Tips to write a Thriller Story
Thriller stories come in a number of different varieties. There are supernatural thrillers, psychological thrillers, action/adventure thrillers and thrillers based on medical mysteries. Regardless of the type of thriller you prefer to write, keeping a reader on the edge of his seat is the main goal of thriller writer. Given below are few tips that would help you to write a thriller story.
Situate your protagonist in danger and keep him there. This is one of the main elements of a thriller story, especially in the action genre. Readers will quickly lose interest, if nothing is at stake for your main character.
Imagine in terms of a roller coaster when you plot your thriller story. Even though you want your protagonist in almost constant danger, there has to be some relief, however short-lived. If you keep readers on edge without giving them a brief respite, sooner or later they will become immune to the effect. Plot your thriller with the ups and downs of a roller coaster ride. There's a reason it's called a thrill ride.
- Use atmospheric tensions to create suspense that will make your readers hold their breath, then follow those scenes with a twist of events that will cause your readers to gasp in shock or exhale in relief.
Give your protagonist a goal, let him reach it and then take it away at the last moment. Anything achieved in a thriller without the thrill of the chase will be fruitless. Make your reader engaged and as invested in the chase as you can. The reader desires that the protagonist should succeed, but he wants a protagonist who has the endurance and determination to work for it.
Create a valuable antagonist. Whoever blocks the way of your protagonist is the antagonist. He should challenge your protagonist at every turn. The protagonist should win some too. If your protagonist has no weakness, his strength and courage won't matter.
Dialogue should not outshine action. Thrillers are action orientated. Thrillers are external rather than internal. Keep the action at the forefront of every scene you write. If you follow these steps, you'll write a heart-pounding thriller that will leave your reader begging for more.