The Art of Thrillers: Behind the Shadows

2. Unity of the Opposite

Second tip from James's book is Unity of Opposites.

It describes a circumstance in which a character is stuck and unable to escape. The challenge is to escape the villain or anything else that has them trapped in the situation. 

Giving your character a task that requires them to find a solution to a problem is one of the simplest ways to accomplish this.

For instance, in thrillers, the main character is frequently a police officer, federal agent, or other figure who needs to stop a dangerous villain. Your characters must be fully invested in the conflict they are dealing with.

I lost count of the number of times I've read or seen a haunted house story when a family merely moves into a home before discovering that it's haunted. And while I watch the story, I find myself wondering, "Why don't they just stay at a hotel?" Why don't they simply stay with a friend? Why don't they merely relocate to a different home? 

If you are writing a story like that, be sure that there is a valid explanation for 'why lock-in number three' is seemingly necessary because frequently there isn't one.

Use these questions as a guide for your outlines:

1. Is it really necessary to use haunted houses or buildings to create a thrill?

2. Aside from haunted places, where can I make it possible for a character to experience the rush, stress, and excitement of getting out of them?

3. What elements (it can be a human or an animal, living or non-living) should I add to make it challenging for the characters to solve the problem?

4. How long should it take to solve such problems?