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The stories that keep readers up all night share three key characteristics: they’re suspenseful, well-structured, and cleverly plotted. In this comprehensive overview, you’ll discover how to write tighter, more polished first drafts by focusing on the underpinnings of effective storytelling. Specifically, we’ll discuss how to:

Create spine-tingling suspense by escalating conflict and raising the stakes.

We’ll assess how to optimize the story-driving potential of four kinds of conflict: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual (and how best to combine them). On the face of it, it would seem that conflicts are either external or internal. However, it is only when an external situation is perceived as a conflict that the story moves forward. It is people’s reactions to an incident, not the incident itself, that generates a conflict. In other words, all conflicts are internal.

Writing a killer opening that lays out the conflict and stakes in a way that immediately engages your readers’ interest fuels suspense. This “narrative question” serves as an implied promise to your readers. If they read to the end, they’ll discover how the conflict is resolved—or not.

We’ll also consider three additional suspense-boosting tactics:

• isolating your characters
• shortening sentences
• showing your characters’ emotions through sensory references, while avoiding labelling words such as saw, heard, know, understand, and the like

Choose the structure that’s best for your story.

Structure is an organizing principle that, once set, helps you develop your through-line plot or storyline and keeps you on track as you write. Different stories lend themselves to different structures and there is no right or wrong decision. The only mistake you can make is having no structure at all. The two broad options are linear (also called chronological) and nonlinear.

A linear structure is often a logical choice, the natural outcome of recounting consecutive events, as is the norm in most novels, literary nonfiction, and autobiographies, and some memoirs. A linear structure is easy to follow and easy to understand; as such, it’s the best choice for most stories.

Your other option is to use a nonlinear structure, where the timeline is presented out of sequence. Nonlinear structures tend to be complex, with the storyline either drifting or charging in and out of time and place. This approach works well for plots involving time travel, stories that occur over different timeframes, and fantasy, among other genres. While nonlinear structures add thematic heft and richness, they also can be overly complicated and sometimes even confusing.

We’ll also review three questions designed to help you decide which structure is best for your story, considering the timeline, scope, and theme.

Integrate plot Twists, plot Reversals, and moments of heightened Danger (TRDs) using Jane’s Plotting Roadmap to help build suspense while controlling your story’s pace.

“Plot twists” is an umbrella term, referring to three specific plotting strategies guaranteed to captivate your readers with their I-can’t-wait-to-see-what-happens-next unpredictability.

• Plot Twists: something unexpected, but not the opposite
• Plot Reversals: something unexpected, and the opposite
• Moments of Heightened Danger: something that adds urgency and dread to the story.

When your plot Twists, plot Reversals, and moments of heightened Danger (TRDs) come at tactically sound moments, your story’s pace quickens and your action becomes more focused.

Whether you like outlining or prefer a more organic approach to writing, Jane’s Plotting Roadmap can help you create a powerful framework for your story by ensuring you integrate captivating twists and turns (TRDs) at appropriate points in your story.

Plotting with Jane’s Plotting Roadmap brings other benefits, too. No longer do you have to write the entire story, for instance. Instead, plan on writing to the next TRD. By breaking up your story into smaller chunks, you take a daunting task—writing a novel, nonfiction story, or memoir—and make it more manageable.

Making thoughtful, reader-focused decisions about suspense, structure, and plot helps ensure your story will resonate with readers—and those are the stories publishers want and readers crave.

Who should take this class

• Aspiring writers aiming to master the basics of suspense, story structure, and plotting.
• Authors grappling with the ways and means of escalating conflict, raising the stakes, speeding up the pace, and plot development.
• Authors of crime fiction in all its forms, from cozies to thrillers and from noir to traditional mysteries.
• Writers of other genre fiction, including romance, fantasy, horror, and psychological suspense, among others.

This class is not suited for

• Anyone not writing a book-length work
• Anyone writing plays or TV/film scripts
• Children’s authors
• Poets

How do I attend the live class?

This class uses Zoom webinar technology (see system requirements). You will join through your Internet-connected computer or mobile device. When you register, you will receive information via email on how to join the class. If you don’t receive it within 1 hour of registering, please contact us.

• When: Wednesday, July 10, 2024
• Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Eastern / 10:00 a.m. Pacific
• Registration fee: $25

The webinar is broadcast via the internet with live audio delivered through your computer or mobile device speakers. The visual presentation is displayed directly from the presenter’s computer to your computer screen. The Q&A is managed through a chat-style submission system with questions read and answered by the presenter for the entire class to hear.

Closed captions are provided during the live class. We use Zoom’s automated closed caption service (powered by Otter), which is about 80%+ accurate. We also use Otter AI to generate an unedited transcript, provided with the recording.

Testimonials

All students receive the following

• Access to live class. After roughly 75 minutes, the instructor will take questions during class using in-class chat/text. The class will end after roughly 90 minutes.
• A recording of the class—audio and video. This is especially helpful if you have a conflict with the class time or something comes up and you can’t make the session. Each registration comes with access to the archived version of the program and the materials for 30 days. You do not have to attend the live event to access the recordings.
• Presentation slides. All participants receive a copy of the slide presentation in PDF form.
• Rough transcript. We use Otter to create an automated transcript of the entire webinar, which we’ll share with you in addition to the audio and video recording.

Event Attendance & Anti-Harassment Policy

We strive to provide an environment where all present—whether attendee, presenter, or staff—can feel supported. In order to ensure a welcoming event, here is what we expect from all who participate.

• That the presenter and the presenter’s work be treated with respect by attendees and that all attendees treat each other with respect and a generosity of spirit.
• That attendees will refrain from harassment of any sort including (but not limited to) comments or questions of a racist, homophobic, sexist/sexual, or threatening nature. This includes actions that disrupt or interfere with anyone’s ability to participate. Offenders will be disconnected from the live event.