It begins with a knock at the door.
A body discovered.
A startling crime.

But how do you keep readers turning pages long after that inciting incident? How do you build tension that tightens chapter by chapter, plant red herrings without losing track of them, and deliver twists that surprise and satisfy?

In this session, thriller-award-winning author Lauren Nossett will break down the architecture of a gripping story. She’ll discuss how to raise the stakes, design layered characters, and craft suspense. 

You’ll learn how to:

• Craft a compelling inciting incident and a can’t-look-away opening scene
• Create imperfect heroes and complex villains
• Layer in escalating obstacles and conflicting motivations
• Build suspense using pacing and the ticking clock
• Write plot twists, turning points, and cliffhangers
• Deliver a satisfying ending while resolving red herrings

You’ll leave with practical tools you can immediately apply to your manuscript and a clearer roadmap for keeping readers up all night.

What attendees have said ...

"Very thorough presentation of crafting a thriller. The examples helped illustrate the topics."

"Symposium brings on some great writers to talk craft. Lauren Nossett is one who comes with her own insights on story development and a candid rendition of what a writer must tackle in the course of a project. Always informative."

"I liked the exploration of imperfect characters and this multi-level cause and effect on the story."

"The instruction was detail-oriented and not vague. I don't want an overview. I want specifics. This did a great job hitting all the notes with examples."

"Loved the explanation of the three-act arc and how to write strong sub characters. This gave me a lot of ideas for the novel I'm writing."

"It was succinct and to the point, accompanied by examples that illustrated the ideas. She was great, thorough, informative."

"Superbly done. The basics and foundation for writing a good mystery-thriller. Thanks!"