back and listening to an audiobook or reading an ebook are better choices than lugging along printed copies, which tend to make the suitcase feel like it’s filled with cinderblocks.

The first thing that hooks me when I’m reading a novel is the author’s voice, and when I’m listening to an audiobook it’s the narrator’s voice reading the author’s words. If the narrator’s voice matches the rhythm of the author’s written words then it’s fantastic. Over the years I’ve listened to most of Elmore Leonard’s audiobooks, and nobody did a better job narrating them than Frank Muller. His voice was perfect for the rhythm of Elmore’s stories. And I loved Robert Forster reading Mr. Paradise. Just another perfect match.

When I read a novel I imagine the characters, I get transported somewhere else, the story builds in my mind, and the whole thing comes to life. Getting lost in a good book is like watching the film in my head. So, when somebody narrates the story, his or her voice replaces my own, so they have be the right articulator and nail the story’s pace and cadence.

Actors tend to make great audiobook narrators — all that voice training and getting into character — they just knows what to bring to the party. Just listen to Samuel L. Jackson reading Adam Mansbach’s children’s book for adults Go the Fuck to Sleep, or check out William Golding’s The Spire, read by Benedict Cumberbatch. Or Kathryn Stockett’s The Help narrated by Jenna Lamia, Bahni Turpin, Octavia Spenser and Cassandra Campbell. Or Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman read by Reese Witherspoon. 

And comedians reading their own books make a great argument for the audiobook. Just check out Kevin Hart reading I Can’t Make This Up. Or if you’re a Lewis Black fan, check out the audiobook of Me of Little Faith. Then there’s George Carlin reading his book Brain Droppings, or Joan Rivers reading Diary of a Mad Diva. All hilarious and all well done.

So, it’s not so much about choosing between reading the book or listening to the audiobook. It depends on when and where and who’s doing the narrating. For me, there’s definitely a time and place for both.