Ten Rules for Suspense

Over at Thrillerwriters.org, Brian Garfield's ten rules for writing suspense fiction lay it all out for you. This is the list John Grisham credited with helping him craft his first bestseller, The Firm.

Here's a few to wet your whistle:

• Start with action; explain it later.
• Give the protagonist a personal stake.
• Give the protagonist a tight time limit, and then shorten it.

These are excellent guidelines and a must for any writer -- novelist or screenwriter.