[Guest Blogger] Writing a Thriller: Where to Start and What to Avoid

Nathan Walters Releases New EP Jason Ray Covers More Beloved K-Pop T...

[Guest Blogger] Writing a Thriller: Where to Start and What to Avoid

Ryan Steck: It’s not easy to write a thriller, but when you’re in the zone and the words are flowing, it’s as much fun as reading a great book. So, where do you start? Let me try my best to answer that question . . .

Not everyone will agree with this, but in my opinion, if you want to be a thriller novelist, it’s imperative that you’re first a fan of the genre. Reading other books, especially ones from authors who have been successful, is an essential step because it will help you to understand how a book—including character introduction, structure, and so on—should look from the inside out. Many underestimate the value of reading other authors’ work, in terms of learning how to set up plotlines and develop the story and characters. But if you’re already a fan of the genre—and maybe that’s why you want to be a writer yourself—then the best place to start is with a character or a story that you want to explore.

Before I was a published author myself, I covered authors and their books as a literary critic for The Real Book Spy. I’ve long had a deep love of thrillers—primarily of the action, spy, and political variety—and that certainly is a big reason why I took the leap and started writing. That’s, of course, the first step, but what you start writing should come down to what interests you. That could be a topic or a character, or even a location. For me, I loved characters like Jason Bourne but realized that we never see those operator types out west. So I picked Montana and knew I wanted to set my series there. I did a lot of research and knew I had the setting. I also had come up with a character—a former Marine Raider named Matthew Redd—that I wanted to develop and get to know. And from there, once I started wondering what kind of trouble a guy like Redd might run into out west, the story fell into place.

So, when talking to aspiring writers, I recommend writing what you want to read, not the typical “write what you know” advice that seems to float around. You can learn anything, especially in today’s world where information is readily accessible at the tips of our fingers. Once you find that topic, setting, or character that interests you, something you’re really passionate about, you’ll be off and running.

But then what?

A lot of aspiring writers get hung up on things that have nothing to do with creating their story, characters, and the universe they’ll occupy. I’ve talked to a lot of writers who wasted considerable time trying to think of a lights-out title. Others started hiring graphic designers to mock up cover art examples for their story idea. The truth is, though, that a killer title or a striking cover design means nothing without a really good story. So don’t worry about stuff that should come later. Focus on writing, developing your story concepts and characters, and save your energy for those other things down the road.

Also, don’t burn yourself out trying to write the whole book too quickly. Likewise, don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re struggling to put down good words. Pages can always be edited and made better. Nobody writes a perfect first draft. First you have to get the story down from beginning to end, and then you can make it better. Most authors, on average, aim to write somewhere between 1,000-2,500 words a day, which is about a chapter. You can do more, or you can do less. The number isn’t so important, other than to illustrate that nobody writes a first draft in a week. Take plenty of time and allow yourself to explore. And remember, have fun! If you’re having fun writing your books, then people will likely have fun reading them.

Good luck, and happy writing!