Writers' Rituals – Russel D McLean
The Mysterious Writing Habits of Writers From Around the World
Aug 22, 2009
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 Russel D McLean whose books are published in the UK by Five Leaves Publications and in the US by Thomas Dunn/St Martin’s Press. He is best known for his hardboiled crime series featuring Scots private investigator, J. McNee and has also written a wealth of short crime and mystery fiction.
How much research and plotting do you do before you're ready to write a book?
I’m not much of an advance plotter and generally do my research on the fly or after I’ve done a first draft and know where the problems are in the narrative. I’m not an explicit researcher; I don’t go chasing information so much as I do the work I need to ensure that the narrative is plausible. I’m much more concerned with finding the emotional honesty and voice of my novels. Once I get those, I feel like I’m flying.
What hours do you devote to your writing and what time of day do you prefer to write?
No specific hours since I work a day job, but generally I work best late into the night. I write whenever possible as much as possible.
Do you take breaks, and if so, what do you do during them?
When I have uninterrupted days of writing, I break every thousand words, and go read a book or plough through a boxed set of some TV show. At the moment I’m digging the West Wing; some of the finest dialogue in network TV-Land.
Where do you write?
At a desk in a corner of my flat. I don’t have space for an office, so the corner is decked out differently from the rest of the room to give a feeling of separation.
What do you write with?
I was brought up on a typewriter (I had a portable one I used to take on family holidays when I was young) and so the move to computer and keyboard was natural.
...and why is that your preference?
I must be a product of the new age because my writing and voice flows easier through a keyboard than it ever could through a pen. I find features like "track changes" incredibly useful when it comes to redrafting work as well.
I also love being hooked to the internet so that I can do some of basic research on the fly if a question hits me while I’m in the middle of a scene. Of course, this instant access to the internet can be as much a distraction as anything else…
Describe what you like to keep within arm's reach while you're writing.
A cup of coffee. Black as the night. And strong enough to blow off the top of your skull.
Describe the things you can see when you look up from your writing.
My notice-board, which is surrounded by prints of book covers, mostly from crime novels I adore. And if I look to the left I can see a print by an artist called Bellver which depicts a figure who looks very much like Raymond Chandler taking a blow to the back of the head from the butt of a revolver. Yeah, I’m a crime and pulp fiction geek.
What was the first thing you wrote which was published?
A piece for a short-lived (but much appreciated) Scottish music fanzine called Effervesence. The title was "An Elvis Spotter’s Guide" and I got my first piece of fan-mail for that one, too. All the way from Sweden, if I recall correctly.
What is your latest book?
The second J McNee novel – due for release in October 2009 – is called The Lost Sister, and finds the Dundonian detective on the trail of a missing teenager whose family are hiding some very dark secrets…
Russel D McLean was born in Fife and now lives on the other side of the River Tay, in the city of Dundee in Scotland. His first J McNee novel is entitled The Good Son. Find out more from Russel's blog.
Read about Peter May, Alanna Knight, Ruth Dudley Edwards and many other Writers' Rituals
 |
 |
 |
