Key Takeaways
1. Structure is the foundation of suspenseful storytelling
The only mistake you can make is having no structure at all.
Choose a compelling structure. Whether linear or nonlinear, your story's structure serves as the scaffolding upon which you build suspense. Consider using a chronological approach for simplicity and clarity, or a nonlinear structure for added complexity and drama. Experiment with techniques like:
- Bookends: Begin and end your story with the same motif for thematic symmetry
- Categories: Organize content by places, people, or events to aid understanding
- Flashbacks/Flash-forwards: Control information flow and tell multiple stories
Remember that structure should align with your theme and support your plot. Be willing to change your approach if it's not serving the story effectively.
2. Use Jane's Plotting Road Map to craft a compelling narrative
Jane's Plotting Road Map guarantees your story will be multilayered but not confusing.
Visualize your plot. Jane's Plotting Road Map is a tool to help you structure your story and maintain proper pacing. Key elements include:
- The highway: Represents your primary plot
- Service roads (SR1 and SR2): Represent your two subplots
- TRDs (Twists/Reversals/Dangers): Occur every 70-90 pages
Integrate subplot scenes approximately every 40 pages, alternating between SR1 and SR2. This approach ensures your story remains engaging and well-paced, with all plotlines converging seamlessly at the conclusion.
3. Integrate twists, reversals, and dangers (TRDs) to maintain reader engagement
The more inherent the suspense, the more harmonious the marriage of character and incident.
Keep readers on edge. TRDs are crucial elements for maintaining suspense and reader interest. Implement them strategically:
- Twists: Unexpected plot developments
- Reversals: Events that take the story in the opposite direction of expectations
- Dangers: Moments of heightened physical or emotional risk
Aim to include four TRDs in a 300-325 page book, occurring approximately every 70-90 pages. Ensure that each TRD flows organically from your characters and plot, avoiding contrived or coincidental events.
4. Create multidimensional characters through backstory and motivation
The more specific and idiosyncratic your character's attributes, the more robust and engaging your plots.
Develop complex characters. Use detailed character profiles to create believable, relatable individuals. Consider:
- Personal history and background
- Fears, desires, and motivations
- Quirks, idiosyncrasies, and flaws
- Relationships and conflicts
By understanding your characters deeply, you can craft more authentic reactions and decisions, leading to more engaging and suspenseful storylines.
5. Leverage settings to enhance atmosphere and tension
Don't merely describe hills and valleys and beaches and cityscapes; they want to read about experiences that could occur only at that place during that time.
Create immersive environments. Use setting to:
- Reflect characters' emotional states
- Foreshadow events
- Create contrast or emphasize themes
Integrate sensory details to bring settings to life:
- Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures
- Character interactions with the environment
- Atmospheric elements that contribute to mood and tension
Remember to focus on details that are relevant to the plot or character development, avoiding excessive exposition.
6. Employ subplots to add depth and complexity to your story
Subplots should only be included if they serve a specific plot- or character-building purpose.
Enrich your narrative. Effective subplots:
- Add intricacy to the primary plot
- Reveal nuanced information about characters
- Mirror or contrast with the main storyline
- Provide opportunities for character growth
Integrate subplot scenes every 40 pages, alternating between two subplots (SR1 and SR2). Ensure that subplots:
- Include fully developed plotlines and characters
- Are resolved by the end of the story
- Never overtake the primary plot
7. Isolation as a powerful tool for building suspense
Isolating your protagonist—and everyone else.
Leverage loneliness. Use isolation to:
- Create vulnerability in characters
- Heighten tension and anxiety
- Reveal hidden aspects of personality
Types of isolation:
- Physical: Being physically separated from others
- Social: Feeling disconnected or ostracized
Incorporate isolation through:
- Setting choices (remote locations, empty buildings)
- Character backstories (trauma, social anxiety)
- Plot developments (being pursued, hiding from danger)
8. Use surprise sparingly to heighten tension and advance the plot
The best surprises add significant insights to the characters involved in that surprise while setting up future suspenseful situations.
Shock strategically. Effective surprises:
- Are unforeseen but logical within the story context
- Reveal character traits or motivations
- Lead to suspenseful situations
Implement surprises through:
- Unexpected events
- Revelations of previously unknown information
- Anomalies that challenge expectations
Avoid overusing surprises, as they can become predictable or disrupt the narrative flow. Instead, focus on building sustained tension and suspense.
9. Gradually reveal information to keep readers invested
To execute a slow reveal, you need to follow these steps:
Control information flow. Use techniques like:
- Unreliable narrators: Characters whose credibility is questionable
- Multiple perspectives: Showing events from different viewpoints
- Layered revelations: Gradually uncovering truths about characters or situations
Steps for effective slow reveals:
- Present a specific side of a character (positive or negative)
- Select incidents that challenge this initial perception
- Show the incident in an opposing light
- Reveal the truth
This approach maintains reader interest and allows for complex character development.
10. Harness the power of fear and dread in your writing
Fear can serve as an early warning system to help us cope with danger.
Exploit primal emotions. Utilize fear and dread to:
- Create relatable characters
- Build tension and suspense
- Drive plot developments
Types of fear to explore:
- Universal fears (death, abandonment, powerlessness)
- Specific phobias
- Social anxieties
Techniques for writing fear and dread:
- Use sensory details to create vivid, immersive experiences
- Show physiological reactions (increased heart rate, sweating)
- Explore characters' internal thoughts and emotions
- Create situations that challenge characters' deepest fears
Remember that fear responses are highly individual, so tailor them to your specific characters and their backgrounds.
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FAQ
What's "Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot" about?
- Overview: "Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot" by Jane K. Cleland is a guide for writers on how to craft engaging and suspenseful stories. It provides techniques and strategies to keep readers hooked from start to finish.
- Focus on Suspense: The book emphasizes the importance of suspense in storytelling, offering insights into how to build tension and maintain reader interest.
- Structure and Plot: Cleland discusses the significance of structure and plot in creating a cohesive and compelling narrative, providing practical advice on organizing and developing storylines.
- Target Audience: It is aimed at both new and experienced writers who want to improve their storytelling skills and create stories that captivate readers.
Why should I read "Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot"?
- Enhance Writing Skills: The book offers valuable insights and techniques to improve your writing, particularly in creating suspenseful and well-structured stories.
- Practical Advice: Cleland provides actionable tips and exercises that writers can apply directly to their work, making it a practical resource for improving storytelling.
- Expert Guidance: As an award-winning author, Cleland shares her expertise and experience, offering readers a chance to learn from a seasoned professional.
- Broad Applicability: The principles discussed in the book are applicable to various genres, making it a versatile resource for writers of all types of fiction.
What are the key takeaways of "Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot"?
- Structure is King: Cleland emphasizes the importance of having a solid structure to guide the narrative and keep the story cohesive.
- Suspense Techniques: The book provides strategies for building suspense, such as using red herrings, pacing, and character isolation.
- Character and Plot Integration: Cleland discusses the interplay between character development and plot progression, highlighting the need for them to work in harmony.
- Practical Tools: The book offers tools like Jane’s Plotting Road Map and the Triple X Strategy to help writers organize and refine their stories.
How does Jane K. Cleland define suspense in storytelling?
- Foundation of Suspense: Suspense is created when readers know something is happening or might happen to characters they care about, but they don’t know what it is.
- Anticipation and Tension: It involves building anticipation and tension, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they await the resolution.
- Real Incidents: Cleland notes that suspense doesn’t have to involve dramatic events; it can be inherent in real incidents that happen to real people.
- Craft of Writing: The book explores how to set up, structure, develop, and reveal suspense in a story, making it a central element of storytelling.
What is Jane’s Plotting Road Map?
- Organizational Tool: Jane’s Plotting Road Map is a tool designed to help writers organize their stories, ensuring a logical and compelling progression.
- Highway and Service Roads: It includes a main highway representing the primary plot and service roads for subplots, with TRDs (twists, reversals, dangers) placed at strategic points.
- Pacing and Complexity: The road map helps maintain an appropriate pace and adds complexity to the narrative by integrating subplots and TRDs.
- Multilayered Storytelling: By following the road map, writers can create multilayered stories that are intricate yet not confusing, keeping readers engaged.
How does Cleland suggest using red herrings in a story?
- Creating False Trails: Red herrings are used to create false trails, misleading readers and adding layers of complexity to the plot.
- Types of Red Herrings: They can be structural, visual, or based on human nature, details, or expertise, each serving to distract and baffle readers.
- Human Nature: Cleland discusses using predictable human behaviors, like the halo and devil effects, to mislead readers about a character’s true nature.
- Subtle Integration: Red herrings should be subtly integrated into the story, ensuring they flow organically and don’t feel contrived or coincidental.
What is the Triple X Strategy mentioned in the book?
- Tracking Tool: The Triple X Strategy is a tool for tracking plot threads and unresolved issues in a manuscript.
- Marking Unresolved Points: Writers type "xxx" next to any issue that needs resolution or any sentence they’re unhappy with, allowing easy retrieval later.
- Organizational Aid: It helps writers manage the complexity of their stories, ensuring all plotlines and character questions are addressed by the end.
- Focus on Writing: By using this strategy, writers can focus on the current writing task without worrying about forgetting important details.
How does Cleland recommend building character depth?
- Character Analysis: Cleland suggests analyzing characters in depth, understanding their motivations, fears, and desires to create well-rounded characters.
- Confusion and Betrayal: Characters should face confusion and betrayal, driving the plot and engaging readers emotionally.
- Backstory Integration: Integrating backstory through dialogue and action, rather than exposition, helps reveal character depth without slowing the narrative.
- Complexity and Growth: Characters should be complex and capable of growth, with their actions and decisions reflecting their inner conflicts and development.
What are some of the best quotes from "Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot" and what do they mean?
- "Structure is king." This quote emphasizes the importance of having a solid structure to guide the narrative and keep the story cohesive.
- "Suspense is the heart and soul of storytelling." It highlights the central role of suspense in engaging readers and driving the narrative forward.
- "Write for your readers, not yourself." Cleland advises writers to focus on creating stories that meet readers’ needs and expectations, ensuring their work is engaging and marketable.
- "Think, write, revise (in that order)." This quote underscores the importance of planning and revising, encouraging writers to approach their work methodically.
How does Cleland suggest using sensory details in writing?
- Engaging the Senses: Cleland advises using sensory details to create vivid and immersive scenes, allowing readers to experience the story alongside the characters.
- Show, Don’t Tell: Sensory references help writers show rather than tell, making the narrative more engaging and dynamic.
- Heightening Suspense: By incorporating sensory details, writers can heighten suspense and tension, drawing readers deeper into the story.
- Creating Atmosphere: Sensory details contribute to the atmosphere and mood of a scene, enhancing the overall impact of the narrative.
What role do subplots play in a story according to Cleland?
- Adding Complexity: Subplots add complexity and depth to the main narrative, enriching the story and providing additional layers of intrigue.
- Character Development: They offer opportunities to reveal nuanced information about characters, showcasing different aspects of their personalities and motivations.
- Supporting the Main Plot: Subplots should support the primary plot, adding interest without distracting or confusing readers.
- Thematic Resonance: They can mirror or contradict the overarching themes, contributing to the story’s thematic richness and depth.
How does Cleland address the use of unreliable narrators?
- Creating Suspense: Unreliable narrators create suspense by presenting a version of events that may not be entirely accurate, keeping readers guessing.
- Types of Unreliability: Narrators can be unreliable due to innocence, guilt, bias, stress, or mental illness, each adding a unique layer to the narrative.
- Character Motivation: Understanding the narrator’s motivations for being unreliable is crucial, ensuring their actions and perspectives are credible.
- Slow Reveals: Unreliable narration allows for slow reveals, gradually uncovering the truth and maintaining suspense throughout the story.
Review Summary
Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot receives mostly positive reviews, with an average rating of 4.04 out of 5. Readers appreciate the practical advice, examples, and exercises for improving plot structure and suspense in writing. Some find it particularly helpful for beginners, while others note its value for experienced writers. Critics argue that the approach can be formulaic and lacks depth in certain areas. Despite mixed opinions, many readers consider it a useful addition to their writing craft library.
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