The Art of Creating Suspense: Central Ideas of Two Authors Quiz

Writers Karin Slaughter and Lee Child share which ideas about creating suspense? Select 2 options. Strong writing often includes an element of suspense. Classic literature provides examples of suspense. Leaving information unknown creates suspense. Delaying answers to questions creates suspense. Developing characters slowly creates suspense.

-Strong writing often includes an element of suspense. -Leaving information unknown creates suspense.

Camille is taking notes on "A Simple Way to Create Suspense." Like the old cartoon of the big fish eating a smaller fish eating a very small fish, you'll find out the big answer after a string of smaller drip-drip-drip answers. The big answer is parceled out slowly and parsimoniously. I remember doing that in "Killing Floor," my first novel featuring Jack Reacher, a drifter and ex-military policeman. Something weird is happening in a small Georgia town. O.K., great, but what? Well, it seems to be something to do with money. Fine, but what exactly? Well, it seems to be about getting hold of perfect blank paper for counterfeiting purposes. Wonderful, but where the heck are they getting it? Which will be most helpful as Camille re-reads her notes to find the central idea of this paragraph? Lee Child = author Jack Reacher Fish, drips = answers Big answer should come slowly Blank paper to print money

Big answer should come slowly

Which note best summarizes the central idea of "A Simple Way to Create Suspense"? Lee Child - wrote books & television good ingredients = good cake no remote control in 1980 Make readers hungry for answers

Make readers hungry for answers

Duncan is taking notes on Karin Slaughter's interview about writing. I think, really, what makes thrillers work is that they have to have a beginning, a middle and an end. When you - writing crime fiction, when you want a really good story, when you want a compelling read, you have to focus equally on plot and character. And you have to make sure that the reader cares enough about these characters so that when bad things happen, they want to read along. And being a Southern author, you know, I grew up with Flannery O'Connor, and I love reading her essays because she was such a—not just a wonderful writer, but she was wonderful at talking about writing. Which will be most helpful as Duncan re-reads his notes to find the central idea of the interview? Beginning, middle, end Plot & character - important O'Connor- Southern author Slaughter loves essays

Plot & character - important

Read the excerpt from "A Simple Way to Create Suspense". For instance, heading toward a movie review program, I remember we asked: Who was the studio's first choice for the Harry Callahan role in "Dirty Harry"? We knew most viewers would be intrigued. (What, Clint Eastwood wasn't the first choice?) But—and this was the lesson—the success of the tactic didn't depend on intrigue. Even viewers with no interest at all stuck around to find out. Humans are hard-wired. They need to know. Even viewers who knew the answer for sure stuck around, in order to be gratified. The gap was bridged, and the danger averted. (It was Frank Sinatra. You waited, right?) Which best describes this excerpt? The central idea of this excerpt is that Clint Eastwood was not the original choice for the Dirty Harry movie. The central idea of this excerpt is that intrigue is the most important way to create suspense. The author uses an analogy to compare his readers to the characters of a Hollywood movie. The author uses a personal anecdote to show that audiences are willing to wait for an answer.

The author uses a personal anecdote to show that audiences are willing to wait for an answer.

Gary has made this note in his reading notebook. Slowly giving readers answers moves story along. This note refers to which central idea found in A Simple Way to Create Suspense? What almost no one had in 1980 and almost everyone had in 1990 was a remote control. Even viewers who knew the answer for sure stuck around, in order to be gratified. "How do you bake a cake?" has the wrong structure. The basic narrative fuel is always the slow unveiling of the final answer.

The basic narrative fuel is always the slow unveiling of the final answer.

Read the excerpt from Lee Child's "A Simple Way to Create Suspense". Like the old cartoon of the big fish eating a smaller fish eating a very small fish, you'll find out the big answer after a string of smaller drip-drip-drip answers. The big answer is parceled out slowly and parsimoniously. Which statement by Karin Slaughter shows a similar central idea? I want it to change them, and I want my reader to feel that change through the character, as if it's them. There has to be this peeling away of the onion, where you get to the core of the character as the story unfolds. I mean, you know, crime is such a great tool for talking about the human condition, and that's what I like to do. If you think about "To Kill a Mockingbird," for instance, some of those courtroom scenes are more tense than any Grisham novel, you know.

There has to be this peeling away of the onion, where you get to the core of the character as the story unfolds.

Which is the most correct comparison? Both Slaughter and Child agree that classic literature is full of suspense. Both Slaughter and Child use a hungry family analogy. While Slaughter agrees with Child on revealing information slowly, she also feels character development is important. While Slaughter agrees with Child on his simple formula for creating suspense, she withholds information longer.

While Slaughter agrees with Child on revealing information slowly, she also feels character development is important.

In "A Simple Way to Create Suspense", Lee Child develops the central idea that writers can develop suspense by revealing answers

gradually

Nico made this note while listening to Karin Slaughter's NPR interview. People in story should matter to readers. This note refers to which important idea found in the interview? I'm one of those people who doesn't really think of thrillers in a conventional way you have to make sure that the reader cares enough about these characters "The Great Gatsby," where you had a lone gunman killing someone. I'm thinking about the books I grew up with, even "Gone with the Wind,"

you have to make sure that the reader cares enough about these characters