The Author as Terrorist (#2): Starting with a Bang!
Posted by Rick on Sep 19, 2009 in Blog | 137 comments
Last month, we started this series by talking about how old-school terrorists and suspense authors are the same in one important way: Like terrorists, we want to create uncertainty and tension that makes it impossible for our victims (er, readers) to focus on anything except what’s going to happen next in the world we’ve created. Now we’re going to start digging a little deeper to see what we writers can learn from the PLO and Baader-Meinhof gang.
A good terrorist introduces himself with something flashy and devastating, right? So does a good suspense writer.
Readers who pick up a suspense novel are looking for suspense. Give it to them, hard and fast. Sure, it’s important to introduce your characters, describe your setting and so on. But don’t let any of those things get in the way of putting readers on the edges of their seats.
Remember how Robert Ludlum started The Bourne Identity? Despite the title of the book, Ludlum didn’t begin by introducing Jason Bourne or even telling us his name. Instead, chapter one opens with a nameless man bursting onto the deck of a ship during a raging storm. He is shot from behind, topples over the side and vanishes into the churning sea. We have no idea who the man is, what he’s doing on the ship or why he was shot. None of that matters, though, because we’re already hooked. As long as Ludlum answers those questions eventually, we don’t mind. What we really care about is what happens next.
The Bourne Identity is an extreme example, but a fair one. Virtually all good suspense novels start with a bang. Someone is shot, a child vanishes, a life is shattered by a horrible secret. Go to your bookshelf and pull down your favorite suspense novel. Read the first five pages. I guarantee that you’ll see a bomb go off. Sometimes it’s literal, other times it’s emotional or psychological, but it’s unmistakably a major explosion. Now read the first five pages of your WIP. Does something big blow up?
There are lots of ways to set off a bomb early in your book. One popular technique is to start with a tension-creating prologue that helps set up the main storyline. For example, if you’re writing a crime drama in which one of your characters is a suspected serial murderer, begin with a short prologue describing one of the murders, but don’t identify the killer. If you’re working on a vampire novel, you can open with a young woman who feels an evil breeze blow across her soul as she’s walking down a deserted street. Whatever you’re going to do, though, do it fast. Never give your readers an excuse to put your book down. If you do, chances are that they won’t pick it up again.
Up next month in part #3: Crossing Lines. It will appear on Friday, October 16.
Cross-posted at http://canblog.typepad.com/canbookmarketing/2009/09/the-author-as-terrorist-2-starting-with-a-bang.html#more
137 comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
Leave a Reply
About Rick
Rick Acker writes intense christian legal thrillers while commuting to his “real job” as a California Deputy Attorney General.
Connect with Rick
Purchase Rick’s Books
It’s not typical for me to read this kind of informational article but yours caught my attention as soon as I started reading it. This is useful and interesting information.
It is not long ago when I discussed that topic with just the same outcome.
You’ve done an excellent job expressing your thoughts in this article. I concur with a lot of your thoughts and appreciate your vast knowledge and forward thinking. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us.
This is the most unique article I have read in quite some time. Thank you for presenting your points and providing this information. I have learned something about this topic.
I do appreciate that youve added relevant and intelligent commentary here
It’s totally refreshing to find quality content like this online. I’ve found it more and more difficult to find quality articles like this one. I’m glad I found this article.
This article is top-notch. Your points are presented with intelligent and thoughtful content. Your contribution to this subject matter is more interesting than what I have found in other articles.
You have written an article that has started an invigorating debate among my friends. How exciting to stir up such a wonderful debate. Your research is very useful. Thank you.
It’s encouraging to see writing like this online. I respect the work you do and the effort you have to put into getting this kind of material ready to write.
You have written an informative article with a lot of thought-provoking information. I agree with you on several points as they are valid and reasonable.
What¡¦s Going down i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads. I am hoping to contribute & assist other customers like its helped me. Great job.
The article has been most helpful. It’s very informative and the writer is very knowledgeable in this area and able to communicate the information effectively. It’s nice to read a good article on this subject.
I’m glad someone has taken the time to go into detail on this subject. All I have seen up to this point is very shallow writings. I can use this.
I like how you have written your content. I must agree with your views on this topic. You’re a good writer that keeps content interesting no matter what the subject. I can respect your expertise.
I am impressed with the effort you have so obviously put into this content. I am also impressed with your point of view on this topic, especially since you have made your points so clear.
If words are armor you’ve written a solid suit here. I can’t dispute the points you make here as they are just too well thought out and written. Thank you for writing this interesting article.
It’s not often I take some new information away from reading an informational article. I’m sure that’s because most writers tend to write the same thing over and over. You have presented new, fresh ideas.
This is very smart content. This kind of information can’t be easy to write. It has to take real dedication and much research to put together this much quality content.
I’m making my comment before my boss gets back from lunch, so forgive me if it’s not as good as the others. I like your article. You’re a great writer.
The viewpoints you make in your article are so well stated. This is easy to understand from the beginning. This is interesting to read. Thanks for clearing up some things I have been thinking about.
Good informative content is written to target the thinking person. This content is brain-challenging yet straightforward. The viewpoints are written with a lot of thought and prep work behind them.
Thank you for this article. I came across it while doing research for a project. Your point of view was refreshing and has helped me.
Not many writers can persuade me to their way of thinking. You’ve done a great job of doing that on many of your views here.
Whatever you’re doing, don’t stop. This is some of the best content I’ve read anywhere in a long time. You’ve really hit the nail on the head with this in my opinion. Keep it up.
After I read this article I was very impressed. I enjoyed every paragraph very much. This content is well-planned and written. This is great work.
Your article is written with extreme clarity and is informative. I might never have thought of this information in this way without your input. You’ve given me much to consider with your original subject matter.
This article is fantastic! I really relate to the viewpoints you make. I plan to revisit your article so I can further process this information.
I personally think your article is amazingly well-written. I concur with much of the information you have in this article and will read it over again to consider some others. I really like your style.
It’s great when an article gives readers the opportunity to consider the many points mentioned. I like this article a lot and it’s very interesting.
I was reading your article and wondered if you had considered creating an ebook on this subject. Your writing would sell it fast. You have a lot of writing talent.
You’ve written an excellent informational article. It’s not just informative, it’s also smart, engaging and thought-provoking. I stand corrected on some of my previous views.
Thanks for your article on the sky-miles-credit-card-no-fee. I might also like contribute that if your senior thinking of traveling, it can be absolutely vital that you buy travel cover for retirees. When traveling, retirees are at greatest risk of having a sky-miles-credit-card-online emergency. Getting the right skymiles-credit-card package for one’s age group can protect your business and give you more dollars in your pocket.
Articles with great information like this are noteworthy, so I decided to write a note. I enjoyed the points you made and how they’re presented.
I’m glad I came across your article today. Your information is thought-provoking, insightful and very interesting. It genuinely gave me a lot to think about on this subject. Thank you.
Infrequently, I do find quality reading content that fits my opinions. You did a great job with this information. I truly enjoyed reading your article. It really made me think.
Your article contains great quality content not often seen. Your views are original and well thought out. You made valid points on this subject on which I concur. Thank you for writing great interesting content.
You are a very persuasive writer. I can see this in your article. You have a way of writing compelling information that sparks much interest.