The Author as Terrorist #3: Crossing a Line
Posted by Rick on Oct 25, 2009 in Blog | 134 comments
How do terrorists terrify? By being willing to commit disturbing acts that decent human beings would never consider. Aspiring suspense writer: Go thou and do likewise (at least in print).
It’s hard to create tension if your readers can sense that there are lines you won’t cross. Once they know that you won’t let anything really bad happen to “good” characters, most of the suspense drains out of what should be tense scenes. They know the sweet schoolteacher in the car crash will be okay, the deranged husband of the vulnerable young woman won’t actually kill her, and so on. How can you keep that from happening?
Fortunately, solving this problem is simple: Cross some lines. Kill the schoolteacher. Murder the innocent wife. While you’re at it, go ahead and kill the deranged husband too.
Are you crazy or just stupid? you ask. What kind of author would write a book like that? What kind of publisher would publish it? And what on Earth would readers think? I’m going to duck the first question and move straight to the others: The author is award-winning novelist James Scott Bell and the publisher is Center Street Books (the “traditional values” imprint of Hachette Book Group). In the first chapter—the first page![1]—of Bell’s Try Dying, a troubled man murders his wife and shoots himself on a highway overpass. His body falls onto the car of the nice schoolteacher, who dies. Readers loved it, and not a single review—or at least none that Google could find—complained about the opening.
Bell is a veteran storyteller and knows exactly what he’s doing. If a thug pulls a knife on a main character later in the book, we’re all on edge because we know there’s a real chance the character might be killed. Authors rarely kill main characters, of course, but they also almost never kill innocent and vulnerable women. Bell offed two of those on page one. Will he do the same thing to an important good guy? Maybe. We’re not really sure what he’s willing to do next, and that’s exactly how it should be.
One final note: Choose your lines carefully. You don’t want to cross a line that will turn off publishers or readers in your target audience. For example, note that Bell’s characters died on the first page of his book, before we really cared about either (though we come to care about both later as we learn more about them). When in doubt, run your scene or plot development past a professional editor or author who specializes in suspense.
[1] Remember last month’s post about starting with a bang?
Up next month in part #4: Keep Them Guessing. It will appear on Friday, November 20.
Rick Acker is a suspense novelist whose books include Blood Brothers (4 stars, Romantic Times), Dead Man’s Rule (4.5 stars, Romantic Times), and The Davis Detective Mysteries for tweens. His next book, When the Devil Whistles will be published by Abingdon in 2010. By day, he is a Deputy Attorney General in the California Department of Justice.
134 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
As a purchaser, it is extremely vital to understand the genuine situations in advance of taking the added positive aspects of any cost-effective options supplied in terms of loans and credits.
This information is magnificent. I understand and respect your clear-cut points. I am impressed with your writing style and how well you express your thoughts.
Thank you for such a well thought out method of informational writing. I have had to start thinking outside the box on the fresh information that you have posted here.
It’s good to read an article that so clearly has been written by an intelligent person. You are a very good writer. This is great.
You have a special gift for writing. You can express your thoughts in unique, original content. This information is formatted in easy to read terminology that nearly any reader can understand. Thank you for sharing.
I make my living writing, but I am not nearly as good as you. I’m not sure I would have the focus to do all the homework you’ve done on this topic. This is great.
This is such a great source that you will be giving and you give it away for zero cost.
This is my second visit to your content. I failed to leave a comment before, and wanted to tell you I really like your article.
Im a bit confused about this blog but I get what you are meaning
I feel the need to thank you for your great writing ability and unique content. Your article reflects many of my same views. You have written some very interesting content.
I’m fascinated with the subject matter of your article. You’re a great writer with true insight. I enjoyed reading your views and appreciate your dedication to writing. Very interesting content.
I have read a few of the articles on your website now, and I really like your style of blogging. I added it to my favorites web page list and will be checking back soon. Please check out my site as well and let me know what you think.
Your article has really good reading, thought-provoking information. You make several sound points I find agreeable. Your article is a good example of superior writing from a writer that cares. Thanks for sharing this information.
You have a real ability for writing unique content. I like how you think and the way you represent your views in this article. I agree with your way of thinking. Thank you for sharing.
I am seldom interested in reading topics in this arena since they are typically boring, but this material is unique. I am quite impressed with your writing and your efforts.
I just have to tell you that you have really outdone yourself with this quality article presentation. I am very fascinated with the points you make here and I am in complete agreement with you.
This is so great that I had to comment. I’m usually just a lurker, taking in knowledge and nodding my head in quiet approval at the good stuff…..this required written props. Theory rocks…thanks.
I recently read some articles that were so dull and off center that I couldn’t abide finishing them. Your article is not one of those articles. I like your content.
I am having a hard time fathoming how much research you had to do for this data, but I appreciate it and I agree. You make a lot of sense.
Great work on getting your point across in this article! I am intrigued by how much work you must have done to come to these conclusions. I like this information.
lol a couple of the reviews bloggers write are silly and unrelated, there are times i wonder whether they at all read the post before writing or whether they just look at the subject of the blog post and compose the very first thought that drifts to their minds. But it is great to see a intelligent commentary every now and then in contrast to the exact same, traditional blog bull which I too many times notice on the blogs. Regards
This could be the best content ever put to pen and paper on this subject. It is obvious that by taking opposing views and looking at the similarities in them, you have written great content.
It’s good to read an article that so clearly has been written by an intelligent person. You are a very good writer. This is great.
Some people don’t want to write on ideas like yours. Thank you for taking a subject of today and making it understandable for me to learn more about that I can use in everyday life.
Thanks a lot for this interesting post. This is something I have been looking for for a long time now.
While this subject can be very touchy for most people, my opinion is that there has to be a middle or common ground that we all can find. I do appreciate that youve added relevant and intelligent commentary here though. Thank you!
This content is by far the best I’ve read on the Internet to date. Your first paragraph drew me in just by the way it looked. You are very talented and I hope you continue.
I am really impressed with your presentation of thoughts in this article. Your ideas and information seem really valid and you have made your points very clear to the reader.
Best source for Local Nannies and Nanny jobs
Greetings, Just what I was looking for! I was researching content for our blog when I came across your article which I found on AOL. We would love you to create content for us, if interested. I’ve bookmarked this post for future reference. Superb comments here as well -
This is the kind of writing I like to see online. I appreciate good grammar and properly researched information. I also like the main points made by this writer. Thank you for your conscientious writing.
Thanks for all the enthusiasm to offer such helpful information here.
Your writing style is proof positive that a writer can clearly express his or her original thoughts without a lot of flashy content. This is smart, engaging and informative material.
Dear Mr. Acker,
I have completed a four volume novel entitled “Rainbow Fortune Lane” that takes place in the Sicilian culture of organized crime between 1960 thru 1979.
Because of your expertise as an author of corporate legal thrillers, accentuated by your proficiency as a Deputy AG, I am hoping you will take a look at my first volume, and then give me a
recommendation to Alive Communications, Inc.
From the age of eight I was raised in Las Vegas with the sons of the two most powerful Mafioso Chieftans in the state of Nevada.
Consequently there is a great deal of truth, fact, and realism in all four of my volumes.
If you wish to speak with me I can be reached day or night at
310.920.5702
GOD bless you, your family, and friends.
ARRIVEDERCI
Frank Moran