Wessel Ebersohn’s ninth rule of thriller writing
While it is true that you must have a hero, there are plenty of different kinds. The most popular kind of hero is the James Bond type. He is suave, whatever that means. He is handy with his fists and a nine millimetre Berretta, or other device from that club. He always gets the girl, often many girls, during the course of the novel. He dresses well and drives fast, expensive cars. He may not be terribly bright, but he nails the bad guys every time.
If your hero is of this type, you are either writing for a very dimwitted public (I wouldn’t be concerned if that is so, because there are quite a few of them out there) or you are appealing to the basest instincts of your more intelligent readers. It is very important to bear this in mind, because it will guide you when creating the story line.
