Advanced Fiction: Writing the Thriller Novel

This advanced fiction-writing course focuses on writing thrillers—dark, engrossing, and suspenseful plot-driven stories involving the push and pull between protagonist and antagonist. The course is intended for students who want to write a thriller novel; it also welcomes students working in a range of creative genres (including nonfiction and dramatic writing) who are interested in learning the techniques of thriller writing to enrich their own work. We analyze the openings of some classic thrillers: Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and Misery by Stephen King. Students learn how to create well-structured scenes with clear stakes and suspense to produce the opening chapter of a novel (15-20 pages) that is in line with what agents and editors are looking for. Students should come to the first class with an idea for a thriller. Note that in this course, students can write in any fictional genre except science fiction or fantasy.