Quick tips on writing mysteries and thrillers

Posted on 02/27/2021 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

We’ve mentioned before that we like to sprinkle in easy-to-digest writing advice amongst the deeper dives. Here’s an instance of...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

What makes it a psychological thriller?

Posted on 02/24/2021 at 03:59 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The psychological thriller genre found author Sebastian Fitzek, rather than the other way around. But in the time since he...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Thriller, Writer's Digest

7 suggestions (not mandates) for crime novels

Posted on 02/19/2021 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

After nearly forty novels (and bestseller status), author Dana Stabenow has an idea of what works. That said, she open...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

The differences between mysteries, thrillers, and suspense novels

Posted on 10/25/2020 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

So your novel has unanswered questions and heightened tensions. Does that make it a mystery, thriller, or suspense novel? Zara...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Zara Altair

How to make your adventure story feel real to a reader

Posted on 07/20/2020 at 02:35 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Now is not exactly a period for real-life adventuring. So if you or your readers are missing pulse-pounding activities, an...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Thriller, Writing advice

What a retired special agent wants authors to know about the FBI

Posted on 02/04/2020 at 08:16 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Joanna Penn’s latest expert interview is another one likely to intrigue even those not writing crime thrillers. Jerri Williams, a...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Joanna Penn, Thriller, Writing advice

How to stay mentally strong while writing dark fiction

Posted on 11/11/2019 at 11:25 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

No matter what you’re writing, it can be hard to quiet the critical voices in your head as you work....

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Horror, Joanna Penn, Thriller, Writing advice

What to expect when basing a novel on real-life drama

Posted on 08/13/2019 at 03:43 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Stephanie Kane knows, from experience, the risks and rewards of using real-life events as inspiration for fiction. Her novel Quiet...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Guidelines for the mystery, crime, and thriller genres

Posted on 03/15/2019 at 10:30 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Mystery, crime, thriller — the three genres are often spoken of interchangeably, but there are subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences as...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Write your scary story like someone's reading it out loud

Posted on 10/21/2018 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Phil Athans believes that most people breathe along with their reading as if they’re speaking out loud. That tendency can...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Horror, Plot / narrative, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice