Writing Suspense and Thrillers with Amanda Traylor

<p>Episode 165 / Thriller writer Amanda Traylor shares:</p><ul><li>The challenges of writing commercial fiction</li><li>How she shifted from romance to thrillers with romantic subplots and why that genre is a better fit for her</li><li>How she licensed a thriller series to a publisher then got the rights reverted</li><li>Writing as a parent of a young child</li></ul><p><br/></p><p>Intro link: Greta and Megan’s kickstarter: <a href='https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/authorwheel/preparingtowrite'>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/authorwheel/preparingtowrite</a></p><p>Timestamps:</p><p>[00:17:40] Marketing success varies due to individual circumstance and timely changes in the industry. Best practices may not work for everyone, and it&apos;s important to remain patient and pivot to new methods when necessary.</p><p>[00:20:31] Amanda reflects on her past assumptions about her craft and the publishing industry. She learned that having education in the area was not enough.</p><p>[00:24:05] The publishing industry is a hard business and rejection is common. To succeed, you must divorce yourself from the outcome and be willing to learn and grow from mistakes.</p><p>[00:26:28] Write what you want, but it may not sell. Don&apos;t assume you are your audience, and be willing to make changes to appeal to them. Follow established tropes to succeed.</p><p>[00:28:29] Amanda advises writers to be open-minded towards feedback and marketability of their work.</p><p>[00:29:58] Amanda transitioned from young adult romance to romantic suspense, where she enjoyed playing with tropes. She focused on the mystery/thriller aspect while still including a romantic subplot.</p><p>[00:36:15]Amanda signed over her crime thriller series to a publisher but ultimately took the rights back due to lack of marketing success. The experience was a good learning opportunity and the split was amicable.</p><p>[00:43:39] Amanda took a year off  due to lack of help during pandemic.</p><p>[00:45:27] Amanda shares her struggle with balancing motherhoo