Class Description
Writing suspense is an art form in and of itself. Forming the plot groundwork and then escalating tension is key to creating the genuine suspense felt while reading a heart-pounding novel. In this seminar, writers will learn how to avoid common timing issues, how to write an intentionally paced story, and how to masterfully raise the stakes to achieve the art of suspense.
As a class, we’ll read works created by authors such as Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Edgar Allen Poe. We’ll discuss suspense-building techniques while learning to stoke interest, pace a story, and withhold key information. Together, we will participate in a “stoking the fire” exercise designed to teach the art of creating suspense. Writers will leave with a miniature short story ending on a cliffhanger. Writers working in horror and mystery are welcome.
Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.
For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.
This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.
Zoom Participation:
In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.
Zoom Accessibility:
You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.