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Plot, TRD, and Characters
Suspense novelists do this.
They plot first … then figure out who would be the best people to carry out the actions in the story.
Who says? Authors. Many successful suspense and thriller authors have told me, and I’ve researched this.
Plot is more important in these genres. It is for most crime fiction.
The psychological thriller authors have told me the psychology is just as important as plot and character in their novels. I find that interesting, and it makes sense.
Plot
In its most simplistic form, a story is a series of incidents. Put together, these incidents tell a compelling narrative that involves a life-changing conflict.
So, how do you put together a suspense novel and keep your readers excited and engaged?
Besides an excellent concept, plot points, and relatable characters, you have to blow something up every 70-90 pages!
I’m not talking about actually blowing something up, but using unexpected twists, plot reversals, and heightened danger.
Yep, every 70-90 pages, shake things up with a twist, reversal, or danger. (TRD)
TRD (Twists, Reversals, Danger)
Twists
Twists are unexpected incidents that take the story and characters in an unexpected direction.
Think of twists like detours when you are driving somewhere that take you 20 minutes out of your way.
Reversals
Reversals are incidents that take the story in the opposite direction from what the reader is expecting.
Like when you’re heading to a meeting and someone calls and tells you to come home, and when you get home, you end up staying there and dealing with some crisis. Hopefully, a ‘minor crisis’ for you.
Danger
Moments of heightened danger are incidents that add tension through perceived danger—mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual danger.
Like when you are driving on the highway, going 70 mph, and some jerk cuts you off. Your hands grip the steering wheel. Your heart races. You hold your breath and brace for impact. Whether there is an accident or not, it’s the perceived danger that scares you.
Characters
Now what characters you are going to torture are up to you, but they should be the right ones in the right situations.
A semi-truck driver will probably handle an impending car crash differently than a sixteen-year-old.
The truck driver may stay calm and move into a different lane.
A sixteen-year-old may freak out, slam on the brakes, and get rear-ended by the car behind them.
Whatever your incident/conflict, make sure your characters and their backstories match the action you want them to take.
Yes, you still have to create characters with depth and complexity.
Suspense and other crime genres still need relatable and likable characters to root for.
However, they often do take a backseat to plot in crime fiction.
This is only one of the ways crime fiction differs from other genres.
So, for suspense novels, plot first, add characters later, and don't forget to blow things up!
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Happy writing and revising!
Kristin Noland – Speculative and Crime Fiction Editor and Ghostwriter
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