How I Write Michael Connelly: How to Write Unforgettable Characters | How I Write
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Mar 11, 2026 
Michael Connelly, crime novelist behind Harry Bosch and The Lincoln Lawyer, whose books have sold over 100 million copies and become TV shows. He talks about using single telling details and observation to bring characters alive. He explains how Los Angeles becomes a living setting, why dialogue and economy of words matter, and how daily rewriting and reporting instincts shape his craft.
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Plant Fictional Feet In The Real World
- Character is the primary reason readers pick up books and everything else serves character.
- Connelly plants fictional feet in a real world (job, geography, weather, history) so invented characters feel convincing.
Treat The City As An Endless Palate
- Use the city's variety to keep stories fresh across many books.
- Connelly treats Los Angeles as an inexhaustible palette, aiming each book to end up in a neighborhood he hasn't yet used.
Build Voice With Diction And Economy Of Words
- Do craft distinctive voice through diction and dialogue economy.
- Connelly made Harry Bosch an outsider who nods instead of speaking much; editors once tallied how often Bosch 'nods' to preserve that character trait.
