Every week a best-selling writer of crime/psychological thrillers shares their secrets and top tips. This week it’s debut crime thriller author Trevor Wood.
I’m always afraid that one of my books will be universally hated. This only eases when positive reviews start to come in.
Tell us about yourself…
I’m a former joiner who now runs a busy hotel and wedding venue. I have a son I’m incredibly proud of and I’ve been a lover of crime fiction since first reading a Famous Five book around the age of eight. I’m a reviewer for the well-respected site www.crimesquad.com and I’m the founder of Crime and Publishment, which has seen 10 former attendees realise their dream of getting published.
How do you pick character names? Do any have special meaning to you?
I put quite a bit into choosing a character name. For me the name has to reflect the character’s age, social standing, personality and lots of other factors. I have been known to scour Facebook or Twitter to find a name that fits what I envision for a character. I have snuck a few names into my writing that are personal to me. My first lead DI Harry Evans got his Christian name from my grandfather Harold.
How long does your first draft take you?
Once I get the story I want to write organised in my head or an outline, I can put down a first draft in anything between six and twelve weeks depending upon how much time I can devote to writing. TO CONTINUE READING CLICK HERE
