“I think writers have to be
proactive: they've got to use new technology and social media. Yes, it's hard
to get noticed by traditional publishers, but there's a great deal of
opportunity out there if you've got the right story.” –
Ian Rankin
Born in Scotland on this date in
1960, Rankin is best known for his “Inspector Rebus” novels. But, he said he did not set out to be a crime
writer and, in fact, didn’t think he had “the right story” at
first.
His first novels – Knots and
Crosses and Hide and Seek – he listed as“mainstream,”
keeping in the tradition of Robert Louis Stevenson and Muriel
Spark. But the publisher disagreed and listed them as crime
fiction and the rest, as they say . . .
So far, he’s had nearly 50 books
published in the genre and 15 of them have not only been best sellers but also
adapted for television movies – a record most writers would love.
Celebrating his birthday at his home
in Edinburgh, where he sets most of his novels, Rankin enjoys “schooling” his
readers on the nuances of his home town, weaving little details about the city throughout each book.
Rankin, whose first job was in his
dad’s grocery store, has had lots of “life experiences” (always a plus for
a writer). He’s worked as a grape-picker, swineherd, taxman, alcohol
researcher (I’d definitely like to hear more about that job), hi-fi journalist,
college secretary, and punk musician in a band called The Dancing Pigs.
As for writing, he said, “You need a
great idea, but then you've got to carry it through. If you get it right,
you're going to be a critical success. But not everyone who works hard gets it
right, or has the success they deserve: there's an element of luck.”
No comments:
Post a Comment