If you read only one Lee Child thriller, read ’61 Hours’
Child’s evocation of the Dakota winter shows how well he writes Lee Child is justly famous for creating a compelling main character in the loner Jack …
writing tips
Write a thriller: Find a good ‘What if’
A “What if” situation is a great way to start your plotting A “What if” question can spark your entire thriller. Try to imagine any …
Thriller opening needs action
A thriller opening needs action to grab the readers The most effective thriller opening hits the reader with action right away. It’ll hook them …
Two tips to start thriller writing
Just write, don’t wait for inspiration. Start thriller writing. And understand the 3-Act structure Nora Roberts (aka J.D. Robb) knows what …
Write a thriller: Plot a thriller with this diagram
Plot a thriller The diagram shows the major points in how to plot a thriller This diagram is a framework for writing a thriller. In particular, how to …
Write a thriller: Character drives plot
Memorable characters are at the heart of crime writing success Joseph Wambaugh was a Los Angeles Police Department detective sergeant before he became …
Write a thriller: Get inside your character
A writer must feel what his characters feel to convey the emotion and sensation The great Belgian crime noveliest Georges Simenon described writing as …
Write a thriller: Don’t use the magic hacker
The computer ‘hacker’ character undermines the credibility of many thrillers The use of a hacker character in Swedish writer Stieg …
Favorite writers inspire creativity
Writers should study an author whose work sparks them creatively. Mine is Raymond Chandler Whenever I start writing a new book, I re-read some Raymond …
Writers enter character like Black Swan and Springsteen
Writers enter character for more than just dialogue A writer needs to enter the characters in his/her novel. I’ve talked about this with other …
How to create empathy in writing
Empathy is vital for a writer Malcolm Muggeridge (an old English literateur) once said that George Orwell “was no good as a novelist, because he …