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In a session titled “Making a Killer: Marketing Your Thriller” and moderated by Dr Lamya Tawfik, the panel discussed the art of balancing creativity and commercial success in a competitive literary landscape, offering insights into the evolving world of crime and suspense fiction.
“If it doesn’t have the right hook, it will pass people by,” said Daniel G. Miller, USA Today bestselling author of The Orphanage by the Lake and The Tree of Knowledge series. “You have to capture people’s imagination. That was my biggest learning — knowing exactly who I was writing for.”
Miller, recognised for his swift and emotionally intense stories, explained that his writing process always starts with the character rather than the plot. “I go back to their childhood, their hopes, and their dreams — that’s where the story begins,” he said. “Every chapter should read like a short story. If a character becomes part of someone’s life, like Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes, you’ve created something that lasts.”
He emphasised that readers remember characters, not just plots, and that emotional resonance transforms a good thriller into a timeless one.
For Abdul Wahab Al Rifai, a prolific Kuwaiti novelist with over 30 books to his name, the best thrillers are built on psychological insight and human curiosity. “People are naturally curious,” he said. “You give them a riddle without an answer, and they’ll go crazy. That’s what keeps readers turning the page.”
Citing inspirations such as Edgar Allan Poe and Ahmed Khaled Towfik, Al Rifai mentioned that his fascination with the unknown started with films like The Sixth Sense and The Others. “That made me write my first novel, The Mysterious Dimensions, and I’ve never stopped since,” he recalled.
He added, “I love writing about ordinary people — confused, flawed, and vulnerable — because that’s what readers connect to. There’s no pure good or evil, only people shaped by their circumstances.”
Emirati author Ibrahim Al Marzooqi emphasised the importance of structure and immersion in creating compelling thrillers. “I’m meticulous with my outlines. Every scene, every clue must serve a purpose,” he said. “I want readers to feel like detectives, piecing the story together, one revelation at a time.”
He recalled his early memories of discovering suspense fiction: “I was hooked the first time a story kept me awake, wondering what would happen next — that moment when you can’t stop turning the pages.”
The authors agreed that the thriller genre keeps reinventing itself through psychological suspense, crime drama, and locked-room mysteries, appealing to modern readers who look for intelligent and layered storytelling.
Their discussion provided both aspiring and experienced writers with valuable insights on creating memorable characters and stories that stay with readers long after the last page.
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