4 tips for plotting a thriller

Plotting a crime novel is a very personal thing. All crime writers have their own way of going about things. Some like to jump straight in without too much forethought. Others plan meticulously and only put pen to paper once they know every single in and out of the plot. However you like to plot your crime novels, it’s probably a good idea to have at least some sense of plot and direction before you start to write.

With this in mind, here are a few tips for plotting a thriller.

Know where it’s going

Even if you don’t have a clue what’s going to happen in the bits in between, it’s hugely useful to know where you’re starting and where you’re (hopefully) going to end up. The start and the end of a crime novel can be the hardest (yet most fun) bits to write, and they need to be perfect. Plan them before you start to help give your book structure.

Know why the story is happening

Every crime thriller needs motive. That could be motive for murder, or motive for a character’s actions, but either way, it needs to be convincing. It’s something of a cliché to say that everything happens for a reason but in crime fiction, if you have something happen ‘just because’, it’s likely to end up falling somewhat flat.

Know what your strands are

Maybe your novel has one exciting, big plot strand. However, most crime novels tend to have multiple strands running through them. It makes things more interesting, but it can also lead to you getting into a bit of a tangle if you don’t fully know what’s what. When plotting your thriller, work out what the main strand is. Then work out what the other strands are, and how they all relate to each other. If it’s not straight in your mind, it will never make sense to the reader.

Know how it appears to the reader

As the writer, you should know what you want to do and how you want to do it. However, when you’re writing, it doesn’t always come across as you might have hoped. Make sure to think from the reader’s point of view when plotting your thriller. What would they think at this point in the plot, or after this character has done that, or that character has just performed that u-turn? What information does the reader have at any particular point? Does it all make sense once you get to the end?

What are your top tips for plotting a thriller?