I just spent three days in Vegas at the Public Safety Writers Convention. It was a great opportunity to meet with fellow authors and columnists from around the country. I also appeared on two panels, one of which had four of us discussing the difference between a thriller and a mystery. One of the panelists was best-selling author, Simon Wood, whose new novel, Terminated, has just released.
We all agreed that the basic difference between the two is simply this: a mystery begins with the crime or main event happening immediately, and what follows is the effort to solve it. The thriller, on the other hand, is structured in such a manner so that there is an ever-increasing crescendo of action that culminates at the end with the big event or crime. It's somewhat akin to a roller coaster ride, with highs and lows, but nonetheless, the climax comes at the end.
I was thoroughly pleased with the conference. I learned several things that I'm sure will enhance my writing in the future. One thing which was reinforced for me was the importance of a critique group. I am thankful for our own Riverside Writers group that meets at Borders. Thanks to all who have helped me in the past. I'll be sharing some other topics from the conference in future posts.
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