An Interview with Crime Writer, Translator and Editor Emel Aslan on Crime Fiction

Do you enjoy reading crime novels?

We can definitely say that there is a ‘mathematics’ to blending mystery, crime and the dark side of human nature into a suspenseful and exciting story.

A clue = information x time + surprise, sometimes.

Just as in mathematics, where a problem is solved step by step, the reader progresses at a certain pace, pulling at the threads to reach the solution of the mystery.

The detective genre, which does not merely seek to answer the question ‘Who is the murderer?’, but also reveals the dark corners of the human soul, examines the struggle for justice and the cracks in society, and surprises but does not deceive the reader, has a considerable readership in Turkey as well as around the world.

Emel Aslan, who has been an editor at Dedektif Dergi, a magazine with a serious crime fiction readership in our country, for a long time, and author of SUÇ VE BELA ÖYKÜLERİ (Crime and Misfortune Stories), not only tells dark stories, but also presents plots woven with subtle mathematics.

Welcome to STRASAM, dear Emel Aslan.

Your first book, ‘Crime and Misfortune Stories,’ was recently published by İthaki Yayınları's Pangea Kitaplığı. The main reason I wanted to interview you was because of this first book of crime stories.

Let me start with this question: Why and how did you become a crime writer? What were you doing before?

First of all, thank you for your kind invitation. It is a pleasure to be here.

I am actually an environmental engineer who graduated from ODTÜ. I was born and raised in Antalya. My father was a literature teacher, so I grew up in a family that was always close to literature. I have had a habit of reading and a tendency to write since I was very young.

For many years, I worked in various fields in the private sector in Ankara (including the defence industry), and I completely forgot about all of that. Over the years, I realised that corporate life did not make me happy, so my wife and I decided to move into the tourism sector. We started running small holiday resorts. Once I reconnected with nature, I rediscovered myself and focused entirely on literature. Technical translations gave way to literary translations, then magazine and editorial experience, followed by theatre play translations, and one day I came across Turkey's first crime e-magazine, Dedektif Dergi (www.dedektifdergi.com), and my life changed. I found myself writing crime/mystery/thriller stories and realised how much I enjoyed it. I had found what I was looking for. I started writing stories one after another. I joined the editorial board of Dedektif Dergi, began editing crime fiction manuscripts for Herdem Kitap, and contributed to numerous short story anthologies alongside some of the country's leading crime writers. Once my stories reached a notable level of quality and quantity, I prepared my first book manuscript, and thanks to İthaki Yayınları, “Crime and Misfortune Stories” found its place on the shelves.

What is the most challenging part of writing crime fiction? Is it the plot, creating the characters, or technical research?

Actually, none of those. The hardest part for me is sitting down to start writing the story, because I spend a certain amount of time mulling it over in my head before I begin. I need to know the beginning and the end of the story.

I need to have at least a rough idea of the middle sections. I need to have shaped the main characters in my mind, and even live with them for a while. Once these things have matured, I feel ready to start writing the story. Once I get started, I find the beginning a little more difficult; the style and rhythm of the story become apparent in the first few paragraphs. Once I adapt to the story, I pick up speed. Everything is in its place, the characters have found their voices. After a while, the story writes itself, flowing like water.

· As a female writer, do you feel a responsibility to transform the traditional ‘masculine’ language of crime fiction?

It is not so long ago that we fully realised that violence against women begins with language. When I look at the jokes we laughed at in films, TV series or humour magazines just fifteen or twenty years ago, I realise that we were not aware of what was happening to us and that we found it ‘normal.’ I criticise myself at this point. Our awakening came a little late, and it's difficult on top of that.

There is a critical balance here: I am not someone who completely rejects masculine language in my stories or avoids swearing or slang. Real life is not that sterile. Even if the world I create is fictional, it should not lack credibility. My characters can swear, but not randomly, just for the sake of swearing. It is because ‘that’ character is the type of person who would swear. With every word you use, every sentence you write, every world you create, you have a responsibility to your readers. Whether you want to or not, you are sending a message to the reader. If you pat on the back a character who constantly uses sexist profanity, treats women badly, and is prone to violence, and position him as the ‘good’ guy in your story, you are rewarding that behaviour. Or if your stories always take place in a world where women are helpless victims and male heroes (white knights) come to their rescue, you are not actually drawing attention to violence against women. You are unconsciously serving this distorted mindset. You cannot hide yourself from the reader. Readers recognise you between the lines. That's why how you tell your story is so important. A similar plot can be written in forty different ways. What message do you want to convey in the subtext? You have to think about this carefully and calculate it.

· What do you attribute the recent increase in female crime writers to? What themes has this brought to the fore in the genre?

Actually, women have always been at the forefront of crime fiction. First and foremost, we have Agatha Christie, the queen of crime fiction, the most prolific writer of all time and the author of the best-selling books. Of course, in addition to this, there have been many female writers who wrote under male pseudonyms out of a legitimate concern that they would not find their rightful place in world literature.

When we look at our local crime fiction, we can happily see that female writers have taken a step forward in recent years and have produced works that have made a significant impact. I am ashamed to say that before I joined the local crime fiction community, that is, before I became a writer for Dedektif Dergi and a member of the Turkish Crime Writers Association (POYABİR), I was not familiar with many valuable names. Now I can proudly say that our female writers have a significant presence in crime fiction. I attribute this to the fact that women have to manage many things at the same time throughout their lives (children, husbands, housework, work life, social relationships, etc.), which has led to the development of their mathematical thinking and organisational skills. I believe that women are naturally talented in areas such as detailed thinking, analysis, seeing several steps ahead, deduction, and empathising with characters.

With women taking centre stage in crime fiction, the traditional male detective and female victim trope (thankfully) is beginning to change. Instead of clichéd characters such as traumatised, alcoholic, misogynistic, aggressive detectives or tough but fatherly chief inspectors who are always dispensing wisdom to those around them, we are now hearing women's voices more in our stories and seeing them take centre stage in the media. We are able to read more about what it means to be a woman in this country from the pens of women themselves. I find this very valuable.

· Have you encountered any advantages or disadvantages of being a female crime writer in the publishing world?

I can’t say I have. Perhaps I was in the right place at the right time with the right people. The disadvantage I experienced was not related to being a woman, but rather to being an “unknown” writer. Unfortunately, today most publishing houses look first at the author’s name, potential sales figures, and costs rather than the content and quality of the work. Almost no publishing house wants to take a risk on an unknown writer who is about to publish their first work. Especially if the book is a “crime novel” and a “short story,” your chances are even slimmer. I was lucky; I was able to publish my first book through a prestigious publishing house like İthaki Yayınları.

· How different is writing crime fiction in Turkey from Western examples?

I think the biggest difference is economic: we have to work hard just to survive. Unless you are a famous author who sells hundreds of thousands of copies, you cannot afford the luxury of writing crime fiction or any other genre to support your family. Many publishing houses not only refuse to pay royalties but also ask authors to pay to have their books published. Meanwhile, a European author can receive an advance from a publishing house to write their book at home and may also receive financial support from their writers' union. For this reason, unfortunately, writing is not seen as anything more than a pleasant pastime in our country. As they say, ‘I'm not saying don't write, just write as a hobby.’ Most writers spend their lives trying to write in their spare time, between all their other work and the struggle to make ends meet.

· What are Turkish readers looking for in crime fiction?

Actually, the same thing as readers everywhere: chasing the criminal, following clues, piecing things together, solving the mystery, feeling excitement, being surprised, being caught off guard, and reading all of this in a balanced, mathematical plot, free of clichés, in proper, fluent Turkish. In other words, it's not just about the plot; the language you use and the balance of the text are extremely important. Unfortunately, most readers do not prefer works written in sloppy Turkish, without any care taken just because they are crime novels.

· Who are your favourite authors?

If I had to name a few off the top of my head, I would say Alper Canıgüz, Elçin Poyrazlar, and Gencoy Sümer. I get excited when they release a new work and rush out to buy it. Through Dedektif Dergi, I have discovered some talented writers: Önay Yılmaz, Reha Avkıran, Gamze Yayık, Ramazan Atlen, Sabri Saydam, Funda Menekşe, Yeşim Yörük, and Tuğba Turan are some of them. I really liked Esra Türkekul, but unfortunately we lost her too soon. Mahir Ünsal Eriş, Murathan Mungan, and Hakan Bıçakcı are among my favourite authors. I recently discovered Hikmet Hükümenoğlu and am now following him. There are so many names that I couldn't mention, so please forgive me.

For readers who want to discover new authors in our crime literature, I recommend http://dedektifdergi.com and the anthologies of local crime stories that have already been published. In these compilations, they can discover authors whose writing they like and then seek out their individual books.

· What advice would you give to young writers who want to write crime fiction?

The first step is to read, read a lot. There is no other way to write. It is important to use language correctly and master the rules of spelling. Nowadays, everything is at your fingertips; it is very easy to find the right information.

If you have the opportunity, have your work read by someone competent other than your family or friends, and be sure to take their criticism into consideration. Remember, it is not praise but criticism that develops a writer. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Write, write, write. But also know when to cross things out and throw them away.

I would like to recommend a very valuable guide to writers and aspiring writers who are thinking of writing crime novels: ‘How to Write a Crime Novel’ by Gencoy Sümer, recently published by Herdem Polisiye. I edited this book, which explains every detail you need to pay attention to when plotting your novel, step by step, with examples and reading/viewing recommendations, in an extremely simple and entertaining style. It is a wonderful resource book that all crime fiction lovers should read.

Thank you very much for having me as your guest. Best wishes and many crime-filled days...