Writers' Rituals - Peter May

The Mysterious Writing Habits of the World's Top Crime Writers

Oct 14, 2008 Janice Hally

Writing a novel requires an idea, the right words, and something extra. Mystery writer Peter May shares the secrets of his approach to writing, from idea to execution.

Are writers obsessive-compulsive? Overly superstitious? Or do habits and rituals provide security for writers who never know where the next idea, or the words to write it, will come from?

Searching for clues to the secrets of writing, Suite 101 has an exclusive interview with Peter May author of the award-winning China Thrillers series and the critically-acclaimed Enzo Files series.

Q: How much research and plotting do you do before you're ready to write a book?

A: I spend 4 to 5 months researching and developing the plot, followed by a brainstorming week to develop a 20,000 word synopsis on which I then base the book.

Q: What hours do you devote to your writing and what time of day do you prefer to write?

A: I get up at 6am and write 3000 words a day - regardless of how many hours it takes

Q: Do you take breaks, and if so, what do you do during them?

A: I drink a lot of tea, so I take lots of toilet breaks! I also take an hour's break before lunch to work out at the gymn.

Q: Where do you write?

A: In my private study in the 19th century stone farmhouse in the heart of rural France where I now live.

Q: What do you write with?

A: I write on computer, and have done since I bought my first Apple II in 1981

Q: ...and why is that your preference?

A: Because I can instantly revise. And, because I touch type, I can transfer my thoughts almost instantly from brain to screen.

Also, I always make research trips to every place that I write about, whether it is the Shanghai police morgue in China; the death house in Hunstville Texas USA; the sewers of Paris; or Dom Perignon's tomb in the Champagne region of France. And wherever I go, I record digital video, which I bring home and edit into short films. I can then play my research videos on my computer and can remind myself at any time, while writing, of a location or an interview with someone.

Q: Describe what you like to keep within arm's reach while you're writing.

A: All my research folders, and a mug of tea.

Q: Describe the things you can see when you look up from your writing.

A: A view from the window straight ahead of me across a field to an old French farmhouse. And a view from the French windows to my left out across the valley of the River Bave to the tree-covered hills beyond with a couple of medieval stone-built villages and churches and the occasional chateau.

Q: What was the first thing you wrote which was published?

A: Apart from newspaper articles during my time as a journalist, my first creative piece of writing to be published was a children's story called The Purple Turtle Crab, which was serialised in a local newspaper.

Q: What is your latest book?

A: Blacklight Blue. It is the fourth in the Enzo Files series, and will be published on November 10, 2008 by Poisoned Pen Press.

Peter May was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but now lives and writes in South West France. Find out more about Peter and his two series: The China Thrillers and The Enzo Files, from his website.

Read about Peter May, Jane Finnis, Ruth Dudley Edwards and many other Writers' Rituals

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