What makes a thriller thrilling?

Kindness · Feb 19, 2013

Awesome question! This is really interesting!

Roxxsmom said:
For me, a thriller has an element of mystery but probably with more action. I'd also say that the stakes may be higher in a lot of thrillers than in a mystery too.

I agree. I haven't read that many thrillers but the central mysteries tend to be the hero trying to figure out the villain's plan. It sort of switches between the villain doing bad stuff and the hero trying to make progress. I'd say the hero usually spends the first 3/4 fighting tooth and nail to piece everything together, and then the climax covers how they confront the villain/organisation/etc.

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 19, 2013

Thrills.

anmasm · Feb 19, 2013

Are you miffed at my reply? Cant tell via text...

If the answerer doesnt want to be flippant, why answer flippantly? Esp. with a reply that adds nothing?

Firstly, it implies the questioner isnt already reading, and suggests that, if the questioner just read, they'd know the "answer" (as if there was ONE answer) to their question.

Secondly, if reading cures all ignorance, why arent all voracious readers that write famous bestselling authors? Why aren't good "reviewers" or "critics", those that can "explain" why a book does what it does, also?

You ask me what I think...

Im not sure. In fact I havent a clue. Im lost. Sure, I read a lot, all genres, I know what makes a book thrilling or not for me, even if I cant really put my finger on it. Each book is different. Like a recepie... Bit of this bit of that, not too much of the other... get the mix right and it comes out great. Get it wrong and it bombs.

To use an obvious example, would The Da Vinci Code work if it was character driven and plot was something that happened as we learned about the characters?

Another example, Gone Girl... Is it a thriller? Dunno... it was thrilling.... keeps you guessing all the way, giving false clues so one minute you think the guys innocent, the next you think hes guilty. Then your rooting for him as you learn about him, then for her.... Great... until the girl gets kidnapped... then imho, the plot gets in the way of the characters and Im aware that, to finish the story, I have to "suspend belief". Up to that point, I didnt have to. It was real...

Another, a guy I'm in awe of (sometimes), Glen Duncan... A day and a night and a day. Maybe not strictly a thriller as in the Dan Brown/Frederick Forsyth way... We have a "before" and "after" period for a guy being tortured by a govt sponsored agent... the plots pretty flat, and again has a rather unbelievable "happening" at the end to add some juice to the motor - two unlikely characters get together, both flawed, both stuggling with demons. The main character's background is fleshed out and the "plot" is just there to leave somewhere to "hang" the characters. We (I) want to see the hero alive at the end of the story. I dont particularly LIKE the guy, but I'm rooting for him. Why is that?

My problem... I just self-published a supernatural "thriller" on Amazon. Its got all the "obvious" thriller stuff... good guy vs bad guy. Good guy struggling with himself... Plot twists along the way. Third main character appears, forming a triangle with hero and villain, each with different objectives, each thinkng theyre right, and all at odds and after the same thing for different reasons... couple of surprises... Does it work? Have to wait for some reviews...

However, I asked this question because Im plotting out another "supernatural thriller" and this time the plot is really simple... guy (normal, no super powers or skills) loses family in drive by... guy gets opportunity for revenge. Guy takes it. Gets drawn in over head. Gets out alive or dead. End.

So... how to make it thrilling? Heres what I learned or reinforced...

- Problem to be solved...
- sense of urgency...
- suspense...
- identify with MC...
- turning of tables...
- tension...
- twists (plot or psychological)...
- constant impemding DOOM (like that one)...
- shape of the story (now shape is interesting... David Mitchell is good at shapes)...
- There is nothing more "thrilling" in a thriller than any other sort of story. (VERY good point)
- It's all about managing conflict and tension to keep the audience invested in the story. (hmmm THATS the crux....)
- some kind of deadline, time and stakes...
- something to lose/gain for the MC...
- There must be an adrenalin rush.
- solve a large seemingly impossible problem that will affect many people and the difficulties to success must increasingly ramp up before being resolved.
- a glimpse into the minds of the characters
- a story in which the audience is waiting for something to happen
- someone hero cares deeply about is lined up to be the baddie's next victim

Nick12 made a really good point... If the goal is kill the people responsible for the death of MC's family, and MC achieves that to no other end, well I'm not thrilled.

EXACTLY!!!!! Now... how would one make THAT story thrilling? What is that elusive "other end" he mentions?

Hence the question... get some fresh POV's. Its a lonely profession, writing, and sometimes, without outside influence, one (I) gets a little bogged down. Fresh ideas are great.

Thanks to everybody.

Geoff Mehl · Feb 19, 2013

anmasm said:
Hi...

What has to happen to the hero/ine along the way? What do they have to go through? Who has to be the antagonist? What other type of character can exist? What "conflicts" must exist (apart from the obvious seeking of revenge)?

What separates a good story that entertains you from one that leaves you thinking?

One of the nice things about the genre is that it's very broad, always shifting, can be a lot of things.

But I suspect some things are relatively common:

1) Threat of death (protagonist or someone else).
2) At least at the onset, the antagonist is in a superior position to the protagonist.
3) Primary plotline often involves a mystery of some sort that must be solved.
4) The protagonist is either on a quest or dealing with a force/character that would be very difficult to overcome.
5) The story is usually dominated by the protagonist's POV
6) Characters and situations should be as realistic; the more realistic, the more we can identify with them.

In a mystery, the name of the game is to figure out whodunnit; in a thriller, we know who the bad guys are and we tag along with the protagonist to do battle with them.

So the protagonist has some serious problems to deal with, faces setbacks, has to struggle -- hence the suspense (and the "thrill" ride)

In terms of what separates entertainment from a story that leaves you thinking, I'd guess that purely commercial fiction would be entertaining (even predictable), but when the characters and issues become gray and aren't necessarily resolved as we might like them, then we are left to consider something (maybe it becomes more literary?)

My two cents, anyway!

quicklime · Feb 19, 2013

anmasm said:
Hi...

Lets say weve got basic story... person wronged... person seeks revenge... person gets revenge...

So the writing and plot and action can make it "interesting", but what makes it "thrilling"? tension/risk/danger....not always, but usually the stakes escalating is what makes it a thriller....the friendly visit at the home with overtones of menace becomes a warning shot in the night becomes a family pet killed becomes an attempt on his life.....you can't just keep out-bombing yourself without any character but that is a lot of what makes it a "thriller"

Thinking of great thrillers you've read...

What has to happen to the hero/ine along the way?risk to them or people they love. generally a steady escalation of risk What do they have to go through?could be anything Who has to be the antagonist?could be anyone What other type of character can exist? any What "conflicts" must exist (apart from the obvious seeking of revenge)? revenge isn't a prereq for a thriller, although it is often used as a rationale for the actions of the protag and/or antag.

What separates a good story that entertains you from one that leaves you thinking?

Any ideas?

anasm, the door is pretty open for some of your questions and there is no one answer. For example if you look at the "antagonist" question, there are folks from Hannibal Lechter to Annie Wilkes to Travolta's character in face/off to DeMornay's character in The Hand that Rocks the Cradle.....the antagonist needs to be a threat to the protagonist, someone he loves, or something he wants....but they can be batshit crazy, only business (think Rickman's character in Die Hard), soft but unbalanced....the sky is the limit. Same for character type, motivation, etc.

quicklime · Feb 19, 2013

anmasm said:
...to all who replied. Some good observations to think on.

"Read a thriller." Duh... why didn't I think of that one?

The points to exchange ideas, not get answers/how-to's.

Thanks all.

ok, i answered, and did so reading the first post only. Follow-ups like this make me regret answering at all--you asked, folks answered. Not all the answers may be what you like, but the more pissy you reply, the less answers of any kind you are likely to obtain.

cbenoi1 · Feb 19, 2013

> guy (normal, no super powers or skills) loses family in drive by...
> guy gets opportunity for revenge. Guy takes it. Gets drawn in over head.
> Gets out alive or dead. End.

That's a Crime story (ex: Heat, Dark Knight, The Usual Suspects), not a Thriller (ex: Basic Instinct, Primal Fear). It's about two versions of justice with the key thematic question: who is allowed to live above the law. What you have here is a battle between two factions who represent two versions of the world - who's right and who's wrong. There is only one possible outcome.

You can certainly try to convert the premise into a Thriller by adding an element of uncertainty and one of personal danger. Is that man really the one responsible for killing the MC's family? Was it an accident or did he do it on purpose? And if so, who's the ultimate culprit? In terms of the thematic question, it's about finding if one's suspicions are justified rather than effecting a punishment. As for the element of personal danger, you can make the man a hitman paid to eliminate everyone who got in touch with someone or something, so that the roles of prey and hunter can easily be reversed in the MC's quest for revenge.

Hope this helps.

-cb

anmasm · Feb 19, 2013

-> cbenoi1: you're probably right. To be honest, I havent thought too much how the story would be classified, just making it as readable/interesting/thrilling as possible.

Maybe I should think more about it... tailor the story more to the "market's" definitions, fit plot/characters to whats expected of the genre... I've had a couple of rejections saying "can't see a market" for my first novel. Maybe there's a lesson there.

Thanks

anmasm · Feb 19, 2013

4) The protagonist is either on a quest or dealing with a force/character that would be very difficult to overcome.
5) The story is usually dominated by the protagonist's POV

in a thriller, we know who the bad guys are and we tag along with the protagonist to do battle with them.

Good points. Like them.

Thanks

What makes a thriller thrilling?

Kindness

Back From My Self-Imposed Exile

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

anmasm

Geoff Mehl

quicklime

all out of fucks to give

quicklime

all out of fucks to give

cbenoi1

anmasm

anmasm