Have you ever read a book that kept you up at night? Or one that made you cry? Good writing can do that to a reader. It can create an emotional experience that transports them into another world. If you want to be a good writer and learn how to tell a good story, this blog post discusses the steps and tips for writing a good thriller novel.
Thriller novels are some of the most popular books on the market, and for a good reason – they are exciting and suspenseful. However, to write a thriller that will keep your readers hooked until the end, you need to plan carefully and ensure that all elements are in place. So, let’s get started.
Start with an exciting and compelling opening scene
The opening scene is one of the most important aspects of writing a thriller – you must grab your reader’s attention from the first scene. So start with something exciting, unique, and suspenseful that will set the tone for the rest of your novel and give your reader a taste of what is to come.
For example, let’s say you’re writing a thriller about a group of friends who go on a camping trip and stumble upon a murder mystery. Your opening scene could be something like this:
– The group of friends had been planning their annual camping trip for months. They were all excited to get away from the city and spend some time in nature. But when they arrived at the campsite, they found something strange. There was a body in the woods.
Create believable and intriguing characters
When you have decided on a shocking inciting incident to build your novel on, it’s time to create your characters – which in your case, could be the group of friends you’re camping with. Your readers need to be able to connect with those characters to care about what happens to them.
Please make sure your characters are well-rounded and three-dimensional. Give them individual flaws, quirks, and secrets. Describe their looks, build, personalities, distinct way of speaking, and how they interact. The more complex they are, the more invested your reader will be in their story.
And remember, in a thriller, anyone could be the villain. So don’t be afraid to make your characters a little bit (or a lot) sinister.
Examples of intriguing personalities in thriller novels
– One example is the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter from Thomas Harris’s novel, Red Dragon. He is a brilliant forensic psychiatrist who assists the FBI in solving crimes but unbeknownst to them; he is also a serial killer with a taste for human flesh. His calm and calculating demeanour masks a truly dark and sinister side that is both fascinating and terrifying.
– Another favourite thriller author is Harlan Coben. In his novel Tell No One, the protagonist is a pediatrician who becomes embroiled in a mystery when his wife is murdered eight years earlier and receives an email claiming she may be alive. The story contains intriguing characters, including the doctor’s mistress, her unstable husband, and a cryptic detective.
Once you understand your characters, it’s time to create a backstory for them. What drove them to become who they are today? What are their hopes and fears?
Crafting a believable and compelling backstory for your thriller novel’s protagonist can be tricky. On the one hand, you want to provide enough information to make them three-dimensional and relatable to readers; on the other hand, too much exposition can bog down the narrative and slow the pacing.
Tips on how to strike the right balance in creating a backstory
– Consider your character’s motivations.
– What drives your protagonist? What are their goals, fears, and behaviours? Understanding these critical components of their personality will give you a solid foundation for building their backstory.
– Focus on critical events.
– Sometimes, less is more when revealing information about your character’s past.
Here are some sample backstories for the main character, bad guy
1. Let’s start with the backstory of Hannibal Lecter from Thomas Harris’ novel Silence of the Lambs. Although he initially appeared in Harris’ previous work Red Dragon, it was in Silence of the Lambs that Lecter became a household name. And part of what made him so captivating (and terrifying) was his dark and twisted backstory.
– Lecter was born into a wealthy family in Lithuania, but his life changed forever when WWII came to his country. When the Nazis invaded, they killed Lecter’s mother and sister before his eyes. This tragedy left Lecter traumatized, and he was forced to watch as his father was also killed shortly after that. After the war, Lecter moved to France, where he eventually became a successful doctor. But his gruesome past continued to haunt him, driving him to commit horrific acts of violence.
2. When it comes to creating a truly villainous backstory, the possibilities are endless. However, certain elements are essential to creating a truly terrifying antagonist. For example, strict religious upbringings often produce interesting characters whose deranged actions can be chalked up to their twisted interpretation of morality. This was the case for Jeffrey Dahmer, who shocked the world with his gruesome murders of seventeen young men.
– Raised in a highly religious household, Dahmer became increasingly fascinated with death and began collecting roadkill as a hobby. Eventually, this fascination led him down a dark path of murder and necrophilia. His story perfectly shows how religious indoctrination can lead to deviant behaviour.
3. Victor was born into a life of poverty and crime. His father was a small-time criminal who never held a job for more than a few months, and his mother was dead by the time he turned ten.
– As soon as Victor was old enough, he started working for his father, doing whatever dirty jobs he could find. He quickly learned that the only way to survive in this world was to be ruthless and violent. He became a master at manipulating people and soon knew he could get away with it if he were careful and methodical about it.
Write in a clear, concise style
Create suspense by writing short, fast-paced scenes. There’s no room for long, descriptive passages or meandering dialogue. Every word counts, so make sure each one is doing its job. Short sentences and sharp prose keep your reader engaged and turning the pages. And if you can ratchet up the tension with some well-placed suspense, all the better.
Here are a few examples of fast-paced scenes
– John sprinted towards the exit, dodging customers and staff as he went. He could hear the footsteps pounding behind him, getting closer and closer. If he could make it to the door…
– She fumbled with her keys, trying to get them into the lock as fast as possible. He was almost upon her; his hands outstretched to grab her…
– The gunshots were so loud that they seemed to echo in his ears long after they had stopped ringing. He had to get out of here before the shooter came back…
– Adrenaline coursing through her veins, Sarah raced down the street. She could hear cars coming toward her, but she didn’t care. She had to get away…
Use suspenseful techniques to keep the reader engaged
You can do this by writing in short, punchy scenes and using cliffhangers at the end of chapters or scenes to leave the reader wanting more.
Cliffhangers are an essential part of a thriller novel. They keep readers engaged and guessing, making them anxious to discover what happens next. Without cliffhangers, most thrillers would fall flat. So if you’re looking to write a thriller, include plenty of suspenseful cliffhangers that will keep your readers hooked until the end.
Examples of cliffhangers:
– The victim is about to reveal the killer’s identity when the scene ends.
– The protagonist has finally discovered the secret to stopping the villain, but just as they’re about to act, something prevents them from continuing.
– A villain is seconds away from victory when the scene ends, leaving readers hanging on what will happen next.
– The detective is in the middle of interrogating the suspect when the power goes out. The only light comes from a single candle on the desk, and as it flickers, the detective sees something that makes her heart stop.
– The victim is lying in bed, asleep, when she hears a noise downstairs. She gets up to investigate but finds that every door and window is locked tight. There’s no way to get out.
– The protagonist has just finished rescuing the hostages when gunfire rings out behind them. They turn around to see the hostage-taker with a gun pointed at them.
Add twists and turns that the reader won’t see coming
A thriller is all about suspense, so a good plot twist is one of the essential elements.
Here are a few examples of a plot twist:
– The villain is revealed to be someone close to the protagonist.
– A previously unimportant character turns out to be crucial to the plot.
– A seemingly minor event turns out to have significant consequences later on.
– A red herring leads the characters (and reader) astray before revealing the true culprit.
– The resolution is not what anyone expected—it’s much better or worse than anticipated.
Plot your story carefully and meticulously
Thriller plots are notoriously complex, so planning everything out in advance is essential. Know who your characters are, their motivations, and how the story will end before you start writing. That way, you can focus on writing a page-turner without getting bogged down in the details.
A plot for a thriller could be as follows:
– You are a scientist working on a top-secret project to create a serum that will enable people to live forever. However, the project is shut down by the government and all of your work is destroyed. Five years later, you learn that someone has recreated the serum and is using it to create an army of immortal soldiers. You must find out who is behind the serum and stop them before they take over the world.
One final tip for writing a thriller novel: have fun! It will show in your work if you’re not enjoying the writing process. So make sure to permit yourself to write a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat story that you’ll want to read yourself.
Edit and revise your work until it’s perfect
Finally, don’t forget to edit your work! A well-edited thriller novel is a pleasure to read, so make sure to go over your work with a fine-tooth comb and fix any errors.
Writing a thriller novel can be daunting, but with careful planning and attention to detail, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. Just remember to start with a strong plot, flesh out your characters, and use suspenseful writing techniques to keep your readers up all night!
Conclusion
So, what is your story? What are the incidents that make up your plot? How will your characters react to these events and how will it all culminate in a climax? It’s okay if you don’t have all of the answers yet. The best way to start plotting your story is by thinking about the questions posed in this blog post. Once you have a better idea of what kind of story you want to tell, take some time to outline it using this guide on writing a novel.
If you’re working on your first novel and are looking for more help with your writing, please check out my other articles at https://ullahakanson.com/blog/
Good luck and happy writing!
Ulla