Does it matter if the first chapter isn't "obviously" thriller material?

My understanding is that a thriller has to be fast paced. If it's not a thriller, it might be just suspense. From what you've given me, my first guess would be suspense as opposed to thriller. Nothing wrong with that, just slightly different.

And with thrillers that I've read (so far only a few), these stories grabbed me right from the beginning and swept me through the book without relenting. And I think that's how a thriller should be-- it should move along quickly, almost relentlessly from page one. That, to me, is part of the definition of "Thriller."

So, perhaps you have a vampire suspense instead of a thriller. While thrillers, suspense and mysteries tend to be shelved in the same section, they are different books. You wouldn't query a thriller as a mystery. =)

Write on!

I read recently that the biggest difference bet. a thriller and suspense was that in suspense, the outcome only affects your character and a few others, while in a thriller the outcome affects many others. Thrillers do tend to be grab-you-by-your-throat-and-don't-let-go. So my vote is yes, it better start with a bang.

Interesting def. heyjude. I'm currently reading Tess Gerritsen's medical thrillers (that's how they're billed) and the problems are clearly focused on a few characters.

Not trying to be contrary... well, maybe a little. ;-) Just noticing the difference in usage. Crazy. I think it's a mission in insanity, sometimes, trying to nail down definitions. It's as if the definitions are as subjective as everything else.

I totally agree! I went back and forth between mainstream, thriller, and suspense before an agent kindly told me I was writing crime fiction. I do tailor it to the agent's taste, though, as I think it could reasonably be called any of that... What do you call yours, Clair?

Me, I write mysteries, detective fiction, hardboiled crime stories. Maybe a little bit erotic mysteries. Depends on who's asking and what I'm selling. In my query, I've been calling it a mystery and a detective story.

I'd like to just call it published! ;-)

In answering your question heyjude, when I pick up a crime novel I expect to be plunged straight into the crime/riddle.

I'm extremely short tempered when there is no crime in the first chapter.

I went through a period of devouring Gerritsen; then I started her latest and got p***** off by her info dumps of unneccessary detail. Yes Egyptian mummification is interesting but having characters discussing the process in great detail was boring.

I'm writing a psychological crime novel and that is how I'll try to sell it. It isn't a 'mystery' and my 'detective' is a Crown Court Judge.

I read that the difference between mystery and suspense is this:

In a mystery, the reader is a little behind the main character--a detective, whether pro or amateur, who is solving the crime. Reader is thinking things like "Wow! Why didn't I figure that out!" and is dazzled by the MC's brilliance.

In a suspense novel, the reader is ahead of the main character, who is in danger him/herself, and often not making connections or seeing danger as quickly as the reader. Reader is thinking things like: "No! Don't meet him in that deserted cabin!"

This was a helpful distinction for me to think about--hadn't thought of it in that way, but made some sense. Of course, the lines can get blurred. Often the detective ends up being in danger herself, too.

Book I'm working on now I'd originally called a mystery. But have come to realize it's probably suspense, maybe even romantic suspense. Whatever that is

To better understand what a thriller may be, I'd suggest checking out International Thriller Writers. Some great articles and links there as well.

JJ

An old tip that works better than it sounds: switch your first two chapters, then spackle over the seams.

lilpixie said:

Does the novel/novella need to give the reader the sense that this will be a thriller right away? Or does that not matter because the book itself would be sold/shelved in that category?

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Imagine that you're in a book store and you've just picked up a book by an author you've never heard of. You have no idea what's in this book -- not even what's on the blurb. You sneezed when you reached for the book you really wanted, and you picked this one up by accident. But now that it's in your hand, you have a look...

Oh. It's got a vampire in it, you notice (probably because there's something suggestively fangish on the cover). If you're not going to put the book down again then the book you were reaching for had better have a vampire in it too -- so right away we know that your book had better be parked either in fantasy/dark fantasy, paranormal mystery, para romance or horror.

Ah. Someone's got the vampire's friend, you read on the blurb, and time's running out. Are you shocked by this, or are you still trying to figure out what makes the story about the vampire a worthwhile read?

Me, I'd favour the latter. The lit fuse and "they're gonna get you" are techniques used in lots of fiction categories. I wouldn't blink at that but I would still be wondering why I should read yet another vamp story.

My suggestion: find some angle on this tale that stands out in either the fantasy/dark fantasy, para mystery, para romance or horror categories. Use thriller techniques or not as you see fit, but there are so many neckbiter tales kicking around at the moment that your story needs to stand on much more than that.

lilpixie said:

He's a vampire like some people are white and others are hispanic. It's just what HE is, not what the STORY is.
[...] Does that make sense?

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It doesn't need to make sense to me right now, but it should make sense to the reader when it's done. To that end I have some observations and questions that may be of use along the way -- you don't need to answer all of these right now or consider them at at all, but they might help.

Being a vampire isn't like a having a different skin colour. Vampires aren't human. They don't eat or reproduce as humans do; they don't age and die as humans do; they don't live as humans live or fear as humans fear and if they did all those things they wouldn't be vampires at all, really -- they'd be Goths with a blood fetish.

Vampires must be sociologically and psychologicallly different or else they're just people with pointy teeth. I mention this to explain why 'the hero is a vampire' looms so LAAAARGE for me in story premise. It's about six times bigger than 'someone's trying to kill the MC'. Yeah whatever, but a Vampire is trying to Save her!!!

Here's what I'm wondering: why not a retired policeman? A scotophobic journalist? Her wheelchair-bound cousin? Or put another way, what makes it harder/worse/riskier/more problematic for your main character to be rescued by a vampire than to be rescued by the old cop, the journalist afraid of the dark, or the cousin who has to drag himself up stairs?

One answer might be: nothing! Maybe you feel that it's easier to be protected by a vampire hero. He's a stronger hero. You can't shoot him. He skulks and he scares the bejeebers out of the bad guys. But if that's your answer then I'd be saying Wrong Way. Go Back. Whether you're writing a mystery, a thriller or a romance, your drama comes from complicating things and making them more dangerous -- not making them simpler and safer.

So the answer should be: something. Some reason that having a vampire protector is way worse than the cop, the journalist or the paraplegic cousin. In other words: you gotta do something with this premise to make it integrate with the drama. But more, if you want to publish this then I believe it has to be something that surprises the reader. Something that Tanya Huff didn't do, or any one of the score of other para romance/para mystery writers lurking in the midlists.

I don't know the answer -- that's up to you -- but I can suggest where to look: the vamp's psychology, physiology and relationships. And if you can't find anything there, I'd suggest that you consider the cop, the journalist or the cousin instead.

The opening of a novel makes a promise to the reader. Part of that promise is about what kind of story this will be. If you deliver a different kind of story, many readers (having invested their money and time based on the promise they thought you were making) will feel at least disappointed, if not something stronger.

Dale

It's interesting how we sometimes forget that we are in a contractual agreement with our readers. Very good point, Dale.

JJ, thanks for the link, babes! You're awesome!

Dale Emery said:

The opening of a novel makes a promise to the reader. Part of that promise is about what kind of story this will be. If you deliver a different kind of story, many readers (having invested their money and time based on the promise they thought you were making) will feel at least disappointed, if not something stronger.

Dale

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It's funny you mention this... I am working on a sequel. DH read the first chapter and said, very gently, this is really different from the original and that's not necessarily a good thing. I was glad (and a little heartbroken!) I let him read the first chapter! Kept me from going too far down a wrong road.

Perhaps some people get too concerned with category rather than writing a good story that categorizes itself.

Dick Stodghill said:

Perhaps some people get too concerned with category rather than writing a good story that categorizes itself.

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*nods in agreement*

Dale Emery said:

The opening of a novel makes a promise to the reader. Part of that promise is about what kind of story this will be. If you deliver a different kind of story, many readers (having invested their money and time based on the promise they thought you were making) will feel at least disappointed, if not something stronger.

Dale

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Great point, Dale. I think many writers fail to realize just how vital those first few pages are. They can make or break a book.

Ruv Draba said:

One answer might be: nothing! Maybe you feel that it's easier to be protected by a vampire hero. He's a stronger hero. You can't shoot him. He skulks and he scares the bejeebers out of the bad guys.

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Sounds a lot like "Angel", from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer T.V. series, and his own series of course. yet . A vampire with a conscience.