2017 Mystery and Thriller Online Conference Series
In August 2017 Writer's Digest hosted an online conference designed exclusively for mystery and thriller writers. When you buy this package you'll receive all of the sessions presented in the conference. You'll get insights and advice from SIX award-winning and best-selling experts in the industry. Hone your craft and take your mystery and thriller novel to the next level!
How Real Settings Can Become Remarkable Characters in Your Mysteries
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When setting defines a story, when that story can't be envisioned anywhere else, it becomes a character in your mystery. Learn how to make your setting a breathing, living entity that adds new depth and meaning to the storytelling. See how setting can create a dynamic feel to your writing and affect your characters deep enough to alter their course, change their purpose, build them up ... and tear them down. Realize how setting, especially if that place exists, can define your character's very existence and give your mystery a richer flavor.
The Action Starts at the Start
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Thrillers, especially those involving lots of action and adventure, should always begin with a thrilling scene that not only draws the reader in but keeps them glued to the pages long into the night. The "Raiders" lesson teaches that thrillers should begin with a hair-raising scene this is crafted not only to entice the reader but to make them feel like they're part of action. In a word, thriller writers want their readers to sweat. Learn how to make them do so by starting your novel with a bang!
How to Weave Backstory Seamlessly Into Your Novel
Web Seminar Download
Behind every well-developed novel lies an important backstory-but including too much of it too soon can halt your story's momentum. A good storyteller has no trouble thinking up rich histories for his or her characters. But a good novelist holds these details back, revealing them only at the time that best serves the story. In this session, internationally published thriller author Karen Dionne will teach the finer points of managing backstory in a novel.
Invincible: Creating Compelling Heroes and Villains
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The mystery-crime-thriller genre appeals to readers not only because of its wrenching plots but because of its unforgettable characters. Foremost among them are the heroes and villains whose cat-and-mouse battle provides the central action and drives the story. In this session, award-winning author David Corbett will show students how to create convincing and complex heroes and villains, with an emphasis on how to make them reflections of each other; how to anchor them in irreconcilable moral visions; and how to use real life cops and criminals as inspiration.
Incorporating the Law Into Your Legal Thrillers
Web Seminar Download
Few things are more disconcerting for the savvy reader than spotting mistakes. It takes the reader out of the book and erodes trust with the author. In this session, writers will learn about general concepts concerning the legal system and trial practice. In addition, writers will learn about how to handle preliminary and advanced legal research. Along the way, Adam may tell a few anecdotes about his own legal practice, and how he incorporates it into his fiction.
Keep the Pages Turning: Creating and Maintaining Tension and Suspense
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In Keep the Pages Turning: Creating and Maintaining Tension and Suspense, award-winning author Robert Dugoni shares how to master this skill. Writers will learn techniques employed by established authors to create conflict, to inject conflict into flat scenes, and to create the tension and suspense readers crave in the best novels.
