Jerry Healy wrote:
> I have a theory on why this repetition of characters
occurs: Once you
> are successful enough to become a "full-time"
writer, you by
> definition are cut off from a lot of the "real"
world, "day-job"
> stimuli of meeting new people who can BE credible
characters as
> realistic players in a mystery novel.
I've noticed exactly this in the recent work of "productive"
writers like Leonard, Parker, and Coben. Where Parker once
had a near-flawless ear for dialogue, his later books contain
canned speeches on toughness from recycled characters (Hawk,
Chollo, Spike; Quirk, State Captain Healy). Terry Dunn from
Leonard's PAGAN BABIES voiced the same tough rhetoric as
Chili Palmer in GET SHORTY. In the case of Coben, I began to
notice recycled internal monologue from Myron in his last two
books.
I think writers are wise to recognize when energy levels
dip--either the author's or the characters'--and back away,
as Jerry was before SPIRAL. And writers are really good if
they can sense a dip before the reader does. It is
interesting, as Mark mentioned, that several authors backed
away at the same time. I wonder if everyone--readers and
authors alike--felt they needed a break from PI series.
Thanks for your time this month, Jerry.
Gerald
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