#KillerWomen #KillerWeekend DAY TWO #CrimeFiction #Events

KILLER WOMEN KILLER WEEKEND

28-29th October 2017, Browns, St Martin's Lane, London

For those of you who saw my post at the beginning of the week, you'll know that I spent the weekend listening to authors, editors and agents talking all about crime fiction! If you missed it, you can read all about it here! My huge thanks to Killer Women for organising a weekend of fascinating, inspiring and wide ranging discussions, panels and workshops. 

And here's a brief summary of what I got up to on Day 2 of the fabulous Killer Women Weekend! Another jam packed day of masterclass panels, ending with an amazing workshop with Erin Kelly! Yes, indeed the bibliomaniac dream continues....! 

THRILLER 

JACK BOWMAN (AKA BELINDA BAUER), MICK HERRON, JAMES SWALLOW & KAREN ROBINSON 

Despite the fact that James Swallow looks like he's teaching us all some kind of dance, this was actually a really interesting discussion about writing thrillers! Although Mick Herron did describe plot as the maypole around which characters dance so maybe there was a bit of a theme going on there after all! 

These authors write high concept, fast paced, action packed thrillers so there was some discussion about whether it was character or plot which came first and how they went about structuring their stories. Again, tips on plotting varied from only needing to know the beginning and the end, having a few key scenes in mind and letting the rest evolve or just starting off and seeing what happens! 

All the panelists have had problems with their plot lines because of the pace at which current affairs moves so there was some chat about whether you could 'future proof' your novel and what could be done to ensure you don't have a book that's out of date the minute it's published - or worse still, as James Swallow had to, rewriting chunks of chapters because something happens in the world and it affected events he'd written about. 

What were their top tips about writing crime thrillers?

• There are no rules just guiding principles but you must be in control of your story
• There are no boundaries but you do need to know the rules you are breaking before you break them
• Finish it! If you can't 'land' your story, you are not a writer! You need to find out that you can do it! 

Finally there was one great question from the audience - What was the authors best writing 'accident'? Has anything happened to a scene or character which they weren't expecting that then changed the shape of the story or twist? 

Mick Herron said that actually the best ideas are the ones that come slowly and keep returning and building with momentum rather than the eureka moments that stop you in the street! 

Oh, and there's no such thing as writer's block says James Swallow- just good days and bad days! 

DOMESTIC NOIR

COLETTE MCBETH, ERIN KELLY, JULIA CROUCH, MEL MCGRATH

I think this was my favourite panel of the day - or maybe it was just dead exciting to have so many killer women in one room at the same time! And they were talking about my favourite subject, domestic noir and psychological thrillers! 

These women had so much to say and so many interesting and pertinent observations about the genre that I made about 6 pages of notes- but it would be impossible to include that here (you may breathe a sigh of relief!) so here's very brief round up! 

• Read the original psychological thriller killer women like Barbara Vine, Patricia Highsmith and Daphne Du Maurier. 
• Play with the tropes. Get clever. No more downtrodden women. Get political. Make up stories about women who misbehave or are the agent of their own downfall.
• Write your own story, not one to fit the marketplace. Erin Kelly writes books that are the kind of stories she wants to read.
• The twist is dead, long live the twist! People expect one but make it earn it's place!
• If you are writing a domestic noir novel then what is your question? What is the question that is going to be answered in your story? 

THE NEXT BIG THING?

LAURA WILSON, SAM EADES, LISA MILTON, JANE GREGORY

This must have been one of the most highly anticipated panels of the day! What is going to be the next big thing!! And who better to tell us than these guys - two editors, one journalist and one agent! It was a really entertaining panel - there was some really fun conversation and banter between the panelists and I really enjoyed hearing their thoughts! 

So, is there a magic ingredient to make a manuscript stand out? What is it that these lovely ladies are looking for?

• good, high quality writing 
• writing from the heart
• something that keeps them reading all night 
• an author who is authentic and true to themselves rather than writing 'by numbers' or in someone else's style

What are their predictions for trends in publishing or the next big thing?

• UpLit - a response to where we are now - but this is very recent and no one could have predicted because no one could have predicted events in recent politics / current affairs!
• cosy crime continues to do really well 
• serial killers are making a come back... 

Other top tips?

• Finish the book! Don't send off anything to an agent until it is the best it can be...and complete! 
• Writing is about re-writing - it's hard work!
• Paying for a professional manuscript critique before sending out for submission is highly recommended!

THE AUTHOR AS A BRAND

ED WOOD, TORY LYNE-PIRKISS, MARK BILLINGHAM 

This panel offered advice in how to build your brand as an author. After explaining what they meant by brand, there was then some chat about examples of 'big brand' authors and then some discussion about what a publisher might do to brand an author and what an author could do to help develop and establish a brand identity. 

Authors looking to establish a brand should think about:

• Social Media- using Twitter and Facebook to start conversations and develop a platform
• Choose one social media platform, keep it sincere and full of content 
• Have a website 
• Get in touch with local media and the local bookshop and develop a local following 
• Try and find a USP either as an author or in the book 
• Make sure you choose the right title for your book
• It's an overcrowded market - Get above the noise! 

BEGINNINGS & ENDINGS WORKSHOP

ERIN KELLY

Well, as if that hadn't all been exciting enough, my day ended with a workshop with Erin Kelly. I know. Awesome. 

I have extensive notes from this session - because clearly if I write down every single thing Ms Kelly says, I will automatically wake up with a best selling manuscript beside my bed! But, to be honest, she was so full of fantastic tips and able to explain the essential features of the opening and closing of a story that I wanted to make sure I had good notes to use at home! 

Erin talked about the opening paragraph of a story and used some examples from recent thrillers to illustrate her points. She talked about 'show don't tell' and imagining your writing to be a screenplay as this helps focus the action and pace. There were some tips about how and when to establish backstory and the role of a prologue. 

I found the section talking about the ending of your novel really insightful and found Erin's list of effective endings really helpful. I liked her term 'action crunch' when all the lose threads come together quickly in the final pages! 

There was so much information delivered in one hour that I am looking forward to reading through my notes in more detail soon but it was a very valuable hour and a fantastic chance to be taught by such a successful writer.

AND THE GOODY BAG.....

Thank you so much to all the Killer Women who made this such a memorable and exciting weekend and thank you to all the authors, agents and editors who came along and participated in the event. I am now completely drowning in new books to read - not only did I want to buy the panelist's books, I also want to buy all the books they recommended or referred to! But it was a brilliant weekend! 

For more recommendations and reviews follow me on Twitter @KatherineSunde3 or via my blog bibliomaniacuk.blogspot.co.uk or website bibliomaniacuk.co.uk