Perfecting the Craft of Mystery | Jonathan Kellerman

From James:   This guest  has sold  over a hundred million copies of his books. He's a thriller writer, he's a suspense writer, and his latest book, The Ghost Orchid: An Alex Delaware Novel just came out: Jonathan Kellerman. And I have to say this book  was riveting from the beginning to the end. You don't have to read any of his prior books to get completely what's happening. It's about a psychologist who also likes to solve crimes and Jonathan himself was a psychologist - he had a whole career in that, which he left behind when he started writing. We talk about everything from how to write a thriller to his career, the hard stuff along the way, and so much more. It was a great conversation and a great book.Here's Jonathan Kellerman. Episode Description:This podcast features Jonathan Kellerman, a bestselling author well-known for his Alex Delaware series, disclosing his transformational journey from a child psychologist to an acclaimed writer. He discusses his writing blueprint, emphasizing the importance of plot, pace, character development, themes, locations, time periods, and dialogue, and shares how he incorporates his psychology background to create suspenseful narratives. Kellerman shares enlightening insights on managing success and highlights that talent alone does not define successful writers. As a commentary on the rapidly evolving literary realm due to technological advances and shorter attention spans, Jonathan reflects on the struggles of transforming multifaceted novels into TV scripts and his inclination towards non-fiction as quintessential inspiration. More personally, he opens up about maintaining a balanced relationship with his wife, also a successful author.Episode Summary:01:00 The Art of Writing: From Office to Bestsellers02:08 The Journey of a Successful Author02:55 The Reality of Writing as a Career03:21 Transitioning Careers: From Psychology to Writing06:20 The Struggles and Triumphs of a Writer08:33 The Importance of Persistence in Writing11:42 The Art of Storytelling and Character Development14:48 The Challenges and Rewards of Writing18:38 The Impact of Personal Experiences on Writing21:47 The Role of Preparation and Discipline in Writing25:09 The Influence of Psychology on Writing27:50 The Unpredictability and Joy of Writing41:23 The Art of Character Development41:40 The Mystery of Motive: Writing a 'Why Done It'42:31 The Writer's Craft: Comparing Writing to Painting43:16 The Pressure and Pleasure of Writing a Series45:23 The Evolution of a Writer: From Fear to Publication47:33 The Influence of Age and Experience on Writing49:42 The Reality of Being a Bestselling Author51:45 The Power of Partnership: Writing as a Married Couple54:45 The Balance of Life, Work, and Writing01:06:53 The Unchanging Nature of Human Beings: A Writer's Perspective01:07:21 The Evolution of Reading and Writing in the Digital Age01:12:05 The Journey of a Writer: From Idea to Book01:14:50 The Ghost Orchid: An Alex Delaware Novel ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to “The James Altucher Show” wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn