Writing thrilling action: How to hook them in

From John Le Carre to Lee Child, the action literature genre is full of writers who stumbled into the role having worked in previous job. Granted Le Carre’s previous work was in the British secret service and as such he had a wealth of experience to draw on, but the fact that many writers arrived at their calling through a number of different routes is interesting in itself.

It shows that when inspiration strikes, it doesn’t really matter what you’re doing, you’ll will simply want to follow the urge to write.

Many budding authors will know that urge and picture their own name splashed across the top of a professionally illustrated action thriller, piled up on the shelves of book stores, but how do you get there? Here are a few steps to consider if you are going to embark on writing a good action book.

Anything that happens in a story is action

There can be a common misconception that ‘action’ in a novel is all high-speed chases and shootouts as the protagonists slug it out. However, as writer you must understand that dialogue between characters is action as well, as is how a person reacts to something or simply how they go about their daily lives. That’s why everything needs to described as if it were the most important part of the plot.

Don’t be afraid to go big early on

Many writers might think that building up to a big crescendo is the best way to keep readers hooked. However, you shouldn’t be afraid to open up with a huge plot point to hook readers in and then spend a bit of time unpacking it all. Leading readers down a long and winding path can see many checking out before you get to your destination.

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