Ask the Author: Angus McLean
Answered Questions (6)
Angus McLean
My ongoing fascination with getting the bad guys. I don't write rom-coms or heart-pounding romances or million page family sagas-I write short, entertaining PI fiction and longer, action packed spy thrillers.
I like to see the good guys to win in the end-not always walking unscathed, because that's not normal-but the good guys will always win.
I like to see the good guys to win in the end-not always walking unscathed, because that's not normal-but the good guys will always win.
Angus McLean
I like to write about things that interest me. Mysteries and crime have always been right up there on my reading list, so I write them.
The War on Terror is a long and important war and it interests me-classic fight against evil-so I write about that. Should terrorists get away with slaughtering innocent civilians? Of course not. Would I like think there are highly skilled operators out there, hunting down the baddies? Definitely. So I write about that.
The War on Terror is a long and important war and it interests me-classic fight against evil-so I write about that. Should terrorists get away with slaughtering innocent civilians? Of course not. Would I like think there are highly skilled operators out there, hunting down the baddies? Definitely. So I write about that.
Angus McLean
Right now, the 3rd in The Division series. I'm also mentally playing with my next idea.
Angus McLean
Write what you want to read. You can research practically anything now, so you don't necessarily have to "know" the subject. There are plenty of mystery and thriller writers out there, but not many of them have an investigative or law enforcement background-I'm one of very few in NZ. Lots of military action books on the market, but not many actually written by ex-soldiers.
Get your idea sorted, sit down, and just go for it. Get your idea down and you can tidy it up later.
Get your idea sorted, sit down, and just go for it. Get your idea down and you can tidy it up later.
Angus McLean
Living in a fantasy world! Will I ever dive off the Auckland Harbour Bridge chasing a terrorist, or climb from an elevator shaft after a shootout, or ride the bonnet of a car driven by a psycho trying to run me down? Hell no! But I can write about it, and it's almost as much fun but a lot safer-plus, I can have a cup of tea while I'm doing it :)
Angus McLean
Sit down and get on with it. As author Joe Craig said in one of his many helpful hints, apply the seat of your pants to the seat of the chair.
Allowing yourself to write crap is a great rule-anything you get down can be tidied up later, but at least you've got something to work with. Like going to the gym, you've gotta work the muscle otherwise you lose it.
Allowing yourself to write crap is a great rule-anything you get down can be tidied up later, but at least you've got something to work with. Like going to the gym, you've gotta work the muscle otherwise you lose it.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more