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Dancing Word Workshop on Writing Romantic SuspenseThis workshop was held on: Oct 22, 2004AZAnnie: Tonight's guest is the incomparable and versatile Gail Martin. Known for both her fiction and non-fiction, Gail has graciously agreed to share some of her secrets for writing romantic suspense. Gail, thanks for coming. We'll open the floor to questions. Eileen: Ok, Gail, tell me the REAL secrets of making a suspense SUSPENSEFUL. I know what I like to read...how do I write it?
AZAnnie: Good question
Gail Martin: That's the million dollar question.
Eileen: Ain't that the truth? Any wonderful pointers?
Gail Martin: A number of things enhance a suspense - setting, character and plot - naturally. The setting can sometimes help to create a suspenseful feeling - even a place that is normally comfortable can become frightening in certain situations.
Think of a home on a stormy night when the lights go out. Think of a familiar street with a car broken down - and a strange car hanging around. So use setting - including weather to add suspense to a story.
Eileen: It was a dark and stormy night
Gail Martin: Right - the dark and stormy knight if it's historical. Anyway, having characters with flaws is another way to create suspense. Give your characters phobias - fears of heights or fears of being in close places, and then put them in that situation. This also enhances a suspense.
Eileen: Now there's a thought.
AZAnnie: A claustrophobic person stuck in a closet
Eileen: Eileen in an elevator
Gail Martin: Stranded in an elevator.
Plotting is naturally one of the major factors in a suspense. Two major methods of creating suspense is the Big Bang or the Jack in the Box. Anyway - the big bang is like the TV show "24." The characters are in a spot with time running out. They need to solve the problem or the bomb will go off, the child will die without medication, etc. This is very effective. I used this technique in Adam's Promise when the heroine is kidnapped.
The jack in the box - is the unexpected. Hints and foreshadowing of a problem but no one knows when it will happen. This keeps the readers wondering when the axe will fall.
I use this technique often - If you read my novel A Love for Safekeeping, the notes were used all the way through the book to foreshadow. See Jane run. See Jane fall. See Jane bleed. See Jane die.
Eileen: Oh yeah, I did read that.
Gail Martin: I think foreshadowing is very important. Little hints are dropped - even in innocent dialogue. The heroine says, "Finally we're safe." The readers immediately say - No you're not. And they turn pages to find out what will happen next.
Another technique is to use chapter hooks and scene hooks. Never end a scene in the logical place —well not never —but whenever you can leave a cliffhanger and go to a new scene. I love to do that—and do it even in my romance novels.
Eileen: I always hit those spots as a reader just when I say okay one more chapter before lights out!!
AZAnnie: And then you can't sleep. lol
Gail Martin: Also - make the reader think you've almost solved the problem - and then show that they're wrong.
Or it appears you've found the culprit - and they're proven innocent. Make sure you have lots of possible suspects with a motive and the opportunity to have committed the crime.
AZAnnie: Or like in my story, show one threat with another larger one looming in the background?
Gail Martin: Always have a bigger problem up next. Once a small problem is solved the next one strikes.
Eileen: I think I'll need to add more suspects to my wip
Gail Martin: Yes - suspects are very important - otherwise the reader knows immediately - although sometimes the suspense is different. The reader knows the bad guy but the characters don't. Then the problem is: will they find the person in time and save them? I used this in Finding Christmas which is my Nov 2005 release.
Eileen: I really like mysteries...AND I have been hesitant to return to secular ones. Do you or others read secular as well for technique?
Gail Martin: I read both kinds of novels.
Eileen: Sighing in relief.
Gail Martin: I love the old Mary Stewart suspenses.
Carol Cox: How do you pace the story to maintain a balance between the romance and suspense elements?
Gail Martin: Here's the technique that you use. First - think of a roller coaster or waves on an ocean. As the suspense climbs the tension grows - the suspense reaches it's peak - problem solved or characters take a break.
These quiet times - the lulls are the times for romance. This is when they talk about themselves, the crime and how much the care about each other - or about protecting each other.
Then something happens again - and the tension begins to build. The waves get higher or the roller coaster gets steeper each time the conflict heightens. The higher the waves - the more the H & H are drawn together and the deeper their relationship grows. It works very well.
Remember that the crime is always solved first - and the last scene is the final love scene between the H & H - that's what ends a romantic suspense.
AZAnnie: How often should the hero's pov show up? Just scenes that move the story forward?
Gail Martin: All POV and all scenes move the story forward. In romance I use a balance between both the Heroine and Hero. Each person's voice needs to be heard and I try to do it equally. Occasionally the woman will have more scenes - but not often.
wanderer: I'm working on a suspense in first person--the heroine's pov, so everything is in her POV
Gail Martin: That's difficult since everything must come from the one person. The old Gothics used to be like that.
wanderer: Would it not add to the suspense, since you have only the clues that the heroine has?
Gail Martin: Yes - as I said the old gothic romances were like that - only through the heroine's eyes. That works especially in the old creaky house, etc. I think of a movie like classic - “Gaslight.” That's an old black and white - but it's totally through the heroine's eyes. Very effective.
Most modern stories and romance are in both POVs. Straight suspense can be a single POV - but romance almost always needs two.
wanderer: But it is okay, right?
Gail Martin: Speaking of Gothics - You might want to look for Hidden Motives. It's a Barbour anthology out now. Carol Cox and I both have novellas in this gothic-style suspense.
AZAnnie: Kathie, is your suspense a romantic suspense or a straight suspense?
wanderer: It’s a romantic suspense; set in Honduras
Gail Martin: I think a one sided romance would be difficult to write. Usually the readers want to know what the hero is thinking too. Carol - what do you think on this?
Carol Cox: Oh my. I have to confess I have a soft spot for first person.
Gail Martin: Do you do romances that way?
Carol Cox: Some of Mary Stewart's stories used it quite effectively and still pulled in both elements.
Gail Martin: I don't think I've read a romance written in first person. Yes - but hers was probably more suspense than romance, if I remember correctly.
Carol Cox: My first Heartsong was written in first person. At that time, I didn't have a clue it would be harder to sell. : )
AZAnnie: Kathie, does the story hinge on the romance or the suspense?
Gail Martin: The style was popular once. I'm not sure about that now. But if it's working, then go for it. I wrote my first novel in one POV too - until I learned that I needed two for romance. <g>
wanderer: I feel they are pretty evenly balanced in this story
Gail Martin: A story that's heavier with suspense—like yours Annie—is different.
Carol Cox: I think that's the key point—does it work? I do enjoy first person, but multiple points of view seem to be more the norm in today's market.
Gail Martin: Does the hero have secrets or anything that needs to be shown to the reader— fears, flaws, etc?
AZAnnie: My story could stand on suspense alone. Yes, the hero does have secrets he's keeping from the heroine at the beginning. The romance is just a bonus
Gail Martin: That's what I thought.
AZAnnie: So, I guess my genre would really be suspense/women's fiction.
Gail Martin: Yes, Annie - I think so. First person would mean that the hero is not as important in the story - it's more like women's fiction where the study of a woman is most important.
wanderer: My story is also more of a suspense, and the romance is a bonus. I think it could stand alone without the romance.
AZAnnie: Kathie, then you're okay with the first person POV
Gail Martin: Then don't worry about it Kathie—just keep writing it in first person. It will work. You might be another Mary Stewart. <g>
Well - it's 11 PM here - and about time for me to say good night.
AZAnnie: Thanks so much for coming, Gail. I'll be praying for you.
Gail Martin: You're welcome, Annie. Thanks for your prayers. I can sure use them. I have to get this novel finished A.S.A.P. Praying that your MS turns out great - Kathie.
Eileen: thanks a bunch Gail
wanderer: Nice meeting you.
Gail Martin: Thanks so much. Thanks Carol for coming too.
Carol Cox: It was good to talk to you. |
