The Passion of Writing

by D. L.Wilson

During my “day job” in the fashion industry I was fortunate, or unfortunate, depending on how you look at it, to have traveled and worked in 32 countries. The unfortunate part was the countless hours I spent on airplanes or waiting in airports. What got me through those endless trips with some semblance of sanity was reading novels. I was fascinated by thriller authors like James Patterson, Richard North Patterson, John Sandford, David Baldacci, Clive Cussler, John Grisham, Leon Uris, Dean Koontz, the list goes on and on. I became hooked on the thriller genre. It became my reading passion. After many years and reading over a hundred books, I decided to try my hand at writing. Of course, I wanted to write a thriller.

 

My career in the fashion industry taught me it’s vital for your designers to understand the market before starting to design a new fashion line. Even though I had been an avid reader, I knew I’d better learn the basics before I started the writing process. Lucky an agent suggested that I be sure I knew the basics of what a “thriller” really was. He told me many beginning writers often confuse mysteries and suspense/thrillers.

            

I learned that the answer to the mystery versus suspense thriller question was harder than I had thought. Someone defined a suspense thriller as being similar to the Supreme Court’s definition of pornography, “I can’t define suspense thriller, but I know it when I see it.”

             

After much research I discovered that a mystery often opens with a murder or some sort of event that the protagonist spends the rest of the story solving. Mystery novels developed from the concept of “who-done-it and why?”

             

A thriller or suspense novel involves a chilling event that is threatening to happen or an escalating series of events or murders that build to a thrilling climax. One of my favorite thriller authors, James Patterson, defines thrillers as “a rich literary feast defined by the intensity of emotions they create, particularly those of apprehension and exhilaration, of excitement and breathlessness, all designed to generate that all-important thrill. By definition, if a thriller doesn’t thrill, it’s not doing its job.”

             

The International Thriller Writers (ITW) characterizes a thriller as “the sudden rush of emotions, the excitement, sense of suspense, apprehension, and exhilaration that drive the narrative, sometimes subtly with peaks and lulls, sometimes at a constant breakneck pace.” In short, a thriller thrills.

            

I found that the allure of thrillers comes from not only what their stories are about, but also how they are told: high stakes, non-stop action, plot twists that both surprise and excite, settings that are both vibrant and exotic, and an intense pace that never lets up until the adrenalin packed climax.

             

Was it the nature of the stories themselves, or the way in which they were crafted that made them so captivating? I reread a number of my favorite thriller novels and wrote analyses of their structure and content. I found it to be a combination of a great story concept and superb craftsmanship that captivated the readers.

            

In order to learn the basics I joined various writing organizations. At conferences and meetings I learned some of the basics of fiction writing and had the opportunity to meet published authors. That networking interaction was as valuable as the workshops and presentations. As I got to know a number of successful authors, I learned a very important basic lesson. I had ASSUMED the first novels they had published were the first books they had written. I’m sure you know what ASSUME makes out of U and ME. As I got to know these authors better, they shared the intimate details about their writing careers. I found out none of the top notch authors had gotten their first book published. Most of them had written numerous works before ever getting that first publishing contract.

             

One of the best thriller authors, Steve Berry, who has written numerous New York Times bestsellers and is published in 50 countries, shares his hard journey on his Website. After Steve decided to start writing, he spent 12 years producing 8 manuscripts. His agent spent 7 years submitting 5 of his manuscripts, each one was rejected, 85 rejections all total. On his 86^th attempt, the right-editor-at-the-right-time-with-the-right-story was found. The rest is history. Berry went on to become president of the International Thriller Writers and become an icon in the thriller world.

             

Mary Higgins Clark

How did Mary Higgins Clark become a bestselling suspense author of 42 books with over 100 million sold in the U.S. alone? Mary Higgins Clark, a former Pan Am stewardess collected 40 rejection slips before her first short story was published in 1956. It took until 1969 for her first novel to be published and only in 1976 did she hit the paperback bestseller list. Perseverance and constant practice brought Mary Higgins Clark to the head of the suspense class.

             

Andrew Gross, the bestselling author of RECKLESS, DON’T LOOK TWICE,THE DARK TIDE, and THE BLUE ZONE, didn’t sell his first effort at a thriller, HYDRA. Andy and I were in the fashion industry while he was working on HYDRA and I was working on my first effort at a thriller. After I took a time out to co-author a university textbook, which took me 2 ½ years to complete, I contacted Andy and asked him about HYDRA. He told me he had gotten a number of rejections and one publisher asked if he would mind if they sent a copy of his novel to one of their authors who was looking for someone to co-author thrillers with him. He agreed. That author’s name was James Patterson! Andy went on to co-author some of the women’s murder club thrillers and 3 other thrillers with Patterson that hit all the bestseller lists.

             

The lesson from these examples is that successful authors learn to accept rejection because they have a passion for writing. The most important point to remember is: Stick With It! Don’t Give Up! Do it for your enjoyment, not as a road to riches. The road is very long and hard with many car wrecks along the way. Write for the passion and enjoyment of the process, not for the money. If the money comes, congratulations!

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Book Signings

by D.L. Wilson

Book signings are very important avenues for new authors to gain readers and improve visibility in the market place.  I’ve learned through a great deal of trial and error while promoting my first novel Unholy Grail what works and what to be cautious of in the fiction arena.  I’m polishing the signing approach with my latest thriller Sirocco.

Time

When planning a signing it is important to determine the best day and time for each particular retail location.  Check out the volume of customers by stopping by the store at various times.  I’ve found that, in general, Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons are good times.  Ask the community relations manager or store manager for their recommendations.  Also be sure to arrive early so that you are prepared when the store sets up your signing table.

Promotion

Provide the store with materials to promote your signing.  Posters highlighting your book and signing should be provided along with digital photo files of you and your book cover.  Some of the larger book stores like Barnes & Noble can make posters through their corporate system to promote your signing using your digital files.  Free book marks in presentation cases that mention the date and time of your signing could be provided to be displayed at the cash registers and information booths.  Notify local newspapers about your signings in their areas for possible media attention.

Location

Ask the book store to place your signing in the front of the store near the entrance.  That will allow you to be able to approach customers as they enter the store.  That “first impression” is very important in attracting the attention of a potential buyer of your signed novel.  As customers enter the store approach each one and offer them a book mark that promotes your novel.  Most people coming to a book store will accept a free book mark even though they may not stop and look at your book.  As they go through the store they will glance at your book mark and if the blurbs and synopsis are powerful, many will return to review your novel and hopefully purchase a signed copy.

Image

An image, like a picture, is worth a thousand words.  Dress according to your audience and provide posters or banners on stands next to your signing table to draw customers to your book.  Once someone picks up your book and reviews the contents, offer to answer any questions.  Provide clear, concise information about the plot, characters, and research you may have done to write the book.  Be sure your comments create a powerful incentive to buy a signed copy.

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Image courtesy of Herman Brinkman. 

Jan Bowman Interview

Background Notes: D.L. Wilson was president, CEO, and managing director of U.S. and European corporations and consultant to industries and governments in 32 countries. His extensive international travel spawned a fascination with world cultures and exotic locales.

            

His first book, The Kitchen Casanova--A Gentleman's Guide to Gourmet Entertaining for Two, was featured on CNN, Evening Magazine, and Regis & Kathy Lee.

             

Wilson's first novel, Unholy Grail, became a national bestseller and has been translated into eight languages. He has received praise from New York Times bestselling thriller authors. Clive Cussler called Unholy Grail "a tale rich with intrigue that grips the imagination. A must read." James Rollins said Wilson’s latest novel “Sirocco is both a razor-edged thriller and a tour de force.” Steve Berry said “D.L. Wilson is a wry, appealing voice in the thriller world. This one is well worth a look.”

             

Learn more about D.L. Wilson at his website: dlwilsonbooks.com.

Essential ingredients in a successful thriller: A thriller novel must be exciting, a real page turner, a book that readers just can’t put down. A successful thriller must start with a bang, build excitement, create tension, and finish with a bigger bang.

             

I found a real challenge in writing thrillers. My goal was to create fiction with content. I wanted my readers to become engrossed with my characters, scenes, and terrifying plots and after reading my novels, come away with a newer and better understanding of important factors in our complex world.

First novel, Unholy Grail: Unholy Grail, is based upon broad research into the facts, legends, myths, and even conspiracy theories relating to Christianity and Judaism. A trip to Vienna, Austria and the South of France presented great insight into Fr. Berringer Saunier who had somehow amassed great wealth and built a beautiful church and villa in the small village of Rennes-le-Château high in the Pyrénées.

             

In Unholy Grail, I created a Fordham University theology professor, Fr. Joseph Romano, who receives an anonymous call offering him a secret Gospel written by James, the brother of Jesus. When he arrives at Grand Central Station to meet the mysterious caller, a shot rings out, bedlam erupts, and Fr. Romano is thrust into a centuries-old conspiracy that threatens the very sanctity of the church.

When did you begin writing and why this particular genre? As part of my day job in the fashion industry I traveled to over 32 countries. During countless hours on airplanes, I became a novel reading junky. After reading 100s of thrillers, I decided to focus on that genre and try my hand at becoming a writer when I retired.

             

To learn about the publishing world, I attended writing conferences and workshops where I learned that writing is an art and a craft that requires serious dedication. Top authors shared their secrets on how they became published. They wrote a few novels that never saw the light of day to learn the craft. I followed their advice and learned the importance of practice, practice, practice.

How did you find your publisher and agent? As I was finishing my first serious novel, Unholy Grail, I decided to learn what transpired in the inner sanctum of agents and editors. I wrote articles for Writer’s Digest and The Writer where I interviewed agents and editors to learn from the experts their criteria for weeding through hundreds of submissions each month. One of the agents I interviewed asked me what I was working on and asked me to submit my novel to him. I guess you could say I was at the right place at the right time. He liked my work and got me a contract with Berkley, Penguin.

How did you go about marketing your books? Marketing and promoting novels is a whole different world that is changing every day. Book signings, establishing a web site, Internet promotion, social networking, interviews, conferences, advertising, it goes on and on and on. I have found the promotional work takes a great toll out of an author’s writing time.

How is Sirocco different from Unholy Grail? SIROCCO, is a bioterrorism thriller. I met with experts in biotechnology, pharmacology, and medicine to learn about the potential dangers of bioterrorism. I studied Islam and interviewed Muslims to try to understand how a religion could be used as a foundation for terrorism. It’s people who are terrorists, not religions.

             

To keep the thrill alive, I had to start with a bang. Brett Reynolds, an attorney representing the pharmaceutical lobby, is summoned to Washington for an urgent meeting by Homeland Security to investigate a threat by a Middle Eastern terrorist group, Sirocco, to unleash a bioweapon at the heart of the United States. With a bioterror looming that could devastate the U.S., Brett learns of his brother’s death in a bizarre murder/suicide. As the plot unfolds he discovers connections between his brother and the terrorist threat. His investigation leads him on a harrowing chase that ends in a deadly confrontation with Sirocco and a chilling climax in the Oval Office.

Sirocco’s rave reviews: I was honored to receive great reviews from Steve Berry, James Rollins, and Andrew Gross who are some of the top authors in the suspense/thriller field. I learned the great importance of networking from my business career and my experiences as a novice author. I was very fortunate to meet some of the top authors in my genre at conferences and writing events and some of them agreed to read my manuscript and liked my writing style.

International Thriller Writers: The International Thriller Writers (ITW) is an honorary society of authors, both fiction and nonfiction, who write books broadly classified as “thrillers.” The organization provides opportunities for mentoring, education and collegiality among thriller authors and industry professionals and grants awards for excellence in the thriller genre. ITW promotes literacy, gives money to worthy organizations, supports libraries, a USO tour, and advances the genre. It brings together almost a thousand writers, readers, publishers, editors and agents at its annual conference, ThrillerFest, as well as at CraftFest, a writing workshop program, and AgentFest, where aspiring authors can meet and pitch top literary agents.

             

I was honored to have been elected to the board of directors as VP of Membership where I am responsible for bringing on board Active and Associate members. You can find out more about ITW at our website: thrillerwriters.org.

Favorite writers in the thriller genre: Some of the thriller authors who inspired me are: James Patterson, David Baldacci, John Sanford, Dan Brown, Steve Berry, James Rollins, Clive Cussler, Andrew Gross, and the list goes on. I try to read as many authors as I can. I learn bits and pieces of their writing techniques that hopefully will help me improve my style and keep my readers turning the pages.

Worst advice and most useful advice: I really haven’t gotten any bad advice during the many years I spent developing my writing career. I’ve found authors are very forthcoming with sharing their experiences in how they’ve fought to succeed in the writing world. It’s a very close knit group who appreciate the years of dedication and focus necessary to get that first book published. Steve Berry on his website shares his long and arduous road to getting published spanning 12 years and 85 rejections over 5 separate manuscripts.

             

My advice to those hoping to break through in the thriller genre is to stick with your hopes and dreams. Keep learning, keep reading, keep writing. It’s like learning a musical instrument. It takes time, dedication, and practice, practice, practice.

The Suspension of Disbelief

by D. L. Wilson

I’ve found that the concepts used by successful authors are designed to transform readers into people who are mentally experiencing their stories. The publishing world calls this transformation, the suspension of disbelief. The reader must visualize being present as the story unfolds. They must become so engrossed in the story, that they are living in the scenes as characters in a movie. Visualizing, feeling, experiencing, being, sensing . . . believing. The key to achieving this suspension of disbelief is to transform a story concept into a memorable, engaging reading experience.

             

A successful thriller author must create a plot that naturally lends itself to conflict and tension. This requires mapping out a powerful story line. The beginning of a thriller novel sets the stage, introduces the characters and creates a conflict. The body of the novel builds this conflict up to the climax and then resolves the conflict.

             

There are two approaches to mapping out the story line or plot. A detailed outline or letting your muse guide you. There is no one-way or best method since there are many authors who will swear by each approach. Some develop a basic premise for their novel and then let their creative juices allow the words to flow onto the pages. I’ve found that more thriller writers follow the detailed outline approach since thrillers involve action, fast pace, high stakes, and a ticking clock.

             

Thriller writer Michael Palmer spends 4-5 months developing a detailed outline of his stories before he starts the actual writing. His typical outlines are 40-60 pages long.

             

On his website, Andrew Gross discusses what it was like working with James Patterson on the Women’s Murder Club Series and other novels he co-wrote with Patterson. “To be honest,” he says, “we always began with a concept and an outline that came from him, which we fleshed out into a detailed chapter-by-chapter outline. Some chapters longer than in the actual book! No writer’s block here, the roadmap was always there. Every day, I knew exactly where I was going.”

             

I prefer a detailed outline that I call my “Novel Analysis Form.” I use a Word Table, which includes columns for Chapter/Scene, Time, Story Line, Point of View, Characters, Tension/Conflict, Setting, and Comments. For thrillers it is vital that all scenes contain tension/conflict. Tension/conflict keeps the readers turning the pages to search for resolution. Foreshadowing is an effective method to create tension. The transition between scenes is critical to creating tension. Each scene of a thriller should end with a ticking bomb, an urgent deadline, a character in jeopardy, a hint of something to come that grabs the readers by the throat and requires them to turn the page.

             

I spend a few months developing my Novel Analysis Form and, during that time, I also do a lot of research relating to my story concept and settings. The key is that every scene in a thriller should end with a powerful tension/conflict situation driving the readers to the next scene to see where the tension/conflict is headed. The outline is critical to creating a fast pace, high stakes, ticking clock.

             

Some authors complain that an outline would stifle their creativity. I believe the key is to accept the fact that the analysis form is just an outline and the final result is the words on the page of the novel. If your creative muse leads you in a new direction, your outline, like a roadmap, can guide you to your final destination even if you end up on alternative roads.
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Image courtesy of Abel Leemans.

Chiller vs. Thriller

by D. L. Wilson

A thriller novel must be exciting, a real page turner, a book that readers just can’t put down. A successful thriller must start with a bang, build excitement, create tension, and finish with a bigger bang.

           

I found a real challenge in writing thrillers. My goal was to create fiction with content. I wanted my readers to become engrossed with my characters, scenes, and plot and after reading my novels, come away with a newer and better understanding of important factors in our complex world. Many things in life are not black or white, true or false, right or wrong. Much of what we accept as fact is based upon theories, claims, beliefs, and the level of science and technology at the time. One misquote, misinterpretation, or misread can confuse fact and fiction. What is accepted as fact today doesn’t always stand the test of time. A good example is the Shroud of Turin.

            

 My first novel, UNHOLY GRAIL, is based upon broad research into the facts, legends, myths, and even conspiracy theories relating to Christianity and Judaism. A trip to Vienna, Austria and the South of France presented great insight into Fr. Berringer Saunier who had somehow amassed great wealth and built a beautiful church and villa in the small village of Rennes-le-Château high in the Pyrénées. Through reading over 60 books on the various theories and philosophies, I learned that a lot of the historical “facts” that were presented in many documents and books were passed on through “oral tradition.” If you’ve ever played whisper down the line, remember what bizarre results came out of the mouth of the tenth person in line.

             

To keep the thrill alive in UNHOLY GRAIL, I created a Fordham University theology professor, Fr. Joseph Romano, who receives an anonymous call offering him a secret Gospel written by James, the brother of Jesus. When he arrives at Grand Central Station to meet the mysterious caller, a shot rings out, bedlam erupts, and Fr. Romano is thrust into a centuries-old conspiracy that threatens the very sanctity of the church.

            

 My second novel, SIROCCO, is a bioterrorism thriller. As usual, I did way too much research. I visited bio-research labs and met with experts in biotechnology, pharmacology, and medicine to provide valuable insight into the potential dangers of bioterrorism. I researched government agencies and again read many books relating to the potential dangers of bioterrorism. I studied Islam and interviewed Muslim businessmen from small, medium and large cities in the Middle East to try to understand how a religion could be used as a foundation for terrorism. Like with most religions, I found it was based upon how the Koran was interpreted and presented to the followers. The words from any pulpit can be distorted to meet the speaker’s objectives.

              

To keep the thrill alive, I had to start with a bang. Brett Reynolds, an attorney representing the pharmaceutical lobby, is summoned to Washington for an urgent meeting by Homeland Security to investigate a threat by a Middle Eastern terrorist group, Sirocco, to unleash a bioweapon at the heart of the United States. With a bioterror looming that could devastate the U.S., Brett learns of his brother’s death in a bizarre murder/suicide. As the plot unfolds he discovers connections between his brother and the terrorist threat. His investigation leads him on a harrowing chase that ends in a deadly confrontation with Sirocco and a chilling climax in the Oval Office. 

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Image courtesy of Piotr Bizior.