Question from a Psych books fan
Posted by William Rabkin on July 13, 2009
Geoff Tate, one of my devoted fans — who may be my entire devoted fanbase — sent me a question in email that I thought I’d answer here. He wrote:
I read the new Psych book last week. It was even better than the first one! I really enjoyed it. You stayed very true to the characters as they are represented on the show. I’m looking forward to the next one. Do you mind talking a little shop? Do you map out the plot completely before you write or are you like Stephen King and don’t know how it ends til you get to it? I love mysteries and I am writing one as a hobby (not for publication, just for something to do. I have a lot of free time on the road and this keeps me out of bars.) I guess my question is, what’s your process?
I can’t say I’m like Stephen King, especially when it comes to book sales and bank balances. But I will confess that I don’t outline these books the way I do when working on a TV show. I spent decades writing detailed outlines for everything I did — both because TV demands that and because working with a partner demands it. So when I started writing the first Psych book I decided I’d trust my story sense and jump off from a brief narrative outline. I do have a pretty good idea of where I’m going to end up, I generally know who did it and why, but how Shawn and Gus are going to get there I’m jumping out of the plane without a parachute. And the sheer panic that brings gives me the adrenaline rush I need to finish the book in the short amount of time I’m given.
Now if I may give my fan a little unsolicited advice — do as I say, not as I do. You should be outlining like crazy. Figure out your crimes and your clues. Otherwise you’ll end up rewriting and rewriting and rewriting. I can get away with this because I’ve been plotting mysteries for decades, and by now I think I have a pretty good feel for what needs to come where. But there was a lot of learning along the way to this point…
V.J. said
I’m with G’eoff G’tate. Loved the latest “Psych” book. At the same time that Amazon delivered it, the “Psych” pilot script that I purchased arrived. Quick question: is “Shawn Vision” used in the scripts when Shawn zooms in on his observations? I believe that it was either you or Lee Goldberg who mentioned this in a blog. The reason I ask is that this script, dated May 19, 2005, didn’t use this. It simply incorporated Shawn’s observations into the scene description.
William Rabkin said
Thanks so much for the kind words!
I have to admit, I can’t remember where “Shawn Vision” came from. No, that’s not quite accurate — I am certain it came from Steve Franks. But I don’t remember if it was in the pilot we read or just in subsequent scripts. My guess is the technique was developed in the shooting or editing of the pilot, and then the phrase became a handy shorthand for the writers…
Kathy said
Like V.J., I loved the second book better than the first one. I read it twice already!! Love The Mentalist joke. Although I do watch Simon Baker, nothing beats the orginial. And I totally loved how Shawn minic another character on the USA Network that your television writing partner writes books about. Do you and Lee talk about books you write? I will be waiting in January for the next book!
Ryan said
Hello Mr Rabkin I was wondering if you have started writing the thrid pysch book and if so whats it called? Love the books so much they are identical to the show.
William Rabkin said
Thanks so much. I’m delighted you like the books. And I’ve not only started the third book, “Call of the Mild,” I’ve finished it. The manuscript went to the publisher at the end of July, and it will be released in January of 2010!
Kit said
I too am a huge fan. I’ve read both Psych books and think they are just fantastic. That said, I have one important caveat. In your first Psych book, you use the expressions “‘tard” and “retard.” These terms are highly offensive and, I honestly believe/hope, wouldn’t be uttered by either Gus or Shaun (as opposed to Mary Shannon on In Plain Sight who uses the slur with appalling frequency). I was going to give these books to my husband as a Christmas gift but now cannot since he’s a disability rights advocate. Please please please don’t use this language in book three, I’m so looking forward to reading it.
William Rabkin said
I’m glad you liked the first two books, those expressions aside. I don’t think they pop up in book three, or in the still-being-written book four, if that helps you any.
Vic said
Just wanted to let you know, picked up your latest Psych, am only on page 53 and I gotta say, a lot more happens in the first 53 pages of this book then the previous 2 – great stuff!