Reading and Writing Suspense: Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl

One of the most popular novels of recent years, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is a killer mystery that’s as deep of character as it is explosive of plot. We’ll look at how Flynn wields narrative tools such as character, pacing, and (dark) humor to create the unforgettable story of Nick and Amy Dunne’s horrific, hot, harrowing marriage. Then, we’ll take what we learned and apply it in generative exercises that seek to find the balance between internal tension and external action.