Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction

Patricia Highsmith wrote some fantastic novels, and also this volume, examining the craft of fiction writing. Unlike many other guides to writing, Highsmith concentrates on showing the would-be writer something of her own process, from the generation of ideas to the completion of a fully-realised final draft. She discusses the pitfalls and problems that writers face, and while this is not a how-to guide as such, it is extremely valuable, and should be read by anyone with an interest in developing their writing skills.

One of the best books I've ever read about the creative process of writing short stories, novels, and journals for noting useful ideas. This is also probably the worst book title ever devised. Highsmith is an accomplished writer. Having produced a series of Ripley-character based novels she offers examples from her own work as how she made revision changes to improve the work. I have only read A Game for the Living & A Dog's Ransom. Each was excellent. Usually an author will sprinkle aspects of the creative process throughout their works as a bonus to the dedicated reader about the preparation a publisher uses to bring an author to print. Highsmith puts it all into one book of 11 chapters. Basically Highsmith says that an author has to show more have a personality which is known to themselves as distinctive. This personality makes itself the driving force for the characters and their actions without revealing the author per se. I am always fascinated with how an original literary work originates and is made available to readers. Homer and Plato had oral traditions to precede them but with writing came the opportunity to revise written products. Highsmith says that suspense fiction, which she writes, is different from horror fiction which Stephen King is usually classified as. Her opinion is that suspense fiction has fuller character development with violence and death while horror fiction depends more on action and less so character development. In the few Kings books I've read King seems to try to overcome this characterization by making his books longer to engage the reader with the characters more easily. King may have taken this observation to heart as Highsmith wrote this in 1983. King has his own work on writing books titled, On Writing. Highsmith gives the reader feelings of foreboding similar to Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard. Highsmith reveals some unpleasant truths about herself. That she doesn't find other writers personally engaging, she reads a lot, and she admires a few fellow author whom she studies to improve her own writing e.g., Graham Greene, Thomas Mann, Baudelaire, and Henry James. Highsmith broaches the old topic of whether (fiction) books are moral in themselves. This goes back to Plato's Republic. Highsmith says that people prefer happy resolutions within fiction but they would accept a bad person or murder-hero if the character is likable. Highsmith says that her Ripley is this type of character. The reader does not have to respect Ripley but they identify with him through his likability. show less

This is a wonderful book. Some readers may be disappointed that it is not a "how-to write a book" story, i.e. a paint by number approach to writing. It takes a broad brush approach to writing a book, from the point of view f a successful writer. In addition to that a reader will get insight into Highsmith's writings. A readable and entertaining volume.

Wie man einen Thriller schreibt wer wüsste das besser als die Meisterin des subtilen Terrors und der Banalität des alltäglichen Schreckens? Patricia Highsmith lässt sich über die Schulter schauen, sie hat ein Werkstattbuch geschrieben für alle, die selbst schreiben oder nur wissen wollen, warum sie vom Werk dieser Autorin so gefesselt sind.

The author who gave us Strangers on a Train and Mr. Ripley offers sound writing advice on creating suspenseful stories and novels.

Original: Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction

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