In her upcoming class, The Basics of Writing Mysteries and Thrillers, Laura Akers will be teaching students how to employ the technical elements of a mystery or thriller novel informed by her career as an attorney: forensic knowledge and dynamic clues. This interview was conducted via email by our Inktern, Christopher Kim.

 

Christopher Kim: Spending years as a prosecuting attorney handling some of the most serious cases a courtroom ever sees, such as rape, domestic violence, gang crimes, and homicide, how did that work shape the way you approach storytelling? 

 

Laura Akers: Trial lawyers are storytellers. If you think of a courtroom as a stage with players, there’s a narrative. We also do research and pay attention to detail and people. That said, writing feels harder.

 

What made you start writing, given your background as an attorney?

 

I always enjoyed writing stories. I was an only child, and my dad was a teacher and taught me to read before kindergarten. I read everything, then wanted to play around with words. When a college English professor heard that I became an attorney, he said, “You’re a writer, not a lawyer!”

 

Your protagonist, Davia Glenn, is based on your frightening experience of being threatened by someone you convicted; how much of yourself did you truly write into her? What separates Davia and yourself?

 

I trained with a former CIA operative while I lived in Rancho Santa Fe. I was at a gala and got a call from him that the next day we’d drill in knife fighting, counter-surveillance, and other things. I found it funny that I was in this luxury setting dealing with something serious. Hence, Davia Glenn inherits a fortune and has to blend her operative life with a new one. My character is far better trained than I am!  But we do share a snarky sense of humor.

 

You teach workshops on confidence and jury selection, which are skills that come straight out of the courtroom. What can fiction writers (or just writers in general) take away from jury selection?

 

Writers benefit from learning more about behavior. The Behavior Panel and Chase Hughes, author of The Behavior Ops Manual, do deep dives into both body language and language use. Word choice can be telling. As for self-confidence, I often ask clients, “Why do I believe in you more than you believe in yourself?” If you care what others think or judge you on, writing and publishing will feel more difficult.

 

Regarding your upcoming class, can you tell us more about it? What will those who take this course walk away with?

 

Mysteries and Thrillers encompass many sub-genres. This is only a two-hour class, but I co-moderated a Clubhouse room dedicated to writing mysteries and thrillers for four years. Each week, we did a deep dive. I’m not a teacher who enjoys hearing myself talk. I will give students a worksheet, and they should have some ideas around writing their book by the time they leave. Topics will include: Setting, POV, Villains, Red Herrings and Clues, Dialogue, Characters, etc.

 

Who is the class meant for? Experienced writers? Novice beginners?

 

This class has a limited time, so it will be basic information. However, anyone might learn something new no matter their experience level.

 

What is the biggest myth in courtroom scenes that you often see? How do you correct them?

 

Don’t lean on the witness or jury box. Haha.  I think the main thing people don’t see in courtroom dramas is the tedium. Trials can move very slowly. Also, a lot of work happens before the trial begins to determine what evidence will or won’t be allowed. There’s a real art to seeing a good trial lawyer work. I recommend reading Reap the Whirlwind by Peter Houlihan, The Night Stalker by Philip Carlo, Helter Skelter, and Outrage by Vincent Bugliosi for a sense of real criminal courtrooms.

 

You’ve spent many years co-moderating the Thriller/Crime Mystery Space on Clubhouse. What has that experience taught you?

 

People around the world are eager to learn. Our room is on break now, but we would have USA Today Bestselling authors and screenwriters join us. It’s best to find good critique partners you can trust with your work and be open to improvement. The less successful writers didn’t feel they needed help. We all do.

 

With four novels under your belt, how has your writing practice and process changed? Has anything changed across those four novels?

 

My first book was written in first person, past tense. I changed that for the rest of the series, so it’s now in first person, present tense. I study writers like Elmore Leonard because I enjoy writing spare, dialogue-driven books. I’ve definitely gotten better, and BookLife gave my last book an A rating. It was an outsider critique, so it gave me more confidence. I put a large amount of time into research that often doesn’t make it onto the page, but I want to be accurate. Since this is a series, it also allows me to develop side characters through story arcs.

 

Do you think that, with your experience as a public speaker, writing and public speaking have a strong connection? If so, how?

 

Authors face challenges promoting their books. I taught a class for Orange County Publishers and Writers on how to approach book signings and answer audience questions. Being likable and approaching people in bookstores can feel overwhelming. If you’re nervous, it’s good to join Toastmasters and practice.

 

Do your calmer interests, such as going to the beach, listening to audiobooks, and watching K-dramas, ever get interrupted by your fast-paced and mentally heavy work life?

 

Prioritizing time for myself is important to me. I’m the “thought police,” and I work to stop negative thoughts and keep life fun. Music changes my mood, so I have a “Change My Attitude” playlist. At the beach, I capture photos with my phone to notice the beauty even more.