Help your authors craft suspenseful prose
that compels readers to stay on the page.

Not sure how to fix poorly crafted suspense in fiction?

Suspense is an opportunity to engage. When it misses the mark, readers lose interest. I'll teach you how to fix that.

This course introduces fiction editors and authors to the suspense trifecta – a user-friendly frame of reference that helps you identify suspense points at scene level, evaluate their success and revise with confidence.
PAYMENT PLAN AVAILABLE

The learning process

Webinar

Watch the video and prepare for the practice exercises.

21 practice exercises

Test what you've learned by evaluating real examples of fiction.

21 model answers

Compare your work with how I tackled the exercises.

Transcript

Download a beautifully formatted PDF transcript of the webinar.

Book

Includes my bestselling book Editing Fiction at Sentence Level.​

3-book boxset

Includes the 3-book Fiction Editing Collection.​

Andy Maslen, bestselling crime author

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  • The suspense trifecta framework is genius. Now I feel confident about assessing suspense and explaining my recommendations to my clients. The practice exercises went far beyond what I was expecting. Such a great course. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to beta test it.

Beta tester

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Who is this course suitable for?
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Wondering whether this course is for you? I recommend it for anyone who falls into one of the following categories:
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  • Experienced non-fiction editors who want to switch to fiction.
  • Fiction proofreaders who want to expand their skill set and move into line editing.
  • Fiction copyeditors with strong technical skills who want to develop stylistic craft at sentence level.
  • Beginner and developing authors who want to improve their draft-revision skills.

Check out the syllabus!

Module 1. What is suspense and what does it do?
  • Definition of suspense
  • The purpose of suspense
  • Which genres employ suspense
  • Where suspense journeys occur in a novel
Module 2. The suspense trifecta
  • Overcoming the challenge of subjectivity
  • Communicating clearly to clients
  • Why a trifecta?
  • Anchors
  • Teasers
  • Micro-reveals
Module 3. The structure of the suspense trifecta
  • The ideal order of play
  • Retaining purpose 
  • Creating a clear suspense journey
  • Completing the suspense journey
  • A tool, not a rule
Module 4. How the suspense trifecta works: 5 examples
  • Example 1: Thriller #1
  • Example 2: Crime fiction
  • Example 3: Historical fiction
  • Example 4: Thriller #2
  • Example 5: Thriller #3
Module ​5. Amplifying suspense with 10 sentence-level tools
  • ​​Sentence fragments
  • Short, sharp sentences
  • One-line paragraphs
  • Section and chapter breaks
  • Asyndeton
  • Powerful punctuation
  • Strong verbs
  • Removal of filter words/phrases
  • Free indirect speech
  • Simplified chronology of action
Module 6. Honing your skills: 21 practice questions and exercises
  • Example of evaluation and line edit of a thriller excerpt using the suspense trifecta (via webinar)
  • 6 test questions and answers: Check your understanding of the core concepts (download)
  • 5 ​test exercises and model answers: Identify the suspense journey (download)
  • 5 test exercises and model answers: Evaluate ​suspense through the lens of the trifecta (download)
  • 5 test exercises and model answers: Line edit to improve reader experience (download)
Download the course books
  • Book: Editing Fiction at Sentence Level
  • Book: Making Sense of Point of View
  • Book: Making Sense of Punctuation
  • Book: Making Sense of 'Show, Don't Tell'
  • Booklet: Fabulous One-Liners in Fiction
  • Booklet: 7 Chapter Endings that Hold Readers in Suspense
  • Booklet: How to Use Beats in Crime Fiction and Thrillers
Access additional course resources
  • Booklet: Conscious language resources
  • Resource list: Writing craft books
  • Resource list: Fiction editing macros
  • More fiction editing and writing resources
Listen to related podcasts
  • 5 things you need to know about line editing crime fiction and thrillers
  • Moving from traditional to indie publishing. With John A. Connell
  • Writing screenplays and novels. With Rich Leder
  • Creative writing tips. With thriller writer Andy Maslen
  • Story creation and revision. With author David Unger
  • From the printed page to audio book. With author David Unger

Course access

How do I pay?
  • Use one of the green buttons to enrol via Teachable.
  • You can pay via PayPal or card.
  • Prices are in USD. Use an online converter to work out an approximate price in your currency.
How do I access the course?
  • As soon as you've purchased the course, you'll get immediate and continuing access to the materials 24/7 via Teachable.
How long can I access the course for?
For as long as you want! All my courses come with lifetime access so you can learn when it suits you, not me.
​Does the course come with CIEP membership upgrade points?
I've submitted the course for consideration. In the meantime, if you're ready to upgrade your CIEP membership, the following courses already count towards total training/CPD upgrade points.

>  Narrative Style: Viewpoint, Tense and Voice: 3 points
>  Switching to Fiction: 2 points
>  How to Write the Perfect Fiction Editorial Report: 2 points
>  Narrative Distance: 1 point
>  Branding for Business Growth: 1 point
​>  Blogging for Business Growth: 1 point
>  ​Social Media for Business Growth: 1 point
Do I have to pay tax?
Whether you're charged tax (and how much) depends on where you live. Many countries or regions legally require customers to pay some form of consumption tax (eg VAT) on digital products. Teachable remits that charge back to your jurisdiction's tax authority.

Resources to help you read and learn

In addition to the webinar, this course includes four of my popular fiction-editing ebooks, and a set of 21 practice exercises and model answers.