175: Crafting the Medical Thriller - Interview with Robin Cook

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have doctor and writer Robin Cook on the show! Robin started his medical career as a general surgical resident and finished with an ophthalmology residency at Harvard. His literary career, however, began as he wrote his debut novel, The Year of the Intern, underwater inside a nuclear submarine. He followed this up with his novel Coma, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and created the medical thriller genre. Robin is the author of thirty-four previous international bestselling novels, and is now back with his latest work Charlatans. Listen in as we dive into Robin's latest medical thriller, the genre itself, and get an inside look at how to turn firmly held beliefs of the medical profession on their heads. In this episode Robin and I discuss: What makes a medical thriller. How to balance keeping an issue present without creating an issue-driven book. Why fiction is better at influencing public policy than nonfiction. Using little details to drag readers into the story from page one. Prologues, when you should use them and the reasons why. Plus, Robin's #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/175