The Ingredients Of A Good Thriller
by Chris Wood
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Book Summary Information
Author: Chris WoodEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-11-17
ISBN: 1906669007
Number of pages: 232
Publisher: LDB Publishing
Book Reviews of The Ingredients Of A Good Thriller
Book Review: An excellent resource
Summary: 5 Stars
While the self-publishing industry has created opportunities for thousands of aspiring writers to share their creative visions with the world, many of the works I've been paid to read simply do not belong in the public arena. Thankfully, there is now a terrific resource available to help ensure that your forthcoming book won't be one of them.
As the title states, The Ingredients of a Good Thriller provides would-be authors with an ingredient list for creating a novel that people will not only want to read, but also be happy to shell out their hard earned money for the privilege of doing so. It's not a recipe book, merely a list of elements necessary to develop your own formula, but extraordinarily useful nevertheless. As a longtime reviewer for Clarion Reviews and ForeWord Magazine (as well as for Amazon, of course, though they don't pay me for this stuff), I applaud the information contained herein. Honestly, I'm seriously tired of the drivel that some folks try to pass off as literature these days.
The subtitle is "a simple guide to noir, cops, gangsters, heists, [etc.] in book and film, and how to make that genre work for you as a writer." That's quite a mouthful, but it describes this book very well. Contents include essential elements such as plot, settings, crime scenes, characters, dialogue, language, comic relief, and atmosphere. Various types of characters such as the sleuth, sidekick, villain, victim, hero, and enabler are described in detail, along with tips and tricks for making villains truly evil and heroes positively good. Examples are pulled from books and movies that most readers will already be familiar with.
The writing is clear and concise, with a wry wit that makes a textbook-like tome thoroughly enjoyable. The only major drawback in this otherwise exemplar book is that the information is not in-depth enough in many places to work as a stand-alone resource. Sadly there is no suggested reading list (beyond some examples of good books/films to read/see) to supplement the materials. The font and spacing are quite large, making the book appear larger then it really is, yet it does cover all the bases well enough to get you started.
Surprisingly there is no biography or author credentials in the book beyond a short statement that he is a writer and journalist who lives in Manchester, England. When I asked for more information via e-mail, he promptly replied that he used to work on films as well as write for a number of publications, including The Guardian, The Big Issue and The New Statesman, He used to teach English and Media and has stories published in England and France, although they were neither thrillers nor full-length novels. I didn't bother to fact check his assertions since I believe that the quality of information in this work is sufficient to back up his contentions.
Overall, The Ingredients of a Good Thriller is a very good resource for aspiring writers, particularly those who intend to go the self-publishing route. If you make it through the hoops and sign with a major publishing house you will be assigned the assistance of a professional editor who can shore up any inadequacies, but self-published novelists generally make due without. The challenge, of course, is that you won't make it through the first gate without covering all the bases described in this book. Either way, it's a valuable tool.
Summary of The Ingredients Of A Good Thriller
Ever wanted to write a thriller? Ever thought you had a story but didn't know where to start? This book gives you: - A detailed breakdown of characters. - Tips on getting the reader's attention. - Ways of effectively telling stories. - The impact of good dialogue. - Explorations of top thrillers. - Hints on how to give your story impact. "The Ingredients Of A Good Thriller" is a guide to an area that has huge potential and gives great pleasure. It's an easy to follow approach to writing and improving your story. It provides solid examples to show you what works - and what doesn't. Clear and easy to follow, this book is helpful for any thriller writer. Don't start without it!Writing Books
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