Stephanie Bond | What P.I.’s and Novelists Have in Common

After the attacks of 9-11, the Department of Defense gathered top novelists
and
screenwriters and asked them to put their heads together to come up with
worst-case scenarios, trying to stay one step ahead of what terrorists might
be
planning. I think that speaks volumes for the value of imagination.

A few years ago I took the coursework to become a
private investigator in the state of Georgia, strictly for research. I was
the
thorn in all the instructors’ sides because they would explain how something
was
done and I would raise my hand and ask, “How could a person get around
that?” or
“How could that go wrong?” I was always trying to figure out how a criminal
might try to get away with something or how a situation could be made worse
by a
loophole in the law. When one of my instructors found out I was a novelist,
he
remarked that, like writers, the best private investigators and detectives
have
a fertile imagination.

That got me thinking about how many skills overlap the two occupations.

Note-taking: Writers rely on note-taking to catalog story ideas and keep up with various bits of info. P.I.’s rely on note-taking to log their time and what they see, else they can’t bill out hours. Analyzing: Writers take disparate pieces of info and figure out ways to link them together to tell a story. P.I.’s also take what might seem like disjointed pieces of information and try to piece together a story. People-watching: Writers observe people to get ideas for body types and mannerisms for their characters. P.I.’s observe people because body language sometimes speaks more loudly than words. Interviewing: Writers conduct interviews to make their stories as authentic as possible. P.I.’s conduct interviews to get the most accurate version of a story. Sitting: Writers sit…a lot. P.I.’s also sit…a lot. In fact, a private investigator once told me that because 80% of her work is domestic surveillance (catching cheating spouses), she spends about 6 hours a day sitting in her car! I can relate to that.

So if this writing gig doesn’t work out, maybe I’ll hang my P.I. shingle…

__________________________________________

Stephanie Bond writes the humorous sexy mystery series BODY MOVERS for Mira books. Books 1-3 are available now; 4 Bodies and a Funeral, 5 Bodies to Die For, and 6 Killer Bodies will be released back to back in April, May, and June.

Comments

8 comments posted.

Re: Stephanie Bond | What P.I.’s and Novelists Have in Common

The titles sound interesting. I am really intreagued with you getting your PI license though. That is really getting into the heads of your characters.
(Karin Tillotson 4:04pm April 8, 2009)

I definitely agree. As a journalist, I often know more about the law than the local cops do!
(LuAnn Morgan 4:37pm April 8, 2009)

Sounds like a fun course to take.
(Shannon Scott 4:40pm April 8, 2009)

Never thought about how much the two have in common!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 5:57pm April 8, 2009)

As with most jobs, they sound more
glamorous than they really are. People
forget about the hours of drudge work
involved to get the job done. If you love
your job, it is easier to deal with.
(Patricia Barraclough 11:20pm April 8, 2009)

I am just wondering: Did they teach you gum-popping, wisecracking "Mug" speak? You know: I'm gonna blast ya if you don't throw down that rod,she's a hot Mama-all that cool retro-speak.
(Dawn Raymer 5:54am April 9, 2009)

The class was taught by a rotation of instructors, from police officers to weapons specialists and self-defense instructors. They made it all sound so glamorous and exciting. But the last set of classes were taught by a female P.I., and she gave me the skinny on just how UN-glamourous the job is. LOTS of sitting, drive-through food, and hysterical clients. She joked that with all the stories she knew on people that maybe she should trade in her shingle for a pen and write her own novel!
(Stephanie Bond 2:03pm April 9, 2009)

Some of the finest crime novels are women writers writing about women PIs - my own favourites include Carol Lea Benjamin and Sue Grafton as well as Dana Stabenow. I have not read yours yet but I will be looking out for them.
(Clare O'Beara 7:20am September 22, 2012)

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