Episode 250 - From Firearms to Fiction with Chris Grall
August 6, 2024
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Chris Grall discusses FROM FIREARMS TO FICTION, including his book TRIGGER GUARD: A WRITER'S GUIDE TO FIREARMS. Chris shares the challenges he faced in creating consistent and accurate illustrations for his book, with some valuable do’s and don’t’s for authors with books that include illustrations; the attitude he brought to receiving feedback from his target audiences; and the goal of his book: to enable writers to write gripping and accurate firearms scenes.
Chris Grall is a retired US Special Forces team sergeant with 26 years of service. In 2007, he served as a technical advisor for Scott Sigler's book CONTAGIOUS, and since then, he’s shared his knowledge of firearms with authors via his consulting business, TactiQuill, and at conferences.
Links
Chris's Links:
https://trigger-guard.com/
https://chrisgrall.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chris.grall.9
https://x.com/dtn8or
Matty's Links:
Affiliate links
Events
https://trigger-guard.com/
https://chrisgrall.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chris.grall.9
https://x.com/dtn8or
Matty's Links:
Affiliate links
Events
I hope you enjoyed this episode! Do you include illustrations in your books and, if yes, what challenges have you faced in the production of the book?
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Are you getting value from the podcast? Consider supporting me on Patreon or through Buy Me a Coffee!
Summary
This week on The Indy Author Podcast, Matty Dalrymple talks with Chris Grall about various facets of writing about firearms in fiction and the challenges he encountered while creating his book, "Trigger Guard." Chris shares his journey, from illustration and formatting struggles to gathering meaningful feedback for his work.
Matty Dalrymple, the host, sets the stage for an insightful conversation by detailing how she first met Chris, who has a unique background as a retired U.S. Special Forces Team Sergeant and a consultant on firearms for authors. Chris's journey culminated in the creation of "Trigger Guard," a comprehensive guide for writers on the usage and detailed aspects of firearms.
Illustration Challenges
Chris highlights how he tackled the illustrations for "Trigger Guard." He created the illustrations himself using PowerPoint, a process that turned out to be labor-intensive and time-consuming.
He explained, "It was painful. It would take me at least two or three hours just to do a single firearm, and I think there are a hundred and something drawings in there. It was horrible."
When Matty inquired whether Chris had considered using photographs instead, Chris clarified that maintaining consistency across all illustrations was crucial. He noted that stock images could have been expensive and inconsistent, thus justifying the choice to create his own graphics.
Choosing the Right Approach
Chris mentioned that with hindsight, he might have approached the process differently. Instead of illustrating sporadically, he would have initially examined all the firearms he planned to include to avoid unnecessary work.
"Through the editing process, that gun fell out of the book as a specific firearm I was going to talk about," Chris said, emphasizing the importance of forethought in the creative process.
Deadlines as Motivators
Chris attributed a significant part of his productivity to setting personal deadlines. His goal was to have "Trigger Guard" ready for purchase by ThrillerFest, a conference that he believed would be the ideal exhibition platform. He emphasized how having a deadline can enhance efficiency:
"There are points where you are a slave to the process and you have no control over how much time it takes for some things to happen."
DIY Publishing and Marketing Choices
The decision to indie publish "Trigger Guard" was influenced by Chris’s desire to get the book to the market quickly, especially considering its niche nature. Going the traditional publishing route could have delayed the book’s availability significantly, a luxury he couldn’t afford given the book’s specific audience.
“Trigger Guard is a very niche book. It’s not gonna be a New York Times bestseller... the faster I could get it out, the faster people could get access to it, use it, and hopefully not make mistakes.”
Content Creation and Layout
Chris provided a candid reflection on the initial decision to draft the entire book using PowerPoint, which made the editing process cumbersome. Illustrations and text elements would displace upon converting documents, causing significant headaches.
"The original sin of this book was to do the entire first draft in PowerPoint. It was a horror show."
Feedback and Iteration
Gathering feedback was another critical component of Chris's process. He sought insights from three distinct groups: authors, firearms experts, and general readers. This multifaceted feedback enabled him to fine-tune the book to serve various levels of firearms knowledge.
Balancing Detail and Readability
Matty and Chris also discussed the importance of balancing technical details with readability in fiction. Chris stressed that while writers need to possess detailed knowledge, they should be cautious about overwhelming readers with excessive technicalities.
"I like generic actions with specific firearms. You’re going to load a gun, you’re going to fire a gun, you’re going to aim the gun... That’s good enough for most scenes."
He recounted practical examples and mistakes, such as the common but incorrect portrayal of empty guns clicking, underscoring the importance of accuracy.
Inspirations for Fictional Gunfights
Chris shared case studies from real-life scenarios, such as the assassination attempt on Harry Truman, to illustrate the unpredictable and often chaotic nature of gunfights. These examples serve as valuable resources for authors aiming to depict realistic firearms scenes.
Conclusion
In summarizing the wealth of experience, Chris offers valuable advice for both writers and readers. Chris's approach to creating "Trigger Guard" and his candid reflections on the process provide strong takeaways for any author dealing with technical subjects in their writing.
"Trigger Guard is meant for anyone in the full array of firearms experience. You can use it as a resource or read it cover to cover."
Final Thoughts
Chris's journey exemplifies the intricate balance between technical accuracy and creative storytelling. His insights into the challenges of illustrative consistency, the importance of deadlines, and the necessity for diverse feedback make this podcast episode a must-listen for any author dealing with specialized topics.
For more, you can find Chris Grall and his work at ChrisGrall.com, Trigger-Guard.com, and his consulting venture Tactiquill.com.
Matty Dalrymple, the host, sets the stage for an insightful conversation by detailing how she first met Chris, who has a unique background as a retired U.S. Special Forces Team Sergeant and a consultant on firearms for authors. Chris's journey culminated in the creation of "Trigger Guard," a comprehensive guide for writers on the usage and detailed aspects of firearms.
Illustration Challenges
Chris highlights how he tackled the illustrations for "Trigger Guard." He created the illustrations himself using PowerPoint, a process that turned out to be labor-intensive and time-consuming.
He explained, "It was painful. It would take me at least two or three hours just to do a single firearm, and I think there are a hundred and something drawings in there. It was horrible."
When Matty inquired whether Chris had considered using photographs instead, Chris clarified that maintaining consistency across all illustrations was crucial. He noted that stock images could have been expensive and inconsistent, thus justifying the choice to create his own graphics.
Choosing the Right Approach
Chris mentioned that with hindsight, he might have approached the process differently. Instead of illustrating sporadically, he would have initially examined all the firearms he planned to include to avoid unnecessary work.
"Through the editing process, that gun fell out of the book as a specific firearm I was going to talk about," Chris said, emphasizing the importance of forethought in the creative process.
Deadlines as Motivators
Chris attributed a significant part of his productivity to setting personal deadlines. His goal was to have "Trigger Guard" ready for purchase by ThrillerFest, a conference that he believed would be the ideal exhibition platform. He emphasized how having a deadline can enhance efficiency:
"There are points where you are a slave to the process and you have no control over how much time it takes for some things to happen."
DIY Publishing and Marketing Choices
The decision to indie publish "Trigger Guard" was influenced by Chris’s desire to get the book to the market quickly, especially considering its niche nature. Going the traditional publishing route could have delayed the book’s availability significantly, a luxury he couldn’t afford given the book’s specific audience.
“Trigger Guard is a very niche book. It’s not gonna be a New York Times bestseller... the faster I could get it out, the faster people could get access to it, use it, and hopefully not make mistakes.”
Content Creation and Layout
Chris provided a candid reflection on the initial decision to draft the entire book using PowerPoint, which made the editing process cumbersome. Illustrations and text elements would displace upon converting documents, causing significant headaches.
"The original sin of this book was to do the entire first draft in PowerPoint. It was a horror show."
Feedback and Iteration
Gathering feedback was another critical component of Chris's process. He sought insights from three distinct groups: authors, firearms experts, and general readers. This multifaceted feedback enabled him to fine-tune the book to serve various levels of firearms knowledge.
Balancing Detail and Readability
Matty and Chris also discussed the importance of balancing technical details with readability in fiction. Chris stressed that while writers need to possess detailed knowledge, they should be cautious about overwhelming readers with excessive technicalities.
"I like generic actions with specific firearms. You’re going to load a gun, you’re going to fire a gun, you’re going to aim the gun... That’s good enough for most scenes."
He recounted practical examples and mistakes, such as the common but incorrect portrayal of empty guns clicking, underscoring the importance of accuracy.
Inspirations for Fictional Gunfights
Chris shared case studies from real-life scenarios, such as the assassination attempt on Harry Truman, to illustrate the unpredictable and often chaotic nature of gunfights. These examples serve as valuable resources for authors aiming to depict realistic firearms scenes.
Conclusion
In summarizing the wealth of experience, Chris offers valuable advice for both writers and readers. Chris's approach to creating "Trigger Guard" and his candid reflections on the process provide strong takeaways for any author dealing with technical subjects in their writing.
"Trigger Guard is meant for anyone in the full array of firearms experience. You can use it as a resource or read it cover to cover."
Final Thoughts
Chris's journey exemplifies the intricate balance between technical accuracy and creative storytelling. His insights into the challenges of illustrative consistency, the importance of deadlines, and the necessity for diverse feedback make this podcast episode a must-listen for any author dealing with specialized topics.
For more, you can find Chris Grall and his work at ChrisGrall.com, Trigger-Guard.com, and his consulting venture Tactiquill.com.
