Dan Slater: On Writing About a Hidden True World
A graduate of Colgate University, New York Film Academy, and Brooklyn Law School, Dan Slater has written for more than a dozen publications, including the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, GQ, and The New Yorker. His last book, Wolf Boys, which The New York Times called “unforgettable” and the Chicago Public Library named a best book of the year, is being adapted for a TV series by 101 Studios and director Antoine Fuqua.
His story about a rabbinic gang is in development at Paramount TV and George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures. Raised in Minnesota, Dan lives in New England with his wife and their two sons. Follow him on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
Dan Slater
In this interview, Dan discusses how research for a different project inspired him to write his new historical true-crime book, The Incorruptibles, his advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Dan Slater
Literary agent: Farley Chase
Book title: The Incorruptibles: A True Story of Kingpins, Crime Busters, and the Birth of the American Underworld
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Release date: July 16, 2024
Genre/category: Narrative nonfiction, history, true crime
Previous titles: Wolf Boys; Love in the Time of Algorithms
Elevator pitch: The harrowing tale of an immigrant underworld, a secret vice squad, and the rise of organized crime.
Bookshop | Amazon
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What prompted you to write this book?
While working on a previous project, a magazine story about a gang of violent rabbis, I was researching the history of Jewish violence, and returned often to the criminal underworld of pre-WWI New York.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
6.5 years from conception to publication. The idea grew and deepened, but the concept—a secretive vice crusade to wipe out the underworld—remained the heart of the book throughout.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
When the book’s acquiring editor later left book publishing for a new path, I was pretty bummed out. But I was pleasantly surprised when my new editor was just as dedicated to the project as my initial editor had been. Indeed, the whole team at Little, Brown was committed to producing the best possible version of my book, which contains more than 60 original photos that have never been seen.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I was surprised to learn that the word “ghetto” was a Jewish invention that originated in Venice in the early 1500s, and that, until the middle of the 20th century, the concept of the ghetto connoted Jews only.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Entertainment and knowledge, an immersive tour of a hidden world, and a new sense of their origins.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
If you commit yourself to the process and lifestyle of writing, rather than simply the attainment of the end result, you will eventually attain the result.
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