DiscoverThriller 101How to Write a Thriller that Gets Attention: Character and Plot Advice from Chevy Stevens
How to Write a Thriller that Gets Attention: Character and Plot Advice from Chevy Stevens

How to Write a Thriller that Gets Attention: Character and Plot Advice from Chevy Stevens

Update: 2025-10-22
Share

Description

Send me a Text Message!

New York Times bestselling author Chevy Stevens pulls back the curtain on what separates a good thriller from an unforgettable one. 

And it might not be what you think. 

In this episode, Chevy reveals her unconventional process for crafting antagonists that readers love to hate. 

She also shares the exact mindset shift that helped her sustain an eight-book career.

If you are... 

  • struggling to create believable villains
  • feeling stuck in your thriller's plot
  • wondering how to build a lasting writing career in today's market

This conversation will give you the tools to break through. 

What Listeners Will Learn:

How to create antagonists that traditional publishers love

• The "enough juice" test for evaluating thriller concepts

• Why your second book matters more than your first

Connect with Chevy:

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Chevy Stevens lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and daughter. When she isn’t working on her next book, she’s spending time with her family and their two dogs. Her books, including Still Missing, a New York Times bestseller and winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, have been published in more than thirty countries.

Episodes I think You'll Love:

  1. Author Liz Alterman Reveals Her Weekly Writing Ritual That Transforms First Drafts Into Gold And How to Know When Your Story Idea Is Worth Writing

  2. Literary Agent Amy Nielsen on How to Fix Your Opening Pages 

  3. Literary Agent Jessica Berg Shares How to Catch an Agent's Eye

  4. How to Write an Opening Chapter that Keeps Readers Reading with Author David McCloskey


Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction

Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now


Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

How to Write a Thriller that Gets Attention: Character and Plot Advice from Chevy Stevens

How to Write a Thriller that Gets Attention: Character and Plot Advice from Chevy Stevens

David Gwyn