Writing a great book is both rewarding and fulfilling at the same time. It gives you a sense of satisfaction upon knowing that somewhere on the planet; your book is being read and is touching multiple lives. Who wouldn’t be inspired to write better works upon knowing that their books are creating differences in the world? However, writing is not easy. There are many ups and downs that you have to conquer before you can attain book success. Among these struggles is striving to stand-out.
If you are a fan of action movies and books and are motivated to write an action-packed suspense-thriller novel— then you should start planning. Suspense-thriller is a genre of literature that is always a hit regardless of what literary period we are in. With that being said, here are some of the keys to writing a promising suspense-thriller book that you should know.
Study your genre
The familiarity with the genre of your story plays a big role in making your work stand-out and captures the attention of the readers. Nobody would want to read a book with a cover that screams suspense but the content is far from it. So, start researching about the common elements, organizational patterns, dos and don’ts, and etc. You may also want to read some books that are categorized as suspense-thrillers so that you can observe how they were written. A great example is Greg Van Arsdale’s The Columbian Connection book that is part of his book series called A Chuck Taylor and Lisa Fontaine Thriller. Analyze and examine its elements and writing style, so you could understand the genre better.
Create a great setting
Most stories showcase promising settings. It is one of the parts of a story that readers basically take note of and remember. Perhaps it could be because they have something that the real world doesn’t have or they were just remarkably crafted. In order for your story to stand out, you must build a setting that matches the suspense and thrill that your book is showcasing. The importance of setting in a novel lies behind the thought that it can help the readers visualize where and when the action happened. They can also start imagining the social environment that surrounds the character based on the place that the story happened.
Form a fresher conflict
Conflict is like the spice to your sugar. Without it, readers will be less interested in your work. The challenge in writing a suspense-thriller book is to find the right and fresh conflict to add to your story. However, do note that there are many types of conflict. Man vs. man is typically the most commonly used. So, you must find a way to at least bring something new to the table — such as using the other kind of conflict, which are man vs. himself and man vs. nature, that most stories don’t feature. Just make sure that it fits your content and theme.
Make your characters shine
A character is the most powerful element than the rest combined. Its power lies behind the fact that without it, the story will not have its progress and even get started. Hence, it is the force that brings your story forward. So, do your best into bringing your characters to life and make them stand-out from others. In your story, show the readers their inner and outer traits because that is the best way to make the readers fall in love with your characters and perhaps turn them into avid fans. Also, make sure that your characters can take your readers into the action-packed world that you have created; and, make them experience what it’s like living like one of them.
Write a strong beginning and ending
Being able to open your story well is already a plus point to the reader’s part. Everybody wants to read a book that is already starting strong. The struggle is just you need to introduce all the basic parts to ignite the imaginations of the readers. But, that doesn’t mean that you are not allowed to use some literary devices to spice everything up. Another important thing to note is to finish strong. So, make sure that everything has been said and done before you close the story. There should already be a solution to the conflict by now. However, if you want to tease the readers, you are also allowed to end in a cliffhanger.