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 it.

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.

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.

Free ebook

Get a free copy of Editing Fiction at Sentence Level worth £16.99.​

Free PDF boxset

Get a free copy of the Fiction Editing Collection worth £24.27.​

Who is this course suitable for?
​

Wondering whether this course is for you? I recommend it for anyone who falls into one of the following categories:
​
  • 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. Why you should study the suspense trifecta
  • Why frameworks help fiction line editors
  • Communicating the reason for our edits
  • Building author trust
Module ​2. The purpose of suspense
  • Creating reader engagement
  • The necessity of structure
  • Which genres employ suspense
  • Where suspense journeys occur in a novel
Module ​3. The suspense trifecta
  • The anchor
  • The teaser
  • The micro-reveal
Module 4. 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 ​5. How the suspense trifecta works: 4 examples
  • Example 1: Thriller #1
  • Example 2: Crime fiction
  • Example 3: Historical fiction
  • Example 4: Thriller #2
Module ​6. Amplifying suspense with 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 7. Honing your skills: 21 practice questions and exercises
  • Test questions and answers (x6): Check your understanding of the core concepts
  • ​Test exercises and model answers (x5): Identify the suspense journey 
  • Test exercises and model answers (x5): Evaluate ​suspense through the lens of the trifecta
  • Test exercises and model answers (x5): Line edit to improve reader experience 

Course pricing and access

How much does it cost?
  • Save 20%! The introductory launch price is £67.99 for lifetime access to all the course materials. That special price will be available for only 5 days once booking opens.
  • After the launch offer's expired, the price will rise to £82.99.
How do I pay?
  • When the course goes live, I'll email you the link to my store.
  • You can pay via PayPal or Stripe.
How will I access the course?
As soon as you've purchased the course, you'll be invited to create a login for my learning portal. That will give you immediate and continuing access to the course materials 24/7.
​Does the course come with CIEP membership upgrade points?
I'll be submitting the course for consideration shortly. 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

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 20 practice exercises and model answers.