Exploring the Literary Universe with Allen Eskens
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Allen EskensPersonal site Allen Eskens is a writer whose first novel was The Life We Bury, with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Minnesota. In 2015 he was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author. His grand goal is to give readers novels that challenge their creative thinking with magnificent twists but also respect them with intellectual honesty and appreciation. |
The art of writing is one very few (if any) can claim to have mastered completely, with even the titans of literature looking at it as a lifelong learning process.
Today, we have the fantastic opportunity of looking a bit deeper into that process with reputed author Allen Eskens. He is responsible for writing the highly-acclaimed novels The Life We Bury and The Guise of Another, and is currently getting ready to release his next effort, The Heavens May Fall.Here are the words of wisdom he had to share with the rest of the world:
Q: To start at the beginning, how far back can you trace your entry into the world of books and the birth of your desire to become a writer? When did you write your first story?
AE: Honestly, I have always been a very slow reader and easily distracted. My entry into writing came after I left law school. I started college as a theater major where I developed a love of the dramatic structure.
After deciding to become a lawyer, I needed a way to scratch my creative itch, so I began to study writing. Now, writing is my passion. I’ve written short stories for class assignments, but never with the intention of getting anything published. My first attempt at publication was my debut novel, The Life We Bury.
Q: Despite now being a writer you were a criminal defense attorney for approximately twenty years; what pushed you to change your path? Do you ever use that time of your life as an inspiration when writing any of your books? Has it helped you become a better writer?
AE: I am still a criminal defense attorney, although I spend more time on my writing endeavors than law these days. I don’t draw as much material from my law practice as one might expect, relying instead on my overactive imagination.
Today, we have the fantastic opportunity of looking a bit deeper into that process with reputed author Allen Eskens. He is responsible for writing the highly-acclaimed novels The Life We Bury and The Guise of Another, and is currently getting ready to release his next effort, The Heavens May Fall.Here are the words of wisdom he had to share with the rest of the world:
Q: To start at the beginning, how far back can you trace your entry into the world of books and the birth of your desire to become a writer? When did you write your first story?
AE: Honestly, I have always been a very slow reader and easily distracted. My entry into writing came after I left law school. I started college as a theater major where I developed a love of the dramatic structure.
After deciding to become a lawyer, I needed a way to scratch my creative itch, so I began to study writing. Now, writing is my passion. I’ve written short stories for class assignments, but never with the intention of getting anything published. My first attempt at publication was my debut novel, The Life We Bury.
Q: Despite now being a writer you were a criminal defense attorney for approximately twenty years; what pushed you to change your path? Do you ever use that time of your life as an inspiration when writing any of your books? Has it helped you become a better writer?
AE: I am still a criminal defense attorney, although I spend more time on my writing endeavors than law these days. I don’t draw as much material from my law practice as one might expect, relying instead on my overactive imagination.
Although as a writer in the mystery genre, being a criminal defense attorney does come in handy because it gives me a background in investigation techniques and courtroom procedures. One drawback though, is that legal writing can be adverse to creative writing. The styles are very different and I found myself having to retrain my brain to do things like use contractions.
Q: How would you say you came to develop your writing style? How would you recommend other people go about it?
AE: I think a writing style is something that comes from sources that can’t be easily identified. Writers who I enjoy reading write in a style and with a voice that captivates my attention. I hope that those voices find their way into my own writing.
When I need to kick start my writing, I read books that put that voice in my head. So, I guess the way to develop a writing style is to read authors whose style you admire and hope that something sticks.
Q: Do you have any specific strategies to employ when writing a book, such as a concrete outline and structure, or do you get better results when just winging it, so to speak?
AE: I am an absolute believer in outlining. I love complexity in a book, having multiple moving parts that come together in an orchestrated fashion. I am not one who can achieve that without a detailed outline. My outline is my map. It guides me from the beginning of my novel to the end. I can exercise my “wing-it” penchant as I fill in the details of the scenes along the way.
Q: How much control over a story do you believe an author actually has, especially once the world and characters have been fleshed out?
AE: There are certain parameters, such as you can’t have a character act inconsistent with his/her past (at least not without good reason). With that said, I believe that I am the master of my stories. Because I outline. I spend months living with the story in my head, trying out different scenarios until I am satisfied.
When I write, I am fairly disciplined at sticking to the outline. On occasion, I have let dialogue take me off my outline. When that happens, I will either bring it back or, if I like the tangent, redo my outline to adopt the tangent.
Q: From your own experience, how important would you say editing and marketing are to making a book successful? Are there any other important elements to it?
AE: There can be no shortcut when it comes to editing. I edit my work, and then I have my wife and friends do it, then my agent, then my editor, then my copy editor and finally a group of trusted proofreaders—and there will still be errors that sneak through. As for marketing, getting published is not the greatest challenge these days.
With so many writers getting published on venues like Createspace and Ingram Spark the market is flooded with more new books every day. The real trick is getting noticed. For that you need to market. There is no shortcut. But even with brilliant editing and marketing, a book will go nowhere if the primary focus isn’t on the story and the craft of writing it.
Q: So far the novels you've written could be classified as murder mystery dramas dealing with some heavy themes. What made and/or makes you want to write in that kind of genre? Are there any specific messages or ideas you're trying to communicate to your readers?
AE: When I sit down to conceive a novel, I ask myself three questions:
- What is the external plot?
- What is the personal plot?
- What makes this novel different?
Q: Do you see yourself branching out into different genres in the future? If so which ones seem the most attractive?
AE: I did not start my writing career with a book series or a single protagonist. Instead, I am writing about a community of characters. So, for example, in my book coming out in October, The Heavens May Fall, I have co-protagonists who were both secondary characters in the Life We Bury. My first three books are all a bit different in tone and style. I tend to write what interests me. I like writing in the mystery genre, but if an idea strikes me, I’ll branch out. I haven’t had the desire to do so yet, so I don’t know where I would go, but I don’t rule it out.
Q: What do you think about the rise of the e-book compared to the traditional book? Do you think it will ultimately be beneficial for literature?
AE: Anything that gets people to read is beneficial. Personally, I have a hard time reading e-books. I know that there many people like me out there and I understand that e-books are topping out as a share of the market. I think overall, though, e-books are great for literature.
Q: Who are your favorite authors and what are your favorite books? Why?
AE: I am a fan of Dennis Lehane and Tom Franklin, authors who write novels that fall within the mystery genre, but are written in a more literary style. I also read a great many literary novels because they inspire me to raise my game.
Q: Do you have any words of wisdom to impart on writers who have just begun their careers? Crucial pitfalls to avoid, mentalities to adopt, and anything that could make the journey easier and more rewarding?
AE: I can’t stress enough the importance of learning the craft. I have met people who have read a lot of books and feel that they can write one. That’s like saying that because I’ve lived in a house all my life, I could build one. I could erect a structure but it won’t be good. Also, aim high. Set your sights on writing a book that is better than anything you’ve ever read. If you’re lucky, aiming for great will help you achieve good. Also, imagine that your favorite author is going to read your work and give you an honest appraisal. Try to write a book that would let you survive that encounter.
Q: As an author, what would you say has been your most surprising experience so far?
AE: The most surprising part about being an author is getting emails and Facebook posts. I’ve never taken the time to contact an author, so it continues to amaze and humble me that people will go out of their way to let me know that they liked my work.
Q: Could you tell a bit about your upcoming novel, The Heavens May Fall ? What is it about and how would you compare it to your other works? Do you have any specific writing plans beyond that?
AE: If you would indulge me, I’d like to use this answer to show how I conceived this novel using my “three questions” that I wrote about earlier.
In The Heavens May Fall, I have co-protagonists who were secondary characters in The Life We Bury. Max Rupert, the homicide detective from The Life We Bury, is investigating the death of Jennavieve Pruitt and is convinced that her husband, Ben, committed the murder. Ben is a friend and former protégé of Boady Sanden, the law professor from The Life We Bury. Boady comes out of retirement to defend Ben and is convinced that his friend is innocent. (this is my external plot).
Boady and Max are friends in The Life We Bury and this case tests that friendship. Also, each man has a personal demon to confront as the case builds. (these are my personal plots)
My goal is to have the reader believe that Ben is guilty when they read the parts told from Max’s point of view, and believe that Ben is innocent when they read from Boady’s perspective. (This back and forth is, hopefully, is what makes this book different) All this builds to a terrific surprise in the end. The Heavens May Fall will be out on October 4, 2016.
Next, I am writing a revenge story that is all about Max Rupert. I’m having a lot of fun with that idea right now. After that, I want to write the sequel to The Life We Bury and then, hopefully, a novel that will be the backstory of Boady Sanden. As you can see, I have a very over-active imagination—now if I could just learn to type faster.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about writing, my favorite subject. It has been a pleasure.
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