Description

Book Synopsis
It had never been attempted before, and might never be done again. One man watching another man write a novel from beginning to end.

On September 1, 2014, in an 11th floor apartment in New York, Lee Child embarked on the twentieth book in his globally successful Jack Reacher series. Andy Martin was there to see him do it, sitting a couple of yards behind him, peering over his shoulder as the writer took another drag of a Camel cigarette and tapped out the first sentence: “Moving a guy as big as Keever wasn’t easy.” Miraculously, Child and Martin stuck with it, in tandem, for the next 8 months, right through to the bitter-sweet end and the last word, “needle”.

Reacher Said Nothing is a one-of-a-kind meta-book, an uncompromising account in real time of the genesis, evolution and completion of a single work, Make Me. While unveiling the art of writing a thriller Martin also gives us a unique insight into the everyday life of an exemplary writer. From beginning to end, Martin captures all the sublime confidence, stumbling uncertainty, omniscience, cluelessness, ecstasy, despair, and heart-thumping suspense that go into writing a number-one bestseller.

Trade Review

�Love Jack Reacher? You'll have to enjoy this... [Andy Martin] revels in the minutiae you didn't realize you wanted to know.�
Shortlist

�It's fascinating to watch the process of writing unfolding in real time... it shouldn't work - after all writing is a predominantly mental activity - and yet it does in a way that makes you wonder why no-one's thought of doing this before... Andy Martin has created something new here: a fusion of literary criticism, biography and fly-on-the-wall meta-novel which serves as a remarkable insight into the creative process.�
Spectator

�Very entertaining. Until Child can be persuaded to publish his own version of Stephen King's On Writing, I think it will be a wise investment for anybody who wants to write popular fiction.�
Jake Kerridge, Daily Telegraph



Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part 1: Politics and You 7

Part 2: Making Your Voice Heard 29

Part 3: Politics is a Team Sport 67

Part 4: It’s All Marketing 131

Part 5: Let the Campaigns Begin 189

Part 6: Presidential Politics 263

Part 7: The Part of Tens 311

Appendix: State ID Voting Requirements 331

Index 353

Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of

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    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Thu 18 Jun 2026.

    A Paperback / softback by Andy Martin

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      Trusted by thousands of customers. See 2,385+ Customer Reviews

      View other formats and editions of Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of by Andy Martin

      Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd
      Publication Date: 07/02/2020
      ISBN13: 9781509540853, 978-1509540853
      ISBN10: 1509540857

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      It had never been attempted before, and might never be done again. One man watching another man write a novel from beginning to end.

      On September 1, 2014, in an 11th floor apartment in New York, Lee Child embarked on the twentieth book in his globally successful Jack Reacher series. Andy Martin was there to see him do it, sitting a couple of yards behind him, peering over his shoulder as the writer took another drag of a Camel cigarette and tapped out the first sentence: “Moving a guy as big as Keever wasn’t easy.” Miraculously, Child and Martin stuck with it, in tandem, for the next 8 months, right through to the bitter-sweet end and the last word, “needle”.

      Reacher Said Nothing is a one-of-a-kind meta-book, an uncompromising account in real time of the genesis, evolution and completion of a single work, Make Me. While unveiling the art of writing a thriller Martin also gives us a unique insight into the everyday life of an exemplary writer. From beginning to end, Martin captures all the sublime confidence, stumbling uncertainty, omniscience, cluelessness, ecstasy, despair, and heart-thumping suspense that go into writing a number-one bestseller.

      Trade Review

      �Love Jack Reacher? You'll have to enjoy this... [Andy Martin] revels in the minutiae you didn't realize you wanted to know.�
      Shortlist

      �It's fascinating to watch the process of writing unfolding in real time... it shouldn't work - after all writing is a predominantly mental activity - and yet it does in a way that makes you wonder why no-one's thought of doing this before... Andy Martin has created something new here: a fusion of literary criticism, biography and fly-on-the-wall meta-novel which serves as a remarkable insight into the creative process.�
      Spectator

      �Very entertaining. Until Child can be persuaded to publish his own version of Stephen King's On Writing, I think it will be a wise investment for anybody who wants to write popular fiction.�
      Jake Kerridge, Daily Telegraph



      Table of Contents

      Introduction 1

      Part 1: Politics and You 7

      Part 2: Making Your Voice Heard 29

      Part 3: Politics is a Team Sport 67

      Part 4: It’s All Marketing 131

      Part 5: Let the Campaigns Begin 189

      Part 6: Presidential Politics 263

      Part 7: The Part of Tens 311

      Appendix: State ID Voting Requirements 331

      Index 353

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