Mark Greaney: On Writing a Globe-Trotting Thriller Novel
New York Times bestselling author Mark Greaney discusses researching locations in person for his new thriller novel, Burner.
Mark Greaney has a degree in international relations and political science. In his research for the Gray Man novels, including Agent in Place, Gunmetal Gray, Back Blast, Dead Eye, Ballistic, On Target, and The Gray Man, he traveled to more than 15 countries and trained alongside military and law enforcement in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close-range combative tactics.
He is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tom Clancy Support and Defend, Tom Clancy Full Force and Effect, Tom Clancy Commander in Chief, and Tom Clancy True Faith and Allegiance. With Tom Clancy, he coauthored Locked On, Threat Vector, and Command Authority. Find him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this post, Mark discusses researching locations in person for his new thriller novel, Burner, his advice for other writers, and more!
Name: Mark Greaney
Literary agent: Scott Miller, Trident Media Group
Book title: Burner
Publisher: Berkley
Release date: February 21, 2023
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: The Gray Man series (11 previous titles); Red Metal, Armored; seven titles in the Tom Clancy Jack Ryan series.
Elevator pitch for the book: The Gray Man is caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA as he fights to expose a Swiss Bank’s crimes and stop an impending attack in the U.S.
What prompted you to write this book?
I wanted to write a fictional story about Westerners who collaborate with Russia, and I wanted The Gray Man to seek a little justice against these people.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Burner took me eight months to write. The story evolved somewhat as the Russian invasion of Ukraine evolved, but it was always related to Russian intelligence and threats in the West.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
It’s my 23rd published novel, so I wouldn’t say anything surprised me specifically with this book, but I’m still astonished I’m a published author in the first place!
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I did a great deal of location research in Europe, the Caribbean, and New York, and seeing the locations in person really honed my writing and made the book feel more “real.” Nothing is ever as I imagine it, so I like to see places for myself when I can.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope they’ll enjoy a fast-paced Gray Man thrill ride involving espionage, the military, and politics, with far flung destinations and detestable villains.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Don’t worry about how good you are. Worry about how much you are producing. If you generate pages, you will get better, and if you generate enough pages, you will get good. Quality will come and nothing else should matter except for the quality of your work, because that’s the only area where you have complete control.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
