6 Tips for Writing Thrillers (with Alexa Donne!)

What makes a novel a thriller? What differentiates it from mystery or suspense? I discussed these questions and more with fellow YouTuber Alexa Donne, who’s a thriller connoisseur and author. We cowrote this video of six tips for writing better thriller novels, from designing killer endings and plot twists to exploring the darker side of humanity through complex characters and themes.

Read a text version of this video on Medium:   / 2ad5c49690d5  

Behind-the-scenes notes for this video: https://ko-fi.com/post/Behind-the-Sce...

Check out more of Alexa Donne’s writing tips on her awesome YouTube channel:    / alexadonne   (‪@AlexaDonne‬)

Buy THE IVIES by Alexa Donne: https://www.amazon.com/Ivies-Alexa-Do...

Listen to the audiobook of THE IVIES, narrated by Phoebe Strole: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Ivies-...

Order PRETTY DEAD QUEENS: https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Dead-Qu...

Thriller Novel Recommendations:
+ The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware (slow-burn Gothic thriller)
+ The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager (plot twists)
+ A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (double twist)
+ Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney (unsettling endings)
+ The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas (haunting incident trope)
+ And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (classic isolation trope)
+ Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (reporter protagonist)
+ The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (unreliable narrators)
+ One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus (YA thriller with unlikable victim)
+ The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (flawed victim)
+ Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (child victim)
+ The Ivies by Alexa Donne (using the setting for social conflicts and themes)

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Twitter:   / quotidianwriter  

Opening Animation by Vitor A. Dupont: https://www.behance.net/vitordupont

Title and End Music: “Clockwork” by Vindsvept    • Fantasy Music - Vindsvept - Clockwork  

Background Music by Vindsvept:
+ “Light the Bonfire”
+ “Illuminate”
+ “Alone”
+ “The Journey Home”
+ “Chasing Shadows”
+ “The Forgotten Forest”
+ “A Place to Call Home”

What Is a Thriller? (0:00)
1. Start at the end. (2:40)
2. Don’t be afraid of tropes. (6:36)
3. Choose a point-of-view character who’s driven to investigate. (9:47)
4. Make your victim complicated. (13:48)
5. Motives and themes can spring from the setting. (15:55)
6. Good thrillers are made in editing. (18:19)
Final Thoughts (21:24)