Before becoming a crime writer, Sean was a private investigator in Chicago, the setting for many of his stories. His resume includes stints as a scuba diver, a truck driver, a magician, and a salesman. Needless to say, he's been around the block. All of this has helped to infuse his stories with a gritty reality born of experience.
Besides his stories, Sean's advice to his fellow writers has inspired countless scribblers to follow in his footsteps. Some of his best advice can be found here.
- There’s
no secret formula. The main thing is, you write Sounds obvious,
yet it amazes me how many people say they want to be writers but don’t
write. Odd, that. Anyway, you write, and then you write some more. You
revise, and then you revise some more. You show your work to others
and you learn from their reactions.
- You read. I’m even more astounded by people who
claim they want to write, but they don’t read. Can you imagine a musician
who doesn’t listen to music? Of course not. So you read a ton, you read
constantly, and you read critically, with an eye to the workings of the
craft. I don’t mean reading books about how to write – I mean reading
fiction. Should go without saying, really.
- Don’t
confuse reading books on the craft of writing with the act of
writing. You must write. And while it’s essential to
learn the craft, in the end you must write your own story in your own
voice.
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