Writing A Thriller
Do you want to have your readers on the edge of their seats?
Join Rose Wilding, author of ultimate revenge thriller Speak of the Devil, for this online masterclass on thriller writing.Rose will reveal the key ingredients of a thriller, and discuss how you can use, and subvert, these tropes of the genre. She'll offer her top tips for writing a beginning that packs a punch, as well as how to make sure that the rest of the book follows through. Plus she'll share her advice on how to use time pressure and pace to keep a reader gripped, and how to craft a cast of characters that will draw a reader in.
Rose will also discuss her own writing and editing processes, as well as her journey to publication!
This masterclass will take place online via Teams. It will also be recorded so if you are unable to attend live, you'll be able to catch-up and access the recording for up to two weeks after the event has taken place. The session will end with a brief Q&A, so come ready with your questions!
You can join the session using the link below:
PREP:
Write a list of your main characters (if you haven't get that far yet, make some up - you could start with a protagonist, an antagonist/murderer, a detective figure, a victim, supporting characters) and then think of three details about each of them that aren't important to the plot and won't necessarily make it into the book. These could be idiosyncrasies, life events, friends they've had, places they've been to, etc. Try not to make them too on the nose; remember that each character, regardless of their role in the story, should feel like a whole person, and that means that your antagonist isn't 100% evil, and your protagonist isn't 100% good, and these details should reflect that.
For Example:
Jamie Spellman, 34 (antagonist/murderer)
- brushes his teeth in the kitchen sink rather than in the bathroom
- had a pet mouse called Steven Jones when he was six, named after his favourite classmate
- he has never voted in a general election, but he does really believe he'd make a great prime minister
DI Nova Stokoe, 36 (detective)
- one of her best friends is heavily involved in a local crime ring - they get around this by agreeing not to talk about work when they're together.
- She doesn't eat spaghetti because when she was a child her brother told her that it was made of peeled worms, and she can't get the image out of her head.
-she wears her socks inside out because the outside is always softer than the inside.
