Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Writer's Police Academy

We all know how important it is to get the facts straight in a book. Author Lynette Eason has gone so far at to attend the Writer's Police Academy. I asked Lynette:

"You've attended the Writer's Police Academy put on by Lee Lofland, writer and former police detective. What impact did that experience have on your writing?"--Sandy

Lynette: This year's Writers Police Academy is September 5-8, 2013 at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, North Carolina (near Greensboro). I’ve been waiting for three years to be able to go back. This year’s the year. The conference is directed by Lee Lofland. Lee’s bio includes his many years of experience and is novel length in itself, but suffice it to say, he is well qualified to direct this conference.

You may be asking yourself. Why a Writers Police Academy?

Simple answer: Research. Education. Training.

Those are the reasons I go. At the Academy, there are so many professionals available, it’s almost overwhelming, but if you can get past the star struck-ness and down to the nitty gritty of learning and soaking up every facet of the conference, you will walk away better equipped to write a story that is accurate and realistic.

I love to write. I love to write about the good guys versus the bad guys and I love when the good guys win. In almost every story I’ve written, the good guys (and even some of the bad guys) are the cops. FBI, Local Police, State Police,  Detectives, US Marshals, etc. Since my background is NOT in any of these areas (I’m too chicken to go into law enforcement), I have to RESEARCH and do it extensively. Both online and in person. I have two FBI friends who read my stuff and give me feedback (pointing out all my errors and how to fix them) and I have a police officer who does the same. Thanks to them, I don’t mind it when law enforcement personnel read my books. I know they’re accurate. That’s not to say I never make a mistake, but I know I’ve done my best to do justice to a profession and professionals that underpaid, undervalued and overworked. I have the utmost respect for those in law enforcement and want to make sure my writing reflects that.


So if you’re looking to up the ante in your writing and you want to make sure your police procedural is spot on, I highly recommend attending the Writers Police Academy. Only you’ll have to wait until next year. This year is sold out. That’s how good it is.

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Have you ever attended Lee Lofland's academy or one like it? Maybe you rode with an officer on his shift. What surprised you most about the experience or what you learned?


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Lynette Eason is the best selling, award winning author of the Women of Justice Series and the Deadly Reunions series. Since 2007, she has written/contracted thirty-three books. Currently, she writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists. She has won several awards and was a 2011 and 2013 finalist in the prestigious Carol Awards Contest and the 2013 ECPA Book Awards. Lynette teaches at writing conferences all over the country. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Lynette can be found online at www.lynetteeason.com and www.facebook.com/lynette.eason and @lynetteeason on Twitter.