Writer's Block Wednesday: What I Learned at Court

For those of you who follow me on Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, know that I've spent the last couple of days serving on a jury. It was a criminal case, a drug dealer on Chicago's west side, and although it was extremely disruptive to take off work for so long, I did find the whole experience rather intriguing. I learned a lot about how our legal system works (or sometimes doesn't work), procedures cops must follow when apprehending a suspect, and really how hard it is to convict someone of a crime. All of this information, all of the details I experienced during my two days, could be used in a novel.

Though most of our research is done via the internet, nothing compares to the authority of personal experience. I can go on Google Earth and look at an aerial photo of a neighborhood, but it's not the same as growing up on that block. I truly believe the best research is active research, where you are experiencing something first hand rather than reading an account of it on your computer.

So, should all crime writers stand on the most violent corner to witness crime first hand? Should romance writers attempt to get involved with an unattainable man and overcome obstacles where love triumphs in the end? Of course not. We write fiction because it's more interesting than anything we've experienced. But there are small things we can do to research and bring more authenticity to our novels.

Talk to People. Say you're writing a police procedural or some novel involving a cop. Do not write a single word of dialogue before talking to a couple police officers. Cops have a different way of speaking, a specific way of saying things, and it's necessary to capture that on the page. Is one of your characters a lawyer? An ER nurse? Talking with people in these professions will give you insight into their daily lives, which you will bring into your book.

Explore the City. Most of us are perfectly content to stay in our house for days on end writing and not seeing the light of day. But if you're writing about people and places, you need to get out and experience them. I find driving or biking through different neighborhoods gets the creative juices flowing. If you know what certain neighborhoods look like first hand, your knowledge will shine through in your writing. You don't have to visit every location in your book, that takes too long. But if you're writing about a neighborhood you've never been to before, it's probably worth a trip.

Try Something New. Do you know what it feels like to hold a gun? To dig a ditch? To ride in a helicopter? Trying a few of these things can also help bring authenticity to your book. Again, you don't have to experience everything you write about, that's why they call it fiction. But if you have one or two new experiences a year, you'll eventually build a large stash of knowledge. Visit a shooting range (or in some states, Wal-Mart) and ask to hold a gun. Go on a helicopter ride. Even something as small as swimming in the ocean can serve as important research.

With all of these suggestions, comes a warning: Research is fun, sometimes more fun than writing. Don't get so caught up in the research that you use it as a way to push the writing aside. Remember your goal is to write a novel, a good novel, and while research is necessary, it does not take the place of writing.

Must-See Monday

Stop by The Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia) on Wednesday, November 11th for Funny Ha-Ha, the monthly comedy and reading series hosted by Claire Zulkey. This month's guests include Tribune critic Maureen Ryan, The Onion's A.V. Club, novelist Kevin Guilfoile, and filmmaker Steve Delahoyde.

Also on Wednesday, Time Out Chicago Kid's editor Judy Sutton-Taylor, reads from her contribution to P.S.:WHAT I DIDN'T SAY, a collection of unsent letters written by women to their friends. Stop by the Book Cellar at 7pm to hear readings from the anthology.

Feel like a road trip this weekend? Head up to Wisconsin for Murder and Mayhem in Muskego. This great library event features appearances by Marcus Sakey, Jamie Freveletti, Andrew Grant, Tasha Alexander, Michael Koryta, Sean Chercover and...who else...oh yeah, myself! Sign up for the Friday evening cocktail reception where I'll be interviewing Freveletti, Alexander, Grant and Koryta and stay Saturday for a long lineup of authors.

Weekend Reading

This weekend, I hope to read CHRONIC CITY by Jonathan Lethem, which was recently chosen for Indie Next List. For this book, he moves the setting to Manhattan, but hopefully it will be just as gripping as MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN.

Another one in my To Be Read pile is Martin Limon's G.I. BONES. Part of the Sueno/Bascom series, this military novel is set during 1970's Korea. Limon is a master at setting the scene and transporting readers into his world. If you're not familiar with the series, I encourage you to start from the beginning with JADE LADY BURNING.

If you're a sports fan or a history buff, pick up Mike Bohn's HEROES AND BALLYHOO: How the Golden Age of the 1920s Transformed American Sports. This nonfiction book profiles the great American sports heroes of that era , including Babe Ruth, Red Grange, and Bobby Jones. He goes further to explore those behind the scenes: sports writers, press agents, etc. Bohn is a knowledgeable storyteller and his book is a fascinating read.

In Lieu of Real Content...

Because of work and some family obligations, I don't have time to blog today. Instead, I refer you to some of my colleagues, all of whom have some very helpful writing tips:

• J.A. Konrath continues his e-book observations
• Marcus Sakey discusses his favorite writing words of wisdom
• Tess Gerritsen analyzes her audience
• Agent Michelle Wolfson discusses the benefits of Twitter
• Lynne Patrick lists the reasons why publishers don't offer feedback on submissions

Enjoy!

Must-See Monday

Lots of big name authors are coming to Chicago this week, most as a part of the Chicago Humanities Festival. I've picked my favorites, but visit their website to get the full lineup.

Stop by Sheffields (3258 N. Sheffield) on Wednesday, November 4th for the monthly reading series RUI: Reading Under the Influence. This month's theme is "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes" and features Chicago authors Kathie Bergquist and Geoff Hyatt.

Also on Wednesday at 7pm, the talented John Connolly reads from and signs his latest novel THE GATES at the Albany Park Borders (6103 N. Lincoln).

University of Illinois's literary magazine Ninth Letter celebrates the release of their latest issue at 57th St. Books (1301 E. 57th) on Thursday, November 5th at 6pm.

Head up north for another lit mag launch on Friday, November 6th. Fifth Wednesday Journal celebrates the release of their fall issue at Book Cellar (4736 N. Lincoln) at 7pm.

Also on Friday, Margaret Atwood reads from her latest novel, THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD at the Merle Reskin theatre (60 E. Balbo) at 7:30pm. Her novel is a follow up to ORYX AND CRAKE. Tickets are $20 for the public and $10 for DePaul students.

Sunday, November 8th at 12:00pm, radio host Victoria Laufman interviews bestselling author Jonathan Lethem at the Art Institute (111 S. Michigan) in the Fullerton auditorium. Tickets are $5, but Lethem fans will agree with me, it's totally worth it.

Halloween Weekend Reading

When I think of Halloween reads, I immediately think of Anne Rice. If you enjoy vampire tales, try INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE or THE VAMPIRE LESTAT. If you prefer witches, try any of the books in the Witches of Mayfair series.

For contemporary paranormal, try Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series, inspiration for the hit show True Blood. Probably best to start at the beginning with DEAD UNTIL DARK.

If you want a non-paranormal Halloween read, pick up Ray Bradbury's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. The psychological horror story takes place in small-town Illinois one week before Halloween when an eerie Carnival rolls into town and begins to destroy the lives of everyone who participates in its attractions.

Lastly, what Halloween would be complete without the Horror-master himself, Stephen King? My favorites include THE TOMMYKNOCKERS, IT, and THE SHINING even though they all kept me up for days.

Writer's Block Wednesday: The Blurb Revealed

What's one thing writers hate and editors will always require? Asking for blurbs. Those little snippets on the back of books from New York Times bestselling authors and prominent book critics. They rave about the characters, claim the book kept them up all night, and praise the exceptional prose. A great blurb can give a lesser known book a boost and being paired with a NYT bestselling author in Amazon searches always helps. But are blurbs really accurate recommendations?

Well known authors can receive as many as ten manuscripts a day from authors requesting blurbs. Many of them, in the interest of helping fellow writers, will try and read as many as they can, but obviously, can't get to them all. Others will blurb based on the back cover and first 50 pages. Some will give an okay book an exceptional blurb by finding one or two things the author did really well.

The blurbs are not mean to deceive readers, but to help writers. However, if you pick up a book because your favorite author blurbbed it and the book was bad, does it make you feel different about your favorite author?

After years of reviewing and spending a lot of time with authors, I've learned that there are four types of blurbers:

1. The Blurb Whore - This is the big name author whose stamp of approval seems to be on every single new release, whether it be a crime fiction novel or a low-carb cookbook.
2. The Fair blurber - This author will blurb a fair amount of books, but only ones they honestly enjoyed.
3. The Newbie - This is the recently published author who is so flattered when approached by authors for blurbs, they feel obligated to provide one, even if they didn't enjoy the book.
4. The Coveted Blurb - This is a blurb from an author who never blurbs anything, and if s/he said something wonderful about your book, it must be amazing.

As a reader, you learn to identify the difference, and the blurb whores will soon lose credibility. A book with a coveted blurb may rise to the top of your list and a blurb from a newbie author may have no affect at all. As an author, it's important to identify a big name author who will enjoy your book and who doesn't dole out blurbs by the dozens. You can go after the coveted blurb, it may pay off, but it's risky and time consuming.

Lastly, there's the issue of conflict of interest. Can an editors ask one of their big name authors to blurb a book by one of their lesser-knowns? Can an agent? Would people outside of the industry notice?

I think now, with Amazon reviews and book bloggers, blurbs aren't playing as much of a part in book buying. Most people will consider reviews and friend recommendations rather than solely relying on a blurb to tell them whether a book is good or not. But looking at all the implications of a blurb and all the outside factors, it's impossible to say without a doubt that the quotes on the back of the book are accurate recommendations.