Anatomy of a Thriller

Description

How do you make your story so good that readers will be compelled to get to the end? 

It’s all in the craft of storytelling. As a writer, you need to drip feed answers to your readers to keep us turning pages.

Join award-winning author James Phelan on the thrill of writing thrillers, as he shares his knowledge of the style, structure, and substance of story so that you can develop your thriller novel, whether it be YA or adult, to a publishable standard.

More than ever, audiences are hungry for thrilling stories, and as the attitudes of people evolve, so the genre has evolved. Novels have an emotional impact and this forms part of why we can’t put them down. In this workshop, you will learn how suspenseful stories tap into our desire to solve mysteries while experiencing danger and thrills along the way.

About the facilitator

James Phelan has been a full time author since 2006. He is the Melbourne-based writer of 30 novels for adults and teens which have sold over 5 million copies. After studying Architecture at RMIT and working on the Federation Square design team, he started following his dream of becoming a novelist, spending five years as a staff writer at The Age newspaper while studying a Master of Arts in Writing, and a PhD in YA Literature. He is a regular speaker and teacher of writing at schools, universities and libraries around the world. 

His books have won several literary prizes including: ABIA, YALSA, YABBA, KOALA, KROC, and COOL. James has been an Industry Expert for The Australia Council, and is currently a peer assessor (literature) for Creative Australia. He has helped organise several writers festivals, has convened the John Marsden Prize, ran the Queensland Writers Centre’s “Year of the Book”, and is a five-time recipient of the “Get Reading! 50 best books of the year”.

Hero image by VD photography, Unsplash

FAQs

How do I get to the State Library by public transport?

The 'State Library, Art Gallery, Museum' tram-stop is just outside the State Library. There are bus stops close by, near the War Memorial on North Terrace. The closest train station is the Adelaide city station on North Terrace.

You can plan your journey via Adelaide Metro.

Is there car parking near the State Library?

The nearest car park is Wilson's Adelaide Central car park, 225 North Terrace, next to David Jones.

There is paid (metered) street parking along Kintore Ave and Victoria Drive.

Where is the wheelchair and stroller access?

Access to the Spence Wing first floor and the Mortlock Chamber is via the lift in the glass foyer entrance of the library.

There is on-street disabled parking available on the nearby roads. View more information and maps of Adelaide City Council's Disability parking for permit holders.

How do I check if the Mortlock Chamber is open when I plan to visit?

The Mortlock Chamber may close for private events, check our opening hours for any closure times.

When it is open you can visit the Mortlock Chamber on the ground floor to look at the exhibition bays.  The upper levels of the Mortlock Wing include quiet study areas.

Is there a cafe at the State Library?

Yes, the State Library Cafe is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm and Saturdays from 12 to 4pm.

Find out more about the cafe and resident organisations at the State Library.