The Writer’s Corner: The Craft of Writing Political Thrillers

I have been late getting into the thriller game. Not as a writer—I’ve been publishing political thrillers for over two decades. I’ve been late as a reader. Certainly I read my share when I was younger. Ian Fleming, John le Carré, and Tom Clancy were regulars on my nightstand. But eventually the amount of material that I was required to process through as a political consultant choked out any time for leisure reading.

Yet, even after my career focus shifted toward novel writing, I still read little fiction. Once again, part of it was time. However, I also had another concern. I was a self-taught writer who had developed my own style. I was concerned about the influence other authors might have on my books. I didn’t want to inadvertently (much less “advertently”) lift other authors’ material or characteristics. My methods were working as is, so why mess with a good thing?

Then I discovered the dynamic camaraderie that exists within the genre. Thriller writers tend to read other thriller writers. Not only because they love a good action story, but they also want to watch for changes and trends within the genre. That’s what pulled me in. I am a voracious learner and I want to know what is new and innovative that other successful authors are incorporating into their novels.

Reading other writers is like a form of literary checks and balances that helps to ensure my books remain relevant to the thriller reading audience. In 1994, Jodie Foster starred in an intriguing movie called Nell. Her character, who lived as a hermit in a remote cabin, spoke a language unique to herself. After much study it was discovered that she was actually speaking English. However, she had spent all her language-formative years separated from the world with a long-deceased twin sister and their mother, who struggled with aphasic speech after suffering a stroke. Thus, despite being intelligent and articulate in her personal form of English, her isolation had cut off any chance she had at effective communication. A similar kind of literary bubble can affect writers. If I isolate myself from what is happening in the thriller fiction world, I shouldn’t be surprised if I eventually find myself writing novels that are irrelevant to the readers and out of touch with the genre.

This camaraderie among authors most readily shows itself in the propensity to endorse one another’s work. I’ve heard people ask, “But isn’t that like Coke endorsing Pepsi?” That comparison doesn’t hold up. A soda fan can drink as many colas a day, every day, as they want. Not necessarily an optimal lifestyle choice, but they are there for the taking. However, once you’ve read your favorite author’s yearly offering, what do you do then?

I’ve learned that the best thing I can do as an author is send my readers to another well-written book by a writer I respect, because then I am promoting my literary category. Let’s take the Coke and Pepsi analogy and tweak it a little. Imagine living in a world where your favorite beverage is only offered once a year. If I’m Coke, I know that there will be millions out there who cherish their annual taste of my product. My concern would be that over the next 364 days, those Coke fans would sample and fall in love with other types of drinks, such as bottled water, fruit juices, energy drinks, etc. I don’t want them to forget that they are first and foremost soda fans. So I would encourage them to drink a Pepsi or an RC Cola or even a root beer. Anything so that when the next year comes around and they can have another Coke, they won’t have forgotten their love for dark, sugary, carbonated beverages.

While the illustration may not be the most health conscious I’ve ever written, it accurately describes the literary world. When I can let you know about other thriller writers who are putting out great works, it is a win all around. It is a win for the authors because they’ll gain new readers. It is a win for the reader, because they will have discovered other great books to fill up the days between my novels. And it is a win for me because it will keep up my readers’ passion for the thriller genre so that when the next year rolls around and I offer up my yearly bottle of Coke, they’ll be waiting to drink it up.

—Joel C. Rosenberg