How to Write a Thriller [Paperback]

Scott Mariani (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 2007

This book is designed to help aspiring thriller writers to create exciting, suspenseful novels and to give you the best chance of getting your work published and into the bookshops. "Thrillers" have become the number one genre in commercial fiction, with millions of potential readers across the world - learn how you can become a part of it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'I just wish this book had been around when I was starting out. It's highly engaging, inspirational and full of useful insights...just like a great thriller itself, I couldn't put it down! Reading this book should be the first step for any budding thriller writer.' Seth Garner, author of The Blood Partnership and Broken Surface 'highly engaging, inspirational and full of useful insights...' Seth Garner"

About the Author

Scott Mariani is an experienced professional writer and the author of the thriller The Fulcanelli Manuscript. He has a Masters Degree in Creative Writing and lectures widely on the subject. He coaches aspiring writers and reads and assesses scripts for a leading literary consultancy. He is an active member of International Thriller Writers (ITW).

Product Details

• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: How To Books (July 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845281632
• ISBN-13: 978-1845281632
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,057,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as much thriller-specific info as the title would have you believe, November 8, 2009

By 

MK (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Write a Thriller (Paperback)

This is a mixed review. While well put together, and certainly current, this "how to" book doesn't have quite as much thriller-specific information as the title would have you believe. There are numerous well-chosen examples taken from recent thriller novels, and there are numerous allusions toward learning "how to" based on those examples, but the substance left me wanting.
What I was really looking for was solid examples on plotting a thriller, not the vague "make it exciting" and "it must be gripping" that almost any book about how to write a book will tell you. And the buildup in a thriller is so important, so I was surprised that the buildup in this book was as slow as it was, and there was little payoff relating to the title. Where better to showcase how to plot a thrilling read than a "how to" about writing a thriller?
On a good note, the advice given about hunting down an agent and/or publisher was solid and thorough. The writing advice was equally solid, though truth be told there are a few other books I would probably recommend before this one.
Certainly good for a beginning writer, but don't buy this expecting it as the be-all-end-all in teaching you to write an amazing thriller.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Strictly for thrills, August 4, 2008

By 

Mr. David J. Enever "JD Revene" (Sydney/Wollongong Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Write a Thriller (Paperback)

Well, this is one strictly for would be thriller writers and beginners and at that: There is little in this that you wouldn't find in any introduction to writing, just a brief (and idiosynchratic) coverage of the genre, interspersed with some basic writing tips.

Having said that, it is easy to read and the coverage of the basics got me thinking about somethings I'd maybe forgotten.

So if thrillers are your thing and you're new to writing then I'd recommend this one, otherwise there may be better books...

5.0 out of 5 stars How to Write a Thriller, May 18, 2011

By 

The Eye - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Write a Thriller (Paperback)

I have always thought about writing a novel. When I saw this book in my local library I borrowed it.

The book is easy to read and full of information for a beginning writer. It is broken up into 8 chapters of about 20 pages each. This gives Scott Mariani enough space to explore each topic lightly. This is excellent for somebody just getting into writing a novel. More experienced writers will find it easy to read and will be reminded of the basics they should be using.

There are complete books written on the subject covered in each chapter. The chapters will give you the fundamentals to be able to comprehend more in depth books.

My recommendation is to read this book. Then pick the subject that you feel is your weakest and find other books on that specific topic.

This book is about learning to write a book in the thriller genre. It is not an in depth coverage of the technicalities of writing a thriller.