How to Write a Thriller that Keeps ’em Turning Pages

Every bestselling thriller is a bestseller because it touches on all of the expectations that readers have of the genre. Readers demand that well-written thrillers hit specific notes and follow specific conventions, but what are those notes? And how do you execute those conventions effectively, to create a story that keeps your reader hooked till the last page?

USA Today-bestselling author LS Hawker is an undoubted master of the thriller. Her novels have sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

And now she’s come to Scribophile to teach you how to write a successful thriller, too!

Join LS Hawker in this intimate four-week deep dive into the craft of thriller writing. You’ll engage in a rich mix of craft lectures, videos, exercises, community interaction, and live videoconferences with the master herself as you learn everything you need to write a top-selling thriller.

You’ll leave this class with a deep understanding of the conventions that thriller readers expect, how to structure your plot all the way from a tight beginning to a satisfying ending, techniques for pacing that keeps your readers hooked, writing engaging heroes, villains, supporting characters, and more. You’ll gain the knowledge and skill you need to be able to write a thriller that hits all the right notes, in the right order, so that readers can’t stop coming back for more.

This class is perfect for writers of any skill level who are seeking to start or finish a thriller novel. You don’t have to have any written material, but if you do, this course will be an invigorating way to ensure you’re maximizing your story’s potential, and to finely hone it as you prepare for publication.

Writing a successful thriller means mastering the aspects of the genre that readers demand. Doing that takes knowledge, thoughtfulness, practice, and careful craft. And LS Hawker is here to personally guide you on your journey of writing a thriller that readers can’t put down — and that sells!

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to master the art of the thriller under the guidance of an USA Today-bestselling author who has sold over 100,000 copies!

Some of LS’s career highlights

What you’ll learn

After you finish this class, you’ll:

• Understand how to pace your thriller so that readers can’t stop turning pages.

• Be able to create nail-biting suspense in every chapter.

• Know how to use the tropes and conventions that readers demand from the genre.

• Understand the difference between tension and suspense, and how to employ both to keep readers hooked.

• Master the art of writing dialog that ramps up tension and creates conflict.

• Gain the skills you need to develop unique, flawed, active protagonists and secondary characters while avoiding clichéd, mustache-twirling villains.

• Learn how to include turning points, value shifts, and polarity shifts in every scene to drive the narrative forward.

Class outline

• Week One: What makes a thriller? Tropes, conventions, and starting points

• Week Two: The structure of a thriller; plots, heroes, and other characters

• Week Three: Tension, conflict, and how to maintain suspense; writing engaging villains

• Week Four: Pacing your way to a satisfying ending

Zoom schedule

Along with these Zoom calls, you’ll also spend time taking in lectures and chatting on Scribophile over the course of the class. All Zoom calls are recorded, so if you miss one you can review it later.

• Friday March 31, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

• Friday April 7, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

• Friday April 14, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

• Friday April 21, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

How this workshop works

This class is conducted entirely online, on Scribophile and via Zoom videoconference. Participate from anywhere in the world!

You’ll join the instructor and your fellow students in a private group hosted on Scribophile. Take in reading and assignments at your own speed, and discuss them with the instructor and your classmates in the online class discussion forum.

You’ll also participate in Zoom videoconferences with the instructor and your classmates so you can get live lessons and insights, and ask questions in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Videoconferences will be recorded, so you can review them later if you missed them.

Questions about this class?

We’re happy to answer any questions you might have!

• Check out our Writing Class FAQ for answers to some common questions.

• Contact us and a real person will get back to you ASAP.

About LS Hawker

LS Hawker is the USA TODAY-bestselling author of the thrillers The Drowning Game, Body and Bone, End of the Road, and The Throwaways. The Drowning Game is a USA TODAY bestseller and finalist in the ITW Thriller Awards in the Best First Novel category. Her novels have been translated into eight languages and have sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide.

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