Behind The Mask

I. Psychological Thriller

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Psychological Thriller
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A psychological thriller, as the name suggests, involves the complicated mental state of one or more of the characters, often the narrator or the antagonist. At times the narrator is paranoid or delusional and sometimes the narrator is the criminal of the book, giving readers an insight into the disturbed mind of a criminal. Sometimes psychological thrillers are a hunt for a criminal who has a psychological problem and needs to be caught by understanding how his mind works.

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Insights into different minds - Psychological thrillers often use unreliable narrators and the 'thrill' comes from the fear or paranoia the narrator invokes in the reader. The books often provide insights into minds that function differently to the readers' and that is why readers often find them fascinating, hard to predict or morbidly interesting.

Explanation: Ang psychological thriller ay kadalasang nagbibigay ng mga hindi katiwa-tiwalang narasyon at doon nagsisimula ang "thrill" dahil natatakot o kinakabahan na ang readers sa mga eksena, lalo na sa climax. Ito iyong mga narration na mapapadalawang-isip ka; sino kaya iyon? Mamamatay ba siya? Nahuli na ba siya? Bakit niya ginawa 'yon? Siya pala ang may sala. It's like, giving the readers red herrings, dahilan para mas maging unpredictable ang istorya, mahirap hulaan ang mga misteryo kaya mas kapana-panabik basahin. Iyong tipong mawawalan ka ng tiwala sa author kasi baka may mangyayaring masama pero ang clue na binigay ay wala. Sa ganitong paraan, mas mae-excite ang readers na basahin ang istorya upang makakuha ng sagot sa mga katanungan nila.

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Research is the key! To write such a thriller, authors research extensively before attempting to write from the point of view of someone whose mind works so different from their own, and someone who is not just morally conflicted, but maybe has no scruples at all. Authors often seek real news stories or documentaries to base their thrillers on, and consult with psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists on the one had, and with detectives and cops on the other.

Explanation: This one is very helpful, talaga namang research is the key. Hindi naman p'wedeng basta ka na lang nagsulat ng thriller tungkol sa isang psychopath na pumapatay at kumakain pa ng mga laman-loob, cannibal. Hindi sapat ang mga nababasa mong istorya na may ganito para makapagsulat ka rin ng sarili mo, mag-research ka muna. Ano ba ang ginagawa ng mga psycho? Paano ba sila mag-isip? Paano sila gumalaw? You need to consider their personalities and actions first kasi kung bigla mo na lang isusulat 'yan without having enough knowledge about psychos, hindi realistic. Yes, it's fiction, iyong buong plot lang, pero iyong mga tauhang gumagalaw dapat realistic and predictable. Tamang research lang kay kumpareng google, mostly sa mga news din. P'wede rin sa YouTube, manood ka ng mga cases ng mga psychopaths na ginaganap sa korte. Of course, sa movies din p'wedeng makakuha ng ideas, aside from reading.

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Layering Characters - It's also important to remember, despite the labels society tries to give, people aren't defined by their condition (if the character has one). Anxious doesn't mean cowardly and sociopathic doesn't mean cruel. Stereotypes won't make a page-turner, characters with layers who are detailed and believable will.

Explanation: This one is very important to remember too, some of the thriller Filipino books I've read, they consider psychopaths as bad one (pero hindi naman talaga lahat ng psycho ay masama). Huwag basta i-label ang character mo dahil lang sa mga nakikita o nababasa mo o kahit sa mga naririnig mong chismis sa society. Cut that toxic culture na porque sociopath, killer na agad, porque may sakit sa pag-iisip, baliw na agad, porque may psychological disorder, masama na. Laging dumaan sa pagre-research para hindi namamali ng info na inilalagay. Stop stereotyping, magbase lagi sa katotohanan. Characters who are detailed and believable are better. Make a research about how they think and act (2) para alam mo kung paano nila magagawa ang masamang balak nila sa istorya mo.

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Hook the Reader! In any thriller, one has to have a beginning that will hook the reader and this applies to a psychological thriller too. While it is not necessary to relate everything to a psychological disorder, make sure you keep it in theme and have interesting twists throughout the narrative (which are essential to keep the reader engaged) to ensure enough psychological intrigue.

Explanation: An extraordinary beginning is the key. Dapat sa blurb pa lang o prologue ay mae-excite na ang readers na basahin ang istorya mo. Paano kung hindi naman nakaka-excite ang simula? Edi hindi na agad iyong itutuloy ng readers. Another thing is the plot twist nga, gawin mong kakaiba o unique ang plot ng story mo, iyong tipong wala pa silang nababasang ganoong libro and in that case, mapapamahal ang readers sa story mo at hindi nila ito madaling makalilimutan. At hindi rin porket psychological thriller ay tungkol na sa mga psychopath and sociapath, p'wede ring mga character na may schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and etc. Nadadaan din ang maayos na daloy ng narasyon sa pamamagitan ng magandang pagna-narrate.

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Hints & Red Herrings! Aside from that make sure the setting or the character history has enough to keep the readers questioning. Make characters have an unexplained blot on their perfect record or temper issues that frighten the reader, even if that's just a red herring. For instance, make a suspiciously sane person have transferred from a city known to have a mental institution or set the story in a place with where mental hospital recently had a breakout.

Explanation: Para mas maging suspense ang mga scenes sa story ay maglagay rin ng mga hints o red herrings. Halimbawa, may isang pumasok na karakter at may ginawang masama, iisipin ng mga readers na siya ang killer pero hindi naman. Iyong tipong imamali mo ng hula ang mga readers, sa ganoong paraan, magiging unpredictable ang istorya. Magbigay ka rin ng mga hints sa pagso-solve ng conflicts, iyong hindi maiisip ng mga readers na iyon na pala ang hint pero iba ang hula nila.

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Evoke Emotion! And finally, when reviewing the writing, pay close attention to the feelings the story evokes. Brains don't just process information and provide a platform for thoughts, they're important for registering emotions and psychological thrillers are as much about the feelings they evoke as they are about the understanding of thought processes. If the story's not drawing an emotional response, it can't be a thriller.

Explanation: Napakahalaga rin ng parteng ito, nararapat lang talagang maayos at malinaw ang pagkaka-narrate sa mga scenario. Dapat nailalabas ang emosyon at malawak ito nae-execute para mas maging imaginable at mas maramdaman ng mga readers.

For instance:
✖️Natakot ako sa nakita ko. May lalaking nakaitim na nasa labas ng pinto.

✔️Habang papalapit ako sa monitor ng CCTV sa labas ay kabang-kaba ang dibdib ko. Agad akong nakaramdam ng takot sa aking nakita; isang lalaking nakaitim, matangkad ito na payat. Nakasuot ito ng itim na suit kaya mukha itong negosyante, nasa loob ng magkabilang bulsa ng pantalon ang mga kamay nito at para bang hinihintay na bumukas ang pinto. Nakayuko lang ang lalaki habang nakasandal sa poste kaya hindi ko makita ang mukha niya ngunit sigurado akong matanda na ito base sa porma niya. Maya-maya pa'y muli niyang pinindot ang door bell dahilan para mas kilabutan ko. Shit! Bakit kasi hindi sumasagot si mama?

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Sources of information:

https://m-timesofindia-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/m.timesofindia.com/life-style/books/features/what-is-a-psychological-thriller/amp_articleshow/71060353.cms?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D

If you have questions, please, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you.