Raymond Benson, Barrington White House
Suspense writer Raymond Benson is most notably famous for writing 007 James Bond novels, but he is also known as the author of a five-book serial, The Black Stiletto and most recently a mystery novel inspired by an empty house next door to his The Mad, Mad Murders of Marigold Way. He started his talk with Barrington Writers Workshop members at Barrington’s White House saying, “There are no rules.” With that he shared what works for him as a writer.
Planning
He’s a plotter, a planner, an outliner. He wants to know how his stories end before he begins. He builds his outline with a concept, an idea in mind, based on what interests him, what’s going on in the world, or ideas that just pop into his head.
“I write an outline in block paragraphs describing what happens in each chapter. I can move the blocks around if I need to.” This usually takes him two months to write. He also recommends writing a blurb paragraph on what the book is about to stay focused and act as reference.
Setting
Some of his research focuses on the location where the story will take place. This could be the house next door or hotspots in the world that might be of interest to his audience. Once he settles on a location, he learns about it, contacts possible sources and often visits the place. “If unable to visit, Google maps can put you in a place virtually.”
Plot
To develop a plot, he thinks about who would be upset about the situation he’s created in the story. Who has stakes in the game?
Daily Goals
When he’s ready to write, he relies on his outline and sets daily goals. “I complete a chapter from beginning to end each day.” He puts it aside then reads it later that night and edits it. “Fix it. Don’t rewrite,” he says. This daily effort goes on until a first draft is finished. This is the pace he has established. “Keep your story moving at your own pace,” he says.
Action scenes
Being a suspense writer, action scenes are important to Benson. “Action is tough. Write one sentence at a time. Bit by bit, in moments, add emotions. At a key point, move fast, then slow the motion. Add sensory details. What does the character see, feel, hear?”
Revisions
After letting some time pass, Benson suggests taking a fresh look at your work. “You know where you’re going. Plug in foreshadowing, a gripper first sentence or striking first paragraph. Imagine actors playing out the scenes.”
Beta readers
Finding good beta readers can be a challenge for writers. Benson first relies on his wife. “I trust her and know she will point out areas that need work.” He chooses other beta readers based on their tastes, intelligence, expertise on a subject, what they read, and if they have a good eye.
When his work is completed, it is then scrutinized by his agent and a publisher editor.
A note about The Bond Phenomena
For those who weren’t able to attend the public talk at Barrington’s White House, Benson did reveal how he was selected to be the first American to write original James Bond novels. In 1984 Raymond Benson wrote The James Bond Bedside Companion. He dedicated the book to Ian Fleming. In it he describes and shares his knowledge of all things Bond. Since he was very familiar with the world of Bond, he became one of the successive writers to continue the legacy. Between 1997 and 2002 Benson wrote six Bond books.
BWW members were thrilled with Raymond Benson’s talk and very much appreciated all that he shared with us. You can order his books and read reviews at his website: https://raymondbenson.com/
A highlight this past year has been BWW’s collaborations with the Barrington White House. Authors 
Described as a “superb psychological suspense writer” by the Seattle Book Review and a crafter of endings “that make your jaw drop” by the New York Times Review, Charlie Donlea has sold more than 1.5 million copies in the U.S. His books have been published in forty countries and translated into nearly twenty languages. How did he get his work out into the world? What did he have to do and who did he have to meet? That’s what he will be discussing with BWW members on June 15th at Barrington’s White House.
Mr. Donlea’s page-turning thriller books include: Summit Lake, The Girl Who Was Taken, Don’t Believe It, Some Choose Darkness, The Suicide House, Twenty Years Later, and Those Empty Eyes.
I’ve been drawn to writing strong female characters because I grew up with strong, clearly defined women. My mother moved to Chicago when she was 18 to work in early radio. After the start of World War II, she volunteered for the navy. She put herself through college to get her BS, masters, and PhD, as a single mom. My paternal grandmother got her bachelor’s degree in math in 1917 because she was told women couldn’t major in chemistry, her primary interest. I found myself in the care of quite a few women, most of whom were highly motivated, with well-defined personalities. I began writing from the female POV when a character in one of my stories dared me to write her story.
Several BWW poets read their work during the second annual Poetry in the Park event held at Citizens Park in Barrington. Organized by the Barrington Cultural Commission the outdoor event theme was Summer: Sunshine and Storms. A brief biography read by emcee Janette Tepas introduced each poet as they walked to the podium accompanied by music from jazz duo Peter Swenson on guitar and Jason Dziedzic on bass. Approximately 120 audience members showed their appreciation with a round of applause for each poet.
