Write a thriller: Conceal to create suspense in writing
Trick readers, but don’t hoodwink them In his fabulous essay The Simple Art of Murder Raymond Chandler wrote that “The solution must seem …
writing
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 …
Thriller plot: Figure out destination to build climax
Figure out the end of the novel before you start to write The great thriller writer Joseph Finder told me that figuring out the end of a thriller plot …
Write a thriller: How Don Winslow propels a plot around its Midpoint
The key to the pace of a thriller lies in the Midpoint The Midpoint is a plot point that lies, of course, at the halfway point of the book. What does …
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 …
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: 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 …
Write historical fiction: Finding daily details
How to use historical objects in fiction without making them into fetishes In writing historical fiction, there are two main traps to avoid. One is …
Write a thriller: Do you plot or not?
Should crime fiction writers figure out the details of their plot before they write? Harlan Coben doesn’t. John Grisham does. Robert Ludlum did, …
Why you should break Elmore Leonard’s writing rules…sometimes
Elmore Leonard, who died yesterday at 87, has 10 rules for writing. They don’t cover most of the important points of writing. They could really be …