The Book Bump

If, like me, you’ve been captivated by a story that kept you guessing, that made you question who to trust, then you know how mind-blowing a good psychological thriller can be. Unlike a thriller, which focuses on what and how, a psychological thriller delves deeper into the why. This deep dive into the human mind, its secrets, fears, and contradictions, is what drew me to this genre, both as a reader and as a writer. Morally grey characters, hidden motives and trust issues… that’s the kind of story I love to craft.

Exploring my characters’ innermost thoughts and motivations fascinates me. Psychological thrillers delve into the extremes of human ethics and morality. Characters’ decisions are what propel the plot forward, and sometimes, as readers, we find ourselves considering our own darkness as we accompany the characters on their emotional rollercoaster.

When the reader understands the characters’ motivations, they can perhaps relate to or sympathise with the characters. This creates a strong bond between the reader and the character.

Many times, readers may yell at the characters for making such “silly” decisions, convinced that if they were in their shoes, they’d do things differently. They may ask themselves, ‘What would I do in that situation?’

And it’s exactly that question, ‘What would I do in that situation?’ that intrigues me the most about this genre. Being able to explore the very limits of humanity from the safety of my keyboard is one of the things I love most about being a psychological thriller author.

Perhaps one might expect me to be a plotter. To write a good psychological thriller, one must keep on top of the plot twists, the foreshadowing and the pacing. However, I was much more of a “panster” than I expected, at least for the first draft. For those unfamiliar with the term, a panster is someone who flies by the seat of their pants; in other words, they write without an outline or detailed scene-by-scene plan.

There’s something magical about getting lost in my own story, about discovering the story as I write it, about letting my main characters take the lead.

However, after the first draft is close to completion, I become more of a “plotter”. I start taking stock of subplots and character arcs, trying to give my novel more structure to ensure there aren’t any plot holes, that the foreshadowing is sufficient for plot twists to feel surprising but not far-fetched, and that the pacing is perfect.

I guess I’m a “planster”, that’s to say, I’m a mostly “panster” with a teaspoon or two of “plotter”.

People often ask how I create suspense. The truth? I don’t really know. I just follow the tension wherever it leads. All I know is that I love doing it.

The most enjoyable aspect of writing psychological thrillers is creating a diverse cast of characters. Each character carries their own secrets, flaws and complexities that make them unpredictable and morally ambiguous.

There is a fine line between creating a character who’s perfect and too flawed. A relatable character, despite being in a totally unrelatable situation, is key to keeping readers invested in the story.

The great part about characters is that they grow with every obstacle thrown at them, or at least, they should. Character arcs are so important to a well-crafted story. Because if a character goes through Hell and back, but the character hasn’t learned any life lessons, readers feel cheated.

If you lose the reader’s empathy, as a writer, you’ve failed. This is one of my biggest fears as an author.

As an author, I relish receiving feedback from readers, whether it’s positive or negative, and hearing what they loved or hated about the story. As a psychological thriller author, there’s nothing more satisfying than readers claiming they were “hooked straight from the beginning”, that the plot twists made them “question everything they thought they knew”.

Readers, especially beta readers, play a crucial role in identifying a story’s flaws. I had many discussions with my team of beta readers to ensure my debut novel was spot on in terms of plot, pacing and suspense. Brainstorming ideas with beta readers is a great way to solve plot holes and get the creative juices flowing.

Writing psychological thrillers isn’t just about scares or plot twists; it’s about exploring the human mind, testing boundaries, and connecting with readers who love a story that lingers. Every book I write is a journey in the dark, looking for the light at the end of the tunnel, and I can’t imagine writing any other way.

I’d love to hear from you. What is it about this genre (or any other) that you love? Drop a comment below and let’s talk stories.  

And stay tuned: More psychological thrillers are in the works.