Crime and Thriller Writing A Writers' & Artists' Companion [Paperback]

Crime and Thriller Writing: A Writers' & Artists' Companion is an essential guide to writing in these exciting genres.

PART 1 explores the nature and history of the genre and helpsyou get started with ideas, planning and research.

PART 2 includes tips by bestselling crime writers: Mark Billingham, S.J. Bolton, Alafair Burke, Lee Child, N. J. Cooper, Meg Gardiner, Tess Gerritsen, Sophie Hannah, Jim Kelly, Laura Lippman, Gayle Lynds, Alex McBride, Val McDermid, Dreda Say Mitchell, Sara Paretsky, Jill Paton Walsh, George Pelecanos, Ian Rankin, Peter Robinson, S. J. Rozan, Guy Saville, Yrsa Sigur?ard?ttir, Dana Stabenow, Andrew Taylor, Charles Todd and Laura Wilson. PART 3 contains practical advice--from shaping plots and exploring your characters to the meaning of writer's block, the power of the rewrite, and how to find an agent when your novel is complete.

Preface
Foreword by P. D. James
Preface by Carole Angier and Sally Cline
Introduction by Michelle Spring and Laurie R. King
Notes on Format and Terminology
Part One: On a Life of Crime
Reflections I, Michelle Spring: Thoughts About Crime
'I Always Knew I Wanted to Be a Writer'
Reasons to Write a Crime Novel
The Shadow of Violence
Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Come out of the Water...
Psychopaths and Everyday Killers
The Grim Reaper
Reflections II, Laurie R. King: A Life of Crime (Fiction)
An Honorable Calling
Mysteries, Greater and Lesser
Making a Crime Writer
The Mystery of the Mystery
Still Just Writing Haiku?
Writing as an Active Verb
Ways of Writing
Michelle Spring: The Orderly School of Writing
Laurie R. King: The Organic Way
Coda
The World of Crime
The Roots of the Matter: a History of Crime Fiction
What is Crime?
The Spectrum, Gentle to Thriller
Getting Ready
Reading Like a Writer
Ideas
Write What You Really Know
Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Harvesting Ideas
Testing Ideas
GettilS$