Thriller 101

Author Liz Alterman Reveals Her Weekly Writing Ritual That Transforms First Drafts Into Gold And How to Know When Your Story Idea Is Worth Writing


Listen Later

Send me a Text Message!

Liz Alterman joins the podcast to discuss her latest novel, "You Shouldn't Have Done That", and reveals the unconventional strategies that have shaped her successful writing career. 


From her unique character development process involving weekly read-aloud sessions to her bold decision to switch from traditional publishing to a nimble indie press offering 99-cent e-books, Alterman shares practical insights that challenge conventional wisdom about both craft and business.


She opens up about how she tests story premises, develops authentic character voices, and why she believes flexibility is the key to getting your work into readers' hands.

 
Whether you're struggling with character development or navigating publishing decisions, this conversation offers actionable advice for writers at every stage of their journey.


What You'll Learn:

  • How to test story premises before committing months to writing.
  • The weekly feedback system that prevents major character voice problems.
  • Why pricing strategy can dramatically impact your book's reach and success.

Click here to learn more about Liz Alterman.

Guest Bio: Liz Alterman is the author of the award-winning memoir, Sad Sacked, the young adult thriller, He’ll Be Waiting, the suspense novels The Perfect Neighbourhood, The House on Cold Creek Lane, and You Shouldn't Have Done That, as well as the romcom Claire Casey's Had Enough. Her work has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and other outlets. Subscribe to her Substack where she shares the ups and downs of the writing life (and cat photos). Liz lives in New Jersey with her husband and three sons. When she isn't writing, Liz spends most days reading, microwaving the same cup of coffee, and looking up synonyms.

Episodes I think you'll love…

  1. The Art of Dual POV & Crafting Psychological Thrillers with Liz Alterman
  2. Writing Character Backstory with Author Liz Alterman
  3. Literary Agent and Author Jenna Satterthwaite on Making it in the Publishing Industry
  4. First Page Formula: Author and Writing Coach April Davila on What Agents & Readers Want to See in Your Thriller Manuscript Opening

Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction

Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now


...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Thriller 101By David

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

22 ratings


More shows like Thriller 101

View all
The Book Review by The New York Times

The Book Review

3,851 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

37,766 Listeners

Pop Culture Happy Hour by NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

10,964 Listeners

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

605 Listeners

Kobo Writing Life Podcast by Kobo Writing Life

Kobo Writing Life Podcast

51 Listeners

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience by Kelton Reid

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

214 Listeners

#AmWriting by KJ

#AmWriting

248 Listeners

Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

Writer's Routine

306 Listeners

Page One - The Writer's Podcast by STET Podcasts

Page One - The Writer's Podcast

13 Listeners

Wish I'd Known Then . . . For Writers by Sara Rosett and Jami Albright

Wish I'd Known Then . . . For Writers

131 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

1,432 Listeners

Talking Scared by Neil McRobert

Talking Scared

299 Listeners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

767 Listeners

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

355 Listeners

Writers With Wrinkles by Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid

Writers With Wrinkles

34 Listeners