The Writ Wit

Episode 47 - Why is Suspense/Thriller So Butt-Clenchingly Hard to Write?

06.26.2019 - By Matthew Donald and Matthew DavidPlay

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In this episode, the two Matts celebrate Matt David's long-awaited return, advertise a zoo housing writers of various kinds, misspeak and dig ourselves in deep, deep holes, and talk about the suspense/thriller genre and how to write it. How many subgenres are there in the thriller genre? How can a writer build good tension? What are the ways the characters can remain constantly on the edge? What the heck is "romantic thriller" and can we please get some examples?! We discuss it all, racing down the street in a high-octane chase, and talk about the works of Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, Dean Koontz, and Clive Cussler. (it seems a lot of suspense/thriller writers have surnames beginning with a hard "C" sound. Maybe that's the trick?) Have any feedback or questions for our hosts? Email us at [email protected]. Also you can purchase Matt Donald's book "Megazoic" on Amazon by clicking here, its sequel "Megazoic: The Primeval Power" by clicking here, or its third installment "Megazoic: The Hunted Ones" by clicking here. If you'd like, of course. Also, the jungle-sounding track at the beginning is "Inca Empire" by Derek and Brandon Fiechter.  

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