· Down the Rabbit Hole · I've traveled down many rabbit holes before completing a first draft of a book. The trip down the black hole always begins innocently enough, with nothing but good intentions: I believe I need to get enough useful background on a topic before I can start the story. But there are inherent risks in entering a rabbit hole. Once you start on the path, it can become disorienting, deranging, and difficult to turn around. In my research on the Guna tribe of Panama, … [Read more...] about A Writer’s Rabbit Hole
Archives for July 2017
Research in Writing
· Read and Travel · If you write fiction, have you created a place for your characters to hang out? Writing is a combination of reading, travel, and imagination. Research and fact-checking are crucial. If you've used a travel guide or app, then your readers depend on you, the writer, to be accurate with locations and recommendations. If you write non-fiction, then consider the impact on others if they follow your advice about exotic tours, five-star restaurants, and comfortable … [Read more...] about Research in Writing
My Darkest Chapter
· Death and Dying · Whether it's non-fiction, memoir or fiction, for me, writing about death is the ultimate mood swing. Having a dark chapter (or two) gives the reader a taste of the highs and lows of life. Without the lows, the highs aren't as high. In Cop in the Classroom, I recall a couple of on-duty deaths that just tore me up inside. I expose the reader to my pain while attempting to answer a student's serious question. Here is the introduction to one death in a chapter titled: … [Read more...] about My Darkest Chapter
Writing A Memoir
· Getting Started · First, I decided to write about my career in law enforcement. In the beginning of my process, I thought about making it a "How to" manual for becoming a cop. I'd tell about my wife spotting the job opening in our local newspaper's want ads; I'd inform the reader about the application and interview phase, me getting hired, and going to the police academy. Then I'd explore the multitude of types of cases a police officer investigates, from writing traffic tickets to … [Read more...] about Writing A Memoir