Photo by Isabell Macrina
Gerritsen begins her talk with her writing process
By Isabell Macrina
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Westwood Public Library (WPL) had an air of suspense to it as thriller author Tess Gerritsen discussed her career as a novelist last Wednesday night to a packed crowd in the community room. Most well known for her “Rizzoli & Isles” and “The Martini Club” series, Gerritsen brings almost 38 years of writing experience and advice. The goal of the program was to talk about where her ideas come from and how she turns them into novels.
“There’s no right or wrong way to write a book.” Gerritsen started with. She had received so much advice when starting out but didn’t find any that worked for her. She advocates that every writer’s process is unique. Hers always starts with pen and paper, specifically unlined paper.
“I do a lot of rewriting because my first drafts are so awful,” Gerritsen confessed, which received a lot of laughs from the room. “Don’t worry if your first draft sucks. Listen for your character voice and give yourself permission to write badly.” And she does just that, listening to that voice in her head and transfering the idea on to the page as this is the most important part; editing it is for later drafts to polish it up.
Gerritsen uses her background as a physician for the basis of her medical based thrillers, and she encouraged people to use their hobbies to piece things together. When there is something you are passionate about, a writer can can connect with the reader through it. Her main pieces of advice were this; take two elements and make something unique and always look for the bizarre. Gerritsen does this through news, newspapers, and listening for stories.
“Before the writer comes in, the curiosity, the human comes in,” she expressed, which is an inherent nature we all share. This is how she finds a lot of her inspiration, like people who wake up after they appear dead, or how an Egyptian Pharaoh mummy ended up in Niagara Falls, both turned into storylines in her “Rizzoli & Isles” series.
She also discussed her “Martini Club” series, with television in pre-production, and its upcoming third book. Her inspiration there comes from the people she lives near in Maine, taking inspiration from the characters in everyday life. The protagonist will have to deal with personal problems as well as mystery ones, which had most of the room excited for the future.
After her talk, patrons lined up to get their copies of her work signed. Gerritsen engaged each in conversation beyond simple pleasantries. She engaged with each question with equal enthusiasm and talked about hard topics most figures would avoid. She admits that is why she does events like this author talk; to meet people who are attracted to the characters she creates, as they can be some of the most interesting people to meet.
If you are interested in thrillers and mystery stories that delve into unique topics and leave you guessing through to the end, check out Gerritsen’s series and keep an eye out for her future works.
