How to Write a Legal Thriller

Thanks to authors like John Grisham and Scott Turow, there are plenty of legal thrillers on the market today. However, when I first set out to draft one of my own, I found there was actually very little information available about writing them. Here are some to tips on how to write a legal thriller.

Firstly, you need not be a lawyer to write a legal thriller. It helps, of course, if (like me) you have had legal training and spent several years practicing law. But it is not necessary. One non-lawyer who writes legal thrillers that I regularly read is David Rosenfelt, author of the Andy Carpenter series. That being said, you will need to study the practice of law enough to become familiar.

One way to go about that is to drop in at your local criminal courthouse. Just about all legal proceedings and trials in the United States are public, and you are free to sit in. Observe not only the proceedings themselves, but the mannerisms of the attorneys and the accused. See how they interact with each other, not only while the judge is on the bench, but before and after. If possible, speak to the lawyers in the corridors. Most attorneys are more than willing to share their stories with writers. Indeed, I'm available any Happy Hour, as long as you're buying the drinks.

Another good way to learn more about the law and procedure is to watch shows like Law & Order. While they may not always be on the money, they are a good indication of how far you can push the envelope when utilizing suspension of disbelief.

Before you set out to write your legal thriller, you should decide whether this novel will be a stand-alone or the start of a series. If it is the start of a series, you will be limited in a number of ways. In addition to not being able to kill your main character, you will not be able to have him break many rules. An unethical attorney is likely to be disbarred, and a disbarred attorney won't be able to handle cases in your second or third book. Also, if you are developing a series, pay close attention to secondary characters you will want to return, such as your protagonist's law partner, the prosecutor, some police detectives, the judge, and a private eye.

Be sure to read as much as you can in the legal thriller genre. I highly recommend Steve Martini's Paul Madriani series. William Lashner's early novels are very good, but his last few have been dreadful.

Thank you for reading how to write a legal thriller. And good luck!