How to Make a Thriller Novel: A Complete Guide

Writing a fiction novel is a challenging and intriguing process that may alter the lives of many of us for the better.

Of course, it is not an easy path to take, but just like any other skill, it can be mastered if we follow the appropriate techniques.

Hi, my name is L. D. Boston, and I’m a Sci-Fi thriller novelist. I’m on a quest to help you write your first thriller novel. What role am I going to play? Well, here’s the plan: I’ll show you how to do it with a series of easy-yet-comprehensive step-by-step guides that will be uploaded on a weekly basis (fingers crossed). So, buckle up and join me on this adventure!

Today’s blog will present to you the writer mentality and how you may start thinking and acting like an author with some tips and tricks I used to make a 60K word novel, starting with a blank sheet of paper.

Before you start writing

Okay, hold on there. There are some small but important things to keep in mind before you begin to write, which will put you on the correct path and keep things from becoming more jumbled during the process, and these things can be summarized in two words: purpose and mindset.

The Three Q’s

Enter the Three Q’s, a framework I created to help me figure out where I’m headed, and I use it in almost every part of my life. I encourage you to try it as well.

The Three Q’s are three questions you should ask yourself to determine the purpose of your writing. These questions are as follows:

• Why are you writing?
• To whom are you writing?
• What do you enjoy writing about the most?

Why are you writing?

It’s important to ask yourself this question before you start putting words on paper, as it will let you discover yourself as a writer, as well as how to convey your message to the readers with clarity, and not only that, but it will also make your story more deep and meaningful.

To Whom are you writing?

The bitter truth is that your story will not be suitable for everyone. I realize it’s a tough pill to swallow, but that’s how the industry works. Everyone has different tastes in what they read, and some people are really picky, so understanding your readership before you start writing can save you a lot of breath; that’s something I wish I had known before I began, as I only found out while I was in the middle of my novel. But, well, you’re lucky to have known that sooner. This topic is vital since it helps to determine the voice of how to tell your story as well as your target demographic when marketing your work. Again, getting to know your audience as early as possible is highly recommended.

What do you enjoy writing the most?

At this level, you should go further and ask yourself, “If I could write one thing and publish it to a huge number of people to read, what would I write about?” Seeing as you’re reading about how to write a thriller novel, you’re probably interested in, well, thrillers. Now, what kind of thriller is it? Is it a detective thriller, a psychological thriller, a crime thriller, or a science fiction? You get the idea. Personally, I’m a rather tech-savvy and future-oriented guy, so sci-fi stories inspire me the most, and I want them to be action-packed and intriguing. Immerse yourself in this and figure out what you enjoy the most.

Think like a writer

We’ve discussed the purpose; now it’s time to discuss the mindset of a writer, which can be learned by time and practice; I’m still learning a lot about how to be a good author and how to improve my art day after day. But before that, let’s talk about how you can delve into the mindset of a writer.

Schedule your writing sessions:

This one is obvious, but it’s surprising how many people overlook it. Don’t let yourself be captive to random chance, or you won’t have enough discipline to create something worth reading, so the first thing you want to do is choose a time when you’re the most relaxed and imaginative, since we need to be comfy and focused in order for our creative charm to flow.

Build a writing environment

I recommend that you be in the right spot at the right time. I’ve found myself in situations where I couldn’t write a single word because I was in a cluttered environment. In fact, one of the things that helps with writer’s block is to improve our workspace; thus, you should think about providing the essential tools. This will boost your state of mind and put you in a good flow of focus and efficiency.

Set a realistic deadline

We all despise deadlines because they put us in a stressed-out state of mind, which can be a major headache for many of us. Nevertheless, when it comes to making novels, a deadline is required since we, as people, require some degree of urgency to get things accomplished or else we’ll get sucked into the atrocious comfort zone, which might end up dropping the very idea of writing the book, which brings me to the following issue.

You are already a writer

It’s time to accept that the moment you considered writing a book, you’ve become a writer. And it’s healthy to start identifying as one, and to cut off any exposure to self-doubt, as it’s the most powerful threat you’ll face on your writing path.

Perfectly Imperfect

If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.

A beautiful quote by Leo Tolstoy with which I fully agree, owing to my past experiences with perfectionism, although I still have to deal with it in many areas of my life. Trust me, it hasn’t gotten me anywhere. In contrast, the instant I let go and said, “Whatever happens, happens,” I realized I accomplished more than I ever set out to do. Don’t let the concept of having to write a flawless draft or a perfect book from the start discourage you; let me reassure you that it will happen. You’ll thank me later since I spared you hours of agonizing over the fact that you don’t have to be a brilliant writer to write a book.

Instead, I prefer that you be perfectly imperfect when writing, and that you focus widely on progressing the events, so that after you’re through with your plot, you’ll have more time to polish it and start taking care of the details.

So that’s about all I have to say about the things you should think about and do before you start to put ink on paper, and now let’s get to the meat of the topic.

Learn the basics

It’s now time to settle down and start writing, structuring your plot, and composing your first draft.

To do outstanding work, you must understand key storytelling basics that will allow you to build a totally logical and well-written storyline. But, first and foremost, what is a story?

At the most basic level, a story is a narration of an event or set of events, whether real or fictional. A story, like any other literary composition, is made of a beginning, a middle, and an end (the exposition, the climax, and the denouement in storytelling lingo).

So your role as a narrator is to tell a story that consists of a setup, a confrontation, and a resolution. See? It’s not that difficult.

Now that you know what the general picture of a story is like, let’s look at the specifics.

Research your genre

I need you to go back to the Three Q’s, especially “who are you writing for?” & “What do you love writing about the most?” Because they go hand in hand, and remember, I told you it’s incredibly important to take into consideration asking yourself these questions. I’ll explain why.

Researching your genre is not really about you; it is about your audience, and if you want your story to be read by them, you must switch off the ego button and focus on them. Why do we have such things? It’s because readers anticipate certain features from each genre.

When you begin watching a detective film, you expect certain elements, like a detective, a crime, and an overall aura of mystery. Definitely not laser rifles and multidimensional teleportation.

Not convinced yet? Well, consider this: when you walk into a retail store, you expect to see clothes, shelves and racks, mirrors, mannequins, and so on. But suppose you get into the building and find tables, menus, and a waitress standing inside. What would your reaction be?

A great start is to get inspired and read books and stories that relate to your novel idea.

TL;DR: Genres are a promise you make to your readers, and they expect you to keep it. Get ideas from other people’s stories that are similar to yours.

Know your structure

Although the standard narrative structure can be used, the nature of your narrative necessitates a more sophisticated framework. Consider the narrative structure to be the skeleton of your story, representing the foundation for how your story should be organized.

The structure’s purpose is to organize your events in such a manner that the reader is guided through resolving the defining question of your story’s premise.

Of course, there are several story structures, each with its own purpose, and we shall discuss narrative structures in future blogs to avoid making this post any longer than it needs to be.

The narrative structure is the heart of your story, and it is the single most important factor in guiding your reader through an unforgettable journey.

Think in Parts

If you watch anime, you may already be familiar with the term “arcs.”

An arc is a piece of the storyline that focuses on a certain event or element of the narrative; they’re essentially mini-plots within the broader plot.

I borrowed this strategy for my novel, and it helped me split my plot into events and devote all of my attention to a specific part of a specific event before moving on to the next, then another, and so on.

This method is good for me since it helps reduce the extra stress of trying to think of it all at once. When I was first starting to write my novel, which is largely inspired by Hollywood movies, anime, and video games, I considered looking into the scriptwriting and manga-writing processes to see how they develop their storylines, and the best strategy that helped me was the “manga arcs” method.

Plotting or Pantsing?

There are three types of authors in the realm of fiction: plotters, pantsers, and hybrids.

The plotter is the sort of writer who focuses on the nuts and bolts of the events, in which they ensure to plan all the details from the dedication page to the final word of the book. This personality pays close attention to details, but does not write until they have outlined everything.

Meanwhile, the pantser is the kind that likes to “fly by the seat of their pants.” This type dislikes restrictions and prefers to be spontaneous with their stories, writing down whatever springs to mind. To explain, a pantser is a visitor who doesn’t know where he’s going but enjoys exploration, whereas a plotter is someone who organizes their trip six months in advance.

The hybrid is neither a plotter nor a pantser; they like to outline the main path of the story, but they don’t focus on the details since they will keep hold of them along the way.

Why I believe this kind is the ideal option for many people is that, unlike plotters, who spend lots of time planning and pursuing perfection, hybrids get to know where they’ll be headed and appreciate their journey as it is until the final destination.

Knowing what type you are will help you determine the flow of your work and will help you organize your routine much better.

Final word

Finally, I’d want to thank you for getting this far, and I hope you gained an understanding of what awaits you and how to take the early steps.

There are several issues I mentioned that I will expand on, and as promised, I will make sure to publish a post every week to help you and everyone else who is striving to write their first thriller novel.

If you have any questions or need writing advice, please contact me at bostonscribbles@gmail.com.

Have fun writing!

I post every Saturday🙌. Read this post and more on my L-D. Boston Blog