What if you had a strategy to develop a killer thriller? One where…
- the main characters (hero and villain) are worthy opponents
- the villain isn’t just a straw man
- and the hero’s problem is more than just solving a crime
Step by step, dive deep into your characters’ minds to build thrillers that resonate and captivate.
Let me shoot straight with you
I love thrillers. They are my go-to obsession. And since I love them, I figured I should write one. “Ha!” the universe said to me, starting a frustrating journey of starting and stopping for years.
I’ve had my fair share of midnight oil burning, staring at a screen, wondering if my story would ever make sense.
Picture this: 20,000 words tossed into the virtual trash bin because my characters lacked soul, the “who did it” was obvious, and my plot was more disconnected-scenes than a cause-and-effect narrative drive. Because I didn’t start with the end in mind. Have you felt that frustration too?
Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” The quote serves as a reminder to have a clear plan in mind to avoid unexpected outcomes.
Your expected outcome is to not only write a book, but one that people will want to read. One where the villain and hero are authentic, worthy opponents, and the crime (and solving that crime) makes sense based on your characters’ goals.
What if there were a way to give your characters’ backstories that truly touch the core of the plot?
A story where everything feels authentic and nothing is arbitrary?
A story agents will love and readers won’t be able to put down?
That’s exactly why I created the
Engineer Your Thriller Course
In just five days, you’ll develop the foundation of your entire killer thriller. One that will…
- Keep you motivated through the long writing process ahead.
- Make a villain who commits a crime that totally fits their character – like it’s part of their DNA.
- Imagine a hero who is a worthy opponent, has something in common with the villain, and whose flaws make readers relate…and read on.
For authors seeking to create a captivating thriller, Engineer Your Thriller is the tool to take your story to the next level!
Introducing Engineer Your Thriller!
Just imagine the possibility of effortlessly blending character development and a cohesive character arc into your writing process, ultimately creating a novel that resonates with readers.
But wait, don’t some people say that thrillers don’t need character arcs?
They may be mistaking a thriller for a detective story or a police procedural.
And while you can have a recurring detective in a thriller – they usually have some deep seated problems. And psychological thrillers tend to have inexperienced, non-professional heroes at their core whose revelation about themselves at the climax propels them to reach down deep to overcome obstacles, real and imagined.
I especially love thrillers with a protagonist so deep in the psychological mud, she borders on unreliable.
Don’t take my word for it…John Truby, author of The Anatomy of Genre says, “Give the hero a ghost and weakness, both psychological and moral, that in some way matches the opponent’s crime. This technique is valuable because it allows you to blur the difference between hero and criminal. It also forces the hero to make a character change while investigating the crime.”
What You’ll Get….
Engineer Your Thriller is delivered in a series of lessons each with videos, examples from 3 popular thrillers, and a workbook to create the foundational elements that will lead to your own killer thriller.
- Theme: understand the value of theme and determine what your book will be about to provide a spine for your story. Review popular themes and pick a handful that support what your book will be about.
- The Villain: spend time with your villain. Determine what makes them tick by understanding their backstory, psychology and motivation. Review examples and then create your villain to have wants and needs just like a real person.
- The Crime: use the villain’s motivation to determine the crime, then step by step create how it happened, who helped, or who was framed – all designed to lay the foundation for your plot.
- The Hero: develop a hero with a problem related to the theme and the villain, and whose talents and susceptibility are uniquely developed to fall victim to the obstacles presented, but equally susceptible to overcome them.
While Engineer Your Thriller is not a plotting tool, much of your plot will reveal itself through this process!
…and SPOILER ALERT! The course contains examples from these popular novels:
The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Engineer Your Thriller
is right for you if you’re…
- An analytical type who thought writing was just for creatives.
- A dreamer who has a story brewing but struggle to bring it to life.
- A puzzle enthusiast who loves the mystery but is tangled in the plot.
- An aspiring sleuth who wants to write a thriller but is stuck in the plot holes.
- A narrative architect who loves constructing a maze but can’t find the way out.
- A stuck writer whose hero isn’t up to the challenge and villain is spotted a mile away.
FAQs
Q: What format is the course delivered in? The course consists of video lectures and workbook exercises. After listening to a lesson, move onto the workbook exercises that include answering questions about your characters, asking your characters psychological questions, and reviewing the three provided book analyses.
Q: How long do I have to access the course? Once you enroll in the course, you have lifetime access to the course material. You can revisit the lessons and materials anything you wish.
Q: I’m new to writing. Is this course suitable for beginners? Yes! This course is designed for both new and experienced writers. It’s lessons will help you think more deeply about your characters to ultimately enhance your writing and stories. The lessons share analysis of popular thrillers you can apply to your own work.
Q: Why does EYT start with theme, the villain and the crime? A: Great question! Engineer Your Thriller takes a unique approach by kicking off with theme, and then the villain and the crime. Why? Because in a great thriller, the villain is pivotal to the story and generally a reflection of the hero. Then, by mapping out the steps the villain took to commit the crime, the story practically writes itself. The last lesson is all about the hero…and yes, the hero is the most important character in your story, but creating the challenges and obstacles will inform who the hero is deep down inside.
Q: How is EYT different from other writing guides? Engineer Your Thriller stands out by diving deep into the psychology of your characters, starting with the villain. Villains are people too. They are not just criminals; they are complex individuals with deep emotions, intricate backstories, and, most importantly, reasons for their crime that they genuinely believe to be righteous. This isn’t just about writing; it’s about creating a story with intricacies that keep readers hooked. By understanding the motives and actions of your antagonist, you gain a unique advantage, ensuring your plot is cohesive and brilliantly interwoven.
Q: Will EYT work for my specific thriller sub-genre? Absolutely! Engineer Your Thriller focuses on developing the villain’s character and the crime makes it adaptable to various sub-genres. Whether you’re into psychological thrillers, crime dramas, or suspenseful mysteries, the EYT approach enhances your ability to create a narrative that’s not only true to your chosen sub-genre but also rich in depth and complexity.
Q: I’ve struggled with plot holes before. How does EYT address this issue? Engineer Your Thriller addresses plot holes by guiding you through the meticulous process of unraveling the villain’s actions. By starting with the end in mind—the crime—this method minimizes gaps, possibly reducing your plot rewrites.
Q: How does EYT help in developing the hero, especially when considering the villain’s character? Fantastic question! EYT delves into the villain’s character first since the villain is the key to a great killer thriller. By drawing parallels between your hero and the villain, albeit on the opposite sides of morality (but not always), your story gains a dynamic quality, elevating the conflict with an extra layer of intrigue for readers, making your thriller truly unputdownable.
Q: Can EYT really help me get noticed by agents and publishers? I have no way of knowing what agents and publishers will be interested in at any given time, but Engineer Your Thriller will help to showcase your ability to strategically develop a unique killer thriller. It is still up to you to take what you learn in Engineer Your Thriller and weave a unique story publishers will want to get their hands on.
Q: Will I get to work directly with you? This is a self-paced course that is done on your own. However, I’d love to meet you and hear about your villain. After completing this course, contact me to schedule a 45 min session to talk about the Theme, Villain, Crime, and Hero you’ve developed.
Hi! I’m Nancy
an Author Accelerator certified book coach and retired engineer (I started my career on the mega project – the Boston Big Dig – and ran a $4B work program for the State of Florida – so I know how to get things done). But more to the point, I understand what it’s like to stare at a blank page, hoping my analytical brain will somehow save me but afraid it might not know how.
I get it because I’ve lived it – the moments of doubt, the frustration of hitting delete on chunks of words that don’t fit the story, the realization that my ending is more elusive than Big Foot. I needed a strategy that made sense to my analytical brain.
That’s why I created Engineer Your Thriller. I want to be the guide I wish I had during those late-night writing sessions…someone who uses the kinds of strategies that nerds, like me, can immediately put to good use. I’ve transformed my own writing journey from tossing out 20,000 words to finishing my manuscript– and one I’m excited to show my critique partners. And you can too.
While creating this course, I literally solved a client’s problem between her villain and hero: An arbitrary piece of information turned on its ear to become the core of her story! It may be just $47, but the transformation to your story will make you feel like you paid the price of two Taylor Swift tickets!
So, if you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck in the messy middle, drowning in plot holes, or revealing your villain too soon, trust me, I’ve been right there with you.
Welcome to Engineer Your Thriller where your journey to killer thriller just got more strategic and less arbitrary.
Let’s get started on your killer thriller!
How does this work?
Step 1: Click the “Just $47” button above to purchase the course.
Step 2: This link takes you directly to an enrollment page (on Thinkific) where you can create an account.
Step 3: Pay for the course.
Step 4: Start learning at your own pace.
Engineer Your Thriller is entirely self-paced, meaning you can go through the materials and exercises on your own schedule. This gives you the freedom to take your time with each lesson, ensuring you fully grasp the concepts before moving forward.
4 Video Lessons (60 minutes total)
4 Workbook Exercises – 30 pages of content and questions
3 Story Analysis Examples – Spoiler Alert!
28 Character Psychological Questions
(choose 10 questions or all of them to really get to know your characters)
Now imagine…
You sit down at your desk, a thrilling plot unfolding in your mind like an intricate puzzle coming together. Your characters, once mere ideas, now have depth and backstory, and are intricately woven into the fabric of your narrative. As you embark on your morning writing session, there’s a newfound excitement, a sense of direction that was once elusive.
Because of Engineer Your Thriller your next scene unfolds effortlessly as your hero navigates the twists and turns you’ve strategically laid out. The crime is not just a pivotal event; it’s a carefully orchestrated dance between characters and plot. Each word you type feels purposeful, propelling your story forward with a cohesion you hadn’t imagined possible.
With every passing day, your manuscript takes shape, a tangible manifestation of the killer thriller you had envisioned. Your characters, now close friends, guide you through the narrative. The once daunting task of sending out queries transforms into an exciting prospect, fueled by the confidence that your story is not just unique but captivating. So yay!
Fast forward to a week from now, and you’ve not only created a hero with flaws, and a villain who isn’t all evil, but also set the stage for a manuscript that demands attention. The dream of becoming a published author inches closer, and the journey – once filled with uncertainty – now brims with the promise of success. In just a week, you’ve completely revamped your storytelling technique and laid the foundation for a killer thriller that’s bound to captivate both publishers and readers.
So, my friends, now it’s your turn.
If you’re ready to get started on the road to success? Ready to create main characters who have depth, clear motivations, and compelling reasons for the way they are? Villains who are not all bad, and heroes who rise to the challenge the story promises? Then you’re ready for Engineer Your Thriller!
