I am half way finished with my fifth John Locke Thriller novel. Today while typing furiously through a super chase scene, my mind went blank. I sat looking at the words, that a moment ago were pouring out of my imagination like an M60 machine gun. I sat...and sat. What am I doing? Are people really going to enjoy reading this stuff. I was about to hit delete when I paused, Thriller = Action = Excitement = Anticipation = Resolution = Satisfaction. I wrote these words down and thought that if this is indeed the formula, then I would have met The readers expectation, and through creative writing, I bring all these elements into play, then I have done my job. I started thinking back on the bazillions of books I have read over the years written by legends in the mystery, suspense, and thriller genres and I think I have correctly identified the formula. I may be wrong, It's a gamble, But I'm going with it. I know I'm not the only one that has had this
FLASH of fear in the middle of writing the next best seller =o) and I would like to hear what others have done.
Oooh... sounds like you got hit by the inner censor.
ReplyDeleteIt got to me recently too. I was writing five thousand words a day when one thought crept in between the words.
What are you doing?
It felt as if the gears of my creative mind locked instantly.
What do I do? I ignore my book for the amount of time it takes for me to go beat the censor up.
;-)
So often I feel just as you do while writing a difficult scene. But since you're in the process of writing your FIFTH book, something must have come to you sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteJohn Locke sounds like someone I'd be interested in getting to know. Good luck.
I talked to my friend Al in Missouri the other day. He had just finished reading your book Dirty Money. He says last week he read The Confession by John Grisham. Al went on and on about how he enjoys your books so much more than even the REALLY BIG name writers. You definately have the right formula!
ReplyDeleteYou're the Hope Diamond of thriller writers!