The Challenge of Writing Psychological Thrillers – A Writer’s Perspective

Part of the series Writing a Book from Start to Finish

By J.E. Nickerson | Wise Thinkers Help Desk

Many people who aren’t writers may not fully understand the delicate balance required to craft a psychological thriller.

When you write in this genre, you’re juggling multiple perspectives at once.

The four perspectives of psychological thrillers

The first perspective is your own. Even if you haven’t mapped out every scene, you have a sense of the narrative’s arc—you know roughly where the story will go, how tension will rise, and how the plot will hold together.

The second perspective is that of your antagonist. You must understand what they want, why they want it, and how far they are willing to go to get it. You have to step into their mind, anticipate their moves, and let their desires shape the story in a way that feels authentic.

The third perspective is your protagonist’s—the detectives, reporters, or ordinary people caught in the antagonist’s web. You have to manage what they know and when they discover it. Give them too much too soon, and the story loses suspense; give them too little, and the narrative drags. The pacing can make or break a thriller.

And finally, you must consider the reader’s perspective. Every choice you make—what you reveal, what you withhold—guides the reader’s experience. A well-crafted thriller keeps the audience on edge, drawing them deeper into the story while never letting them feel completely safe.

Balancing all these perspectives is what makes a psychological thriller gripping. It is also one of the most demanding acts an author can perform.

Writing psychological thrillers requires a special level of mental gymnastics, concentration, and focus. From one thriller writer to another: your voice, your vision, and your work are unique and precious. Keep writing, keep challenging your readers, and keep showing them the darker, complex corners of the world we live in.

To see all these layers in play, look for my new book series of Samantha Leary Psychological Thrillers on Amazon

Resources

To help keep your layers well organized in your thriller and track the progress of your plots and perspectives, enjoy the following writer’s exercise. 

Absolutely — here’s a worksheet you can use or share alongside that article. It’s designed to help writers actively apply the concepts from your piece and reflect on how they juggle those layered perspectives in their own psychological thrillers.

⸻

🧠 Psychological Thriller Writing Worksheet

1. The Writer’s Perspective

You hold the entire story’s shape in your mind — the tone, pacing, and emotional arc.

Reflection Questions

• What is the emotional journey I want my readers to experience?

• How does the story build tension from the first scene to the last?

• What is my central theme or moral conflict?

Exercise

Describe your story’s tension arc in one sentence:

Example: “Each chapter tightens the noose of suspicion around the protagonist until the reader questions everyone’s motives.”

→ ___________________________________________________________

⸻

2. The Antagonist’s Perspective

The antagonist drives the story’s momentum. Their logic must make sense, even when it’s twisted.

Reflection Questions

• What does my antagonist want most, and why?

• How do they justify their actions to themselves?

• What line would they never cross — or have they already crossed it?

Exercise

Write a short journal entry as your antagonist, capturing their reasoning and emotional state before a key event:

→ ___________________________________________________________

→ ___________________________________________________________

⸻

3. The Protagonist’s Perspective

The protagonist’s limited awareness builds suspense. You control what they know, when they know it, and how they react.

Reflection Questions

• What critical piece of information is my protagonist missing?

• What emotional blind spots or biases keep them from seeing the truth?

• How does each revelation change their perception of themselves or others?

Exercise

Map out three major discovery points for your protagonist and what each one reveals:

Discovery What’s Revealed Emotional Impact

⸻

4. The Reader’s Perspective

The reader is both participant and victim of your story’s tension.

Reflection Questions

• When do I want my readers to feel uneasy, shocked, or uncertain?

• What information am I deliberately withholding — and why?

• How do I maintain trust while still manipulating their expectations?

Exercise

Identify two moments where you will misdirect the reader — and note how you’ll still play fair:

Scene Misdirection Technique How You’ll Keep It Believable

⸻

5. The Balance

The art of the psychological thriller lies in keeping all four perspectives alive without losing control.

Final Prompt

• What perspective do I tend to favor most — writer, antagonist, protagonist, or reader?

• What perspective do I need to strengthen to make my story more gripping?

Closing Affirmation

“My voice, my vision, and my world are unique. Each page I write sharpens the balance between chaos and control.”