Terry Hayes: On Writing Epic Stories

Terry Hayes is the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Pilgrim and The Year of the Locust, and is the award-winning writer and producer of numerous movies. His credits include Payback, Road Warrior, and Dead Calm (featuring Nicole Kidman). He lives in Switzerland with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.

Terry Hayes

Photo by Stuart Simpson

In this post, Terry discusses how he wrote over one million words in the initial drafts of his new thriller novel, The Year of the Locust, his advice for writers, and more!

Name: Terry Hayes
Literary agent: Jay Mandel WME
Book title: The Year of the Locust
Publisher: Emily Bestler Books
Release date: February 6, 2024
Genre/category: Thriller
Previous titles: I Am Pilgrim
Elevator pitch: An intelligence agent who specializes on crossing borders and entering forbidden countries goes onto Iran to try to prevent a devastating attack on the U.S. That initial mission takes him on an extraordinary journey, deep into the ruins of New York City. He not only must try to save the world, but his family too.

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What prompted you to write this book?

I have always liked reading huge, sweeping, epic stories, so I guess it was only natural that I should write one.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Eight years. Yes, the ideas always change—and hopefully improve. Otherwise, you are not writing, you are typing.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I don’t know if it was a surprise, but it certainly confirmed to me how blessed I am to have an editor and publisher who is a consummate professional. Being highly intelligent and experienced did not hurt either!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

The biggest revelation was just how many words I had to write to find the best version of the story and how to tell it most effectively. I wrote a little over one million words and the finished manuscript was about a quarter of that. Like Bob Dylan says: You have to write 100 songs to find one good one.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

That they will be swept into the story, that from beginning to end it will grab them and make them turn the page. Most of all, after they have finished it, that the story sticks to their bones.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Stay fit, eat healthy, don’t smoke. It is 

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