So you have plotted your 3 ACTs of your suspense, understanding the elements of the external and internal journey. But a suspense is different than other novels. It contains elements that guarantee an adrenaline laced rush that drives you through the novel.
I have written thirty novels, most of which have elements of suspense. My thriller, In Sheep’s Clothing, was a Christy Award finalist, and won the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award. Recently, I had three Love Inspired Suspense come out – one of them stayed at under 7K in Amazon for three weeks.
I love suspense…because a suspense contains what I call…The GLOW.
The glow is simply that sense that a reader has when they love a book and can’t wait to tell others. It’s that groggy, “Oh, I stayed up all night – you gotta read this!”
How do you get that Glow? There are 4 Key Tricks!
G- Grab ‘em! From the first line with a HOOK. The suspense Hook is essential for a great story. Your hook should, set the tone, start with your hero/heroine in action, hint at the stakes and raise a story question. And, if you took my hooks class, you’ll know how to craft a hook. However, there is one key that every suspense hook needs to have…and that is Intrigue. The Hook asks Why? How? What? A great HOOK needs to raise one of these questions right at the beginning.
Here are some of my hooks:
- The past had picked the worst time to find her. (What?)
- Out of all FSB Agent Yanna Andrevka’s bright ideas, masquerading as a mail-order bride ranked among the most stupid. (Why?)
- Stirling McRae should have known he couldn’t escape his duty, even deep inside the forests of northeastern Alaska, a hundred miles from civilization. (How?)
- Today, more than any other, reporter Will Masterson prayed his lies would save lives. (How?)
- If the train trudged any slower into the station, American missionary Gracie Benson would be dead by sunset. (Why?)
As you develop your Hook, ask: What statement can you make about your character or story that leaves a question in the reader’s mind?
Where and Who are also questions, although they’re not as compelling, unless of course you’re a thousand miles under the ocean, or a space invader. Mostly, people connect with whys and hows, and then whats.
Look at your opening scene. What can you say about it that raises a question?
~ “She’d listened to the teacher drone on for thirty minutes before she realized that someone had to die.”
Really? Why? What was she saying?
You can create a question about just about anything.
~ “Perhaps they didn’t realize that serving chocolate would only make it worse.”
Make what worse? Why? Will chocolate make it worse for me?
If your hook does not raise intrigue…then delete and find one that does.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about the next Trick!
Susie May