What is a fun/unusual/unexpected fact about yourself that has nothing to do with writing?
My biggest claim to fame outside writing thrillers (you can google me and check it out) has been being a part of the most famous tabloid headline ever written HEADLESS BODY IN TOPLESS BAR. Happened when I was city editor of the NY Post. I didn’t write the headline, but I became a part of the legend that continues to this day. I’ve written about it extensively too. Here’s a link to a piece about that memorable day at the Post.
What is your writerly ‘crutch’ or ‘tic’?
When I sit down in front of a blank page and have no idea what to write, I write it anyway. This is one of the most important lessons about writing I’ve ever learned. Don’t wait until you feel creative. Just put something down, even if you think it’s not any good. Amazingly, some good stuff has come out of me from doing this. But the bottom line rule for me is never to sit there and do nothing: JUST WRITE SOMETHING! Hey, it works for me.
What are five things you need in order to write (like a laptop, music, notebook and pen, coffee, etc.)?
A good pen (they’re not always easy to find); a yellow legal pad (I write all my fiction out on them in long hand before putting on a computer); my iPad or phone to google stuff I need to research; coffee, coffee, and more coffee; crowds of people around me, preferably making a lot of noise. (This comes from a career of writing in chaotic media newsrooms.)
Where is your favorite place to write?
Coffee shops. Thank God there are so many Starbucks everywhere—but any coffee shop will do. Of course, I do draw attention to myself there sometimes while I’m working. A local paper in Princeton, N.J. wrote about me because I am such a visible presence in the local Starbucks.
Where is your favorite place to set a story? Have you ever been there?
New York City. Specifically, Manhattan. I like to write about what I know (no research involved that way!) and I’ve lived in Manhattan most of my adult life ever since coming here from Ohio. As the line from the old TV show used to say, “There are 8 million stories” here so I’ll never run out of things to write about.
Who is your favorite fictional hero?
Philip Marlowe. Like many mystery/thriller authors, I first got the inspiration to write my own books from the iconic Raymond Chandler, PI. I picked up a copy of The Big Sleep and decided I wanted to write a character like Marlowe as well as Chandler did. I’ve never been able to quite match that goal, of course, but then no one else has. It all starts with Philip Marlowe and Chandler for me.
Did you have any other jobs before becoming a writer?
I’ve been a journalist for most of my life. Metropolitan Editor at the New York Post, News Editor at Star Magazine, Managing Editor of the New York Daily News, and most recently Managing Editor/Vice President with NBC News and local stations. But I was writing books at the same time too. Being a journalist and being an author are my two favorite jobs. I’ve managed to do both of them together!
Which book was the biggest struggle for you to write, and why? Which book was the easiest, and why?
My first one. I thought it was going to be easy. I’d sit down and write a great novel right out of the gate. It took awhile—and a few missteps along the way— to figure out how to do that. But eventually, after a few years of struggle, I managed to come up with a book that got published. I think I’m better at it now.
Did you face any rejection when you began to write?
Are you kidding? A beginning writer pretty much faces nothing but rejection. I still have endless rejection letters, but then so does every writer. And it’s not just when you’re starting out either. Hey, I still get rejected more than I would like. Unless you’re Stephen King or James Patterson, it’s just part of the deal most of us face as writers. Yes, you have to have a thick skin to make it in this business.
Writing group or book club?
I’ve done many of my books at The Writers Room in New York City. It’s just what it sounds like: a space in the East Village for writers to work on their projects in a comfortable environment. When I’m not writing in coffee shops, this has always been one of my favorite spots to work.
How do you like to connect with readers?
My website
Brief Bio
R.G. Belsky is an award-winning author of crime fiction and a journalist in New York City. His newest mystery, Broadcast Blues, was published in January 2024 by Oceaview. It is the sixth in a series featuring Clare Carlson, the news director for a New York City TV station. The first book, Yesterday’s News, was named Best Mystery of 2018 at Deadly Ink. The second, Below the Fold, won the Foreward INDIES award for Best Mystery of 2019. The third Clare Carlson mystery, The Last Scoop, came out in 2020. The fourth book Beyond the Headlines came out in hardcover in 2021 and paperback in 2022. The fifth, It’s News to Me , was published in hardcover in 2022 and paperback in 2023. Belsky has published 20 novels—all set in the New York city media world where he has had a long career as a top editor at the New York Post, New York Daily News, Star magazine and NBC News. He also writes thrillers under the name Dana Perry. And he is a contributing writer for The Big Thrill magazine as well as BookTrib.
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