Author Interview ~ Tim Downs, Part I

Tim Downs is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University. After graduation in 1976 he created a comic strip, Downstown, which was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate from 1980 to 1986. His cartooning has appeared in more than a hundred daily newspapers worldwide. In 1979 he joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, where he continues to serve as a speaker and writer. Tim and his wife, Joy, have spoken at FamilyLife Marriage and Parenting Conferences since 1985. His first book, Finding Common Ground, was awarded the Gold Medallion Award in 2000. In 2003 Tim and Joy co-authored two books on conflict resolution in marriage: The Seven Conflicts and Fight Fair! Tim has also written two forensic crime fiction novels, Shoofly Pie and Chop Shop, and his two latest novels are thrillers entitled Plaguemaker and Head Game. Tim lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife and three children.



What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

My most recent book is called Head Game, and you can read an excellent review of it by Gina Holmes right here at
http://novelreviews.blogspot.com/2006/11/tim-downs-head-game.html. My next book is entitled First the Dead, which once again features Dr. Nick Polchak, forensic entomologist, the central character from my first two novels. This story is set in New Orleans in the week immediately following Hurricane Katrina. It’s a pleasure to bring Nick back again!

Tell us about your journey to publication. How long had you been writing before you got the call you had a contract, how you heard and what went through your head. (be as specific as possible)

I began by writing non-fiction. My first book was entitled Finding Common Ground, which eventually won the ECPA’s Gold Medallion Award in 2000—but not before eight publishers turned it down. That book caught the attention of a literary agent, who agreed to find a publisher for my next work—my first novel, Shoofly Pie. Because my desire is to write crossover fiction, we attempted to sell the book to a major New York publishing house. Shoofly Pie made the rounds for several months and got some very good response, but was never picked up; the manuscript sat on a shelf for several months more. It was finally signed by Howard Publishing—they had their eye out for something really “out there,” and my bug man character qualified. It was a long, slow journey to publication—but it is for most writers. You just have to hang in there—and keep your day job.

What are the elements of a good thriller?

Thrillers are plot-driven. You have to hit the ground running, and you can’t afford to let the pace slow down. When I turned in the rough manuscript for Shoofly Pie, my story editor advised me to cut forty pages out of the middle. That was painful—but it made a big improvement in the book. Character is a big part of a thriller too; readers want to see the story played out by interesting, complex characters.

What, in your opinion, separates a thriller from straight suspense?

The same thing that separates Space Mountain from the Jungle Cruise—the pace of the adventure.

Is there another genre you long to write in?

There are several, but the challenge for a writer is to establish a clear “brand” before he deviates from it. John Grisham writes legal thrillers, Tom Clancy writes techno-military adventures. Both writers deviate from their brand, but first they clearly established it. For now, I write mystery/suspense.

Do you still experience self-doubts regarding your work?

Absolutely. I’m always amazed how much attitude can change during the writing of a book. One day I think, “I’m Hemingway!” and the next day I think, “I can’t even construct a decent sentence.” And I always finish a book thinking that it’s inadequate or incomplete. I’ve just come to accept doubt as part of the creative process; I think every creative person has to.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?

The biggest mistake is not being patient enough. Young writers are so eager to see their work in print that they can be tempted to cut corners: to sign with the wrong publisher, to agree to poor contracts. It’s a good idea to take the long view, and to seek counsel before you take any significant step.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

I saw a quote from a writer that said, “Inspiration is for amateurs.” If you wait to write until you feel like writing, you’ll never write very much.

What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

“Just get something down on paper; you can always go back and edit it later.” If I followed that advice, I’d never finish anything! Those of us who are more linear thinkers need to think things out before we actually put pen to paper.

An equally bad piece of advice in my genre is, “Just start writing and see where the story takes you.” If you take that approach with a complex plot, I can guarantee you where the story will take you: into a confusing jumble of plot holes, inconsistencies, and flat-out contradictions.

What’s something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

On my first novel I wrote the entire manuscript before I sought the advice of a story editor; as a result, he advised me to throw away forty pages of text. Ouch! Now I begin every novel by writing a thorough plot summary, which is usually about forty pages long. That’s when I seek my story editor’s input—before I ever begin writing the text. By taking this approach, I save a lot of wasted time later. Why didn’t somebody tell me that before?

Is there a particularly difficult set back that you’ve gone through in your writing career you are willing to share?

To be continued tomorrow ...