Using Suspense in Story IA-0227

Writers of all genres know that suspense is integral in the creation of stories that keep people turning the pages of your work. You needn't be interested in writing about crime, mayhem, or even mystery to benefit enormously from reading some classic short stories in the genre and looking carefully at how these stories are structured, how information is revealed, and how fully drawn characters emerge. We will be looking at the writing of some of the masters: Edgar Allen Poe, Patricia Highsmith, Stephen King, Raymond Chandler, and Josephine Tey, to understand better how suspense is created and sustained throughout a story. While this will be the focus of our readings and some short writing exercises, you will be free to write stories in any style/genre you choose for workshop.