Suspense is one of the most powerful tools a writer has for captivating readers--but it isn't just for thrillers. From mainstream fiction to memoir, suspense creates the emotional tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Enthrall Your Readers!
Suspense is one of the most powerful tools a writer has for captivating readers–but it isn’t just for thrillers. From mainstream fiction to memoir, suspense creates the emotional tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot is your hands-on guide to weaving suspense into your narrative. Award-winning author Jane K. Cleland teaches you how to navigate genre conventions, write for your audience, and build gripping tension to craft an irresistible page-turner.
Inside, Cleland will show you how to:
Packed with case studies, exercises, and dozens of examples from best-selling authors, Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot is the key to writing suspenseful, engaging stories that leave your readers wanting more.
Acclaim and awards for Mastering Plot Twists include:
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“Award-winning author Jane Cleland has crafted an insightful and entertaining page-turner about crafting page-turners. Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot belongs on every writer’s shelf.” —Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times best-selling author
“Unputdownably indispensable! For newbie authors and veterans alike, this terrific how-to is your new go-to. Don’t write your book without it–it’s a treasure.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony, Macavity and Mary Higgins Clark award winning author
“Masterful! I love this book. Oh, how I wish I’d had it when I was struggling with my first crime novel. This is a gold mine of information, of insight on how to structure and pace the novel. Brilliant. And even as I write my current book I find myself reflecting on her insights, and using them. This isn’t about being formulaic. It’s about first understanding the structure, and then making it your own. Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot is an absolutely extraordinary resource for anyone serious about writing not just a crime novel, but any book. —Louise Penny, #1 New York Times best-selling author
“Jane Cleland had drawn a detailed road map for navigating the suspense-writing journey. In a well-thought-out and artfully constructed way, she concisely covers it all. I wish I had read Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot before I ever started writing mysteries, but I sure am glad to have this book now.” —Mary Jane Clark, New York Times best-selling author
“Leave it to Jane Cleland, the reigning queen of the traditional mystery, to reveal the secrets of suspense–and to take the sweat out of writing today’s hottest genre!” —Paula Munier, senior literary agent at Talcott Notch Literary Agency and author of Plot Perfect
“Jane K. Cleland’s Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot offers an abundance of advice… This book is useful no matter what type of writing you do.” —Neil Gaiman, New York Times best-selling author and Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker award winning author
“For more information on when and how to reveal information, read Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot. Jane gives an excellent overview of what sort of information should be revealed at what speed, and she offers various techniques on how to do it.” –David Baldacci, New York Times best-selling author
“On when and how to make promises and reveal information, read Mastering Suspense, Structure and Plot.” –Dan Brown, best-selling author of The Da Vinci Code.
“… Thank you for your life-changing reference book, Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot. I’ve read it four times. I can honestly say that Chapter 3, about Jane’s Plotting Roadmap, completely blew my mind and transformed me from a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer to a devoted outliner. And after a lot of focused hard work, I now have an agent who has sold not only my first mystery, Smile Beach Secrets, but the unwritten follow-up as well, to Berkley. I’m so grateful I followed your wise and crystal-clear advice.” –Alicia Bessette
