In this article, we focus on writing spy stories. If your novel includes spy agents and espionage, below you’ll find 5 top tips on how to write a spy novel.
1. Keep your characters complex but recognizable.
How it helps
It goes without saying that spy characters should be realistic and not stereotypical; not every spy will be a debonaire British ladies’ man with a license to kill. This means it is especially important that the protagonist of a spy novel have depth and purpose to their character.
Saying that, fans of spy novels are looking for recognizable character tropes: the double agent, the femme fatale, the unlikely friend. These are all really important characters that should be both complex but recognizable in their purpose to the overall plot. Otherwise, spy novel fans will feel cheated and wonder where they missed clues hinting at which character fulfils those roles in your novel.
How to include it
When plotting out the story, write out the important archetypes you want to include in your spy novel, then identify which character (or multiple characters) you feel match those roles.
Create a background for each of those main characters that help to explain why they fulfil those roles and how they are important to your protagonist’s success in resolving the main conflict.
When you’re writing, refer back to these elements to drive your story’s progress. If you find your characters becoming too stereotypical, include a twist or make them change archetype role unexpectedly so the reader is left guessing how the character will react later on.
2. Do your research!
How it helps
Part of what makes spy stories so engaging is the inside look at how spies operate. Readers feel like they are getting to see ‘behind the curtain’ at how these spies operate in the real world. The more realistic or believable the spy world seems, the more absorbed the reader feels in the story.
Research into the intelligence community is important in creating that shadow, subterranean world operating within our own. Ian Fleming was able to capture Bond and MI6 so well because he himself worked with spies during the war.
This isn’t to say a writer must have been a spy to write a good spy story, but there should be enough research to make the story seem plausible.
How to include it
The CIA and its international equivalents are not the only intelligence groups operating throughout the world; in the US alone, there are almost 20 different intelligence gathering government organizations that have their own prerogatives and methods of collecting information. Do some research to see which ones would fit your story, then either place your characters within one of those organizations or create a fictional one that mimics it.
You should also read memoirs by retired spies (like Life Undercover by Amaryllis Fox or I Spy by Tom Fox) to get real-life experiences of spy life. Try to build those experiences into your own story to give it some credence.
3. Decide what kind of spy plot you want.
How it helps
While almost every spy story follows the three-act structure, those structures generally fall into one of four basic plotlines: 1) Accomplish the mission; 2) Flee capture; 3) Uncover the mystery culprit; 4) Clear the protagonist’s name.
‘Accomplish the mission’ is exactly what is says: there is a mission given to the spy at the start of the story and the protagonist must embark on adventures to complete the mission.
‘Flee capture’ involves the protagonist spy being hunted by another intelligence group or spy and trying to get to safety before they are caught.
‘Uncover the mystery culprit’ is similar to ‘Accomplish the mission’ in that the story begins with an attack but the perpetrator is a mystery spy or organization. The story is more about uncovering who launched the attack and their motivations as much as it is about stopping the next attack.
‘Clear the protagonist’s name’ is essentially ‘Flee capture’ but from within their own organization: the protagonist has been framed for a crime they didn’t commit. The protagonist goes rogue to discover who did it and why they framed the protagonist before said protagonist is captured by their own people.
How to include it
During the planning stages, choose which plotline best fits your spy and antagonist. If you have a femme fatale or double agent in your character list, then ‘Accomplish the mission’ or ‘Flee capture’ might be your best fit as those character types are great for creating twists and intrigue. If the antagonist is an entire organization, then ‘Uncover the mystery culprit’ or ‘Clear the name’ might be good fits as those allow for multiple characters to be secretly connected to the organization and keep the protagonist running and scared.
4. Keep your organizations vague.
How it helps
The political landscape changes all the time. Antagonists who are working for themselves or a shadowy, fictional organization allow the story to remain credible but without tying them to any specific current event or government. Even when spy stories are set during established political periods, like the Cold War or World War II, antagonists have their own reasons for going rogue so that the story can feel more plausible alongside real-world events.
Consider popular examples like Bond’s Spectre organization or the Bourne Identity’s Treadstone group; because these groups have no ties to any known government or current political ideology, readers are left constantly left guessing what the group will do next.
How to include it
Once you’ve decided on a plot type and character archetypes, decide whether you want your antagonists’ motivations to be purely for individual gain or if they are part of a largely, interconnected network. If the antagonist is out for individual gain, keep those goals personal, such as being slighted by their government or the protagonist spy themselves.
If you want to include a shadow organization, keep their aims vague and maybe a bit stereotypical, like world domination or general international chaos. This allows your group to meet the needs of the plot but also remain plausible regardless of the time the story is set.
5. Don’t forget the twist!
How it helps
Every good spy novel has a twist somewhere before the climax of the story. Many times, the twist is in the form of a friendly character who is revealed to be working for the other side. Because spies look like regular people and are often motivated by more than just loyalty to their organization, these types of twists remind the reader that nobody can be trusted in the spy community and keep the reader wondering who will betray the protagonist next.
How to include it
When in the planning stages of your story, plot which characters would be best fit as the double agent or femme fatale. Who seems to be closest or most loyal to your protagonist? Which one will be a complete surprise when revealed as being the real antagonist?
Once you’ve decided that, be sure to drop tiny hints throughout your story to the twist so that the reader gets that ‘I should have seen that!’ feeling when the twist is revealed.
You may also want to read the following articles:
How to Write a Mystery Thriller Novel