BookHuntersBlog.com

On Writing

AllTheseBooks.com: Did you study the craft of writing or dive right into it?

Gregg Olsen: I have a degree in Journalism, which dovetailed nicely with my true crime writing career. I probably should have taking more writing courses offered by the university, but I was interested in getting a paying job at the time. I never imagined a career as a novelist.

ATB: What do you think about the future of books with all the new technology coming out (like Kindle and foldable screens)?

GO: I love the look and feel of a real book, don’t you? Honestly, can you really curl up with a Kindle? Take it in the bath tub (ok, I know that’s a no-no with a book, but we all do!). I hope new technology brings more readers, of course, but the wake some people are having for the printed book is premature.

ATB: How difficult was the publishing process for you?

GO: The only difficult part is keeping focused and persevering when you hit the inevitable stumbling blocks. I never thought it would be easy, so when I hit roadblocks, I just kept going.

ATB: How much of your own promotion do you do?

GO: Most of it. The advantage here, at least for me, is that much of what I’ve done has been in the nonfiction world. That translates readily into news coverage. I’ve been on every interview show you can name, and I’ve done so because I’ve had a news hook that made me a viable guest. With fiction, of course, it is different. Unless you are a superstar author you can forget being on TV. I’m always looking for ways to tie my nonfiction work to my fiction.

ATB: Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

GO: Yes. Never give up. That’s the key. If you are a writer you are blessed and cursed at the same time. It is who you are. Not everyone can make a fulltime living writing, but that shouldn’t stop you from expressing yourself and persevering. Also, write every single day. No exceptions. It is who you are and what you do.

ATB: What are your future plans?

GO: I trying to keep the mix of nonfiction and fiction going. I have a true crime coming out next year from St. Martins. And I just signed a contract for three more thrillers with Kensington.

ATB: How do you juggle writing with the rest of your life?

GO: That can be a real challenge. I think a lot of writers get sucked into the screen all day long. If I ever forget that I’m a husband, father, friend, son, etc., the people in my life would tell me about it (and they have). Look, nothing is more important than the relationships with have with the people in my life.

ATB: Do you have any methods or rituals to your writing?

GO: Yes, when I’m writing I have a goal of 1,000 words a day. Once I hit that number, I stop. Seems easy, right? I’m hoping for 1,000 “good” words.

ATB: How do you find inspiration?

GO: My inspiration is the book contract. That’s all I need.

On Writing Fiction vs. True Crime

ATB: Do you like the freedom of writing fiction as opposed to having to “stick to the facts” in writing true crime?

GO: Fiction has been a joy, to be sure. I love how the story can evolve in ways that I choose, and not because of the specific trajectory of a crime (that must be followed with precision).

ATB: What made you decide to branch out into fiction?

GO: It was just something I wanted to try, but didn’t know if I could do it. I’ve always thought of myself as a journalist who writes in book form, not an author.

ATB: Which genre do you think is more competitive?

GO: Fiction, of course. But then again, there are far more readers for novels than nonfiction. I’m happy to be well known in one genre and hope that I’ll be able to find my way in the other. Only time will tell.

ATB: Did being from Washington State, home of several infamous serial killers, spark your interest in crime?

GO: I think it wasn’t the killers so much, but the writers. The late great Jack Olsen is from here, as is Ann Rule. With those two chronicling the dark and dangerous world of true crime, you couldn’t help but be captivated by the genre.

ATB: Did the popularity of shows like “CSI” have any impact on your sales numbers?

GO: I think TV, in general, has harmed true crime sales. I’m not sure about fiction. But look at it this way, with cable TV chewing up the latest crime night after night, it seems that some interesting – book worthy – cases are way overexposed. Before the cable crime explosion, books gave the back story, and I think, did a better job of portraying the truth of a crime. Most of the great crime books came out AFTER the perp was convicted. That meant a more balanced job of sifting through the facts.

ATB: Pick one: CSI or First 48

GO: First 48, although I do think Marg Helgenberger is hot. Doesn’t everyone?

Thank you very much for this opportunity. Best of luck for the future!

For more information, visit Gregg Olsen’s Profile and read Mary’s review of A COLD DARK PLACE.