Characters in any genre need to have skills that contribute to their purpose in the story. That could come from their profession or even a hobby. Whether it’s a cop in a mystery or a field medic on a medieval battlefield, there are things authors can learn from modern experts to develop realistic characters. This month, Ley and Leigh sit down with experts in fields from biochemistry to journalism and talk about important aspects of those skills authors should know.



A very common character, especially in the mystery or action genres, is a law enforcement officer. This can range from a rural Sheriff to an FBI agent and beyond. The problem with writing someone in law enforcement is knowing how things really happen. Too many new authors use popular media as their resource for realistic cop tactics. To help combat this, we sat down with a retired police sergeant and author of Cops and Writers, Patrick O’Donnell.



Find Patrick O’Donnell’s book at Amazon, join his group on Facebook, or check out his website.
The post S14E2 – Law Enforcement with Patrick O’Donnell appeared first on Writing Roots.

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