A conscientious writer’s goal is to produce work that sustains a reader’s interest. Whether it’s poetry or prose, flash fiction or a full-length book, good writing is more than simply stringing words or scenes together. There must also be a certain amount of tension to hold the reader. Knowing how to apply it can elevate the quality of your work in almost any genre.
For writers of suspense, it’s essential to keep readers hooked. The thrill that a mystery fan craves is the direct result of a writer’s ability to create tension on the page and—most importantly—in the reader’s imagination.
Tension can arise from characters’ relationships, physical danger, fear of the unknown, burning curiosity, jealousy or any other human frailty. Whatever the source, tension drives momentum, and momentum drives the plot. Both combine to keep a reader turning pages to discover how it all turns out.
To increase tension in your writing, here are three approaches to consider:
Set the hook. A writer’s natural inclination to introduce main characters and setting at a story’s outset often complicates the suspense writer’s imperative to hook the reader early. In storytelling, as in physics, momentum is a product of mass and velocity: the more mass to begin with, the harder it is to get the ball rolling. To create the first spark of tension, try to begin as simply as possible with character and setting
. Focus on what will animate a reader’s curiosity. You can pick up mass while the tension-fueled action moves the momentum of the story forward, adding more descriptive details along the way. By doing so, you allow readers to discover the world you’ve created bit by bit in a more natural way.
Use subplots. A subplot can further define your characters, ratchet up tension, and increase a reader’s interest. But beware: A subplot can also stop the main action cold. Make sure yours are enriching the main plot, adding depth to your characters, and increasing tension. And not killing momentum. The same goes for flashbacks, by the way. While you may know a great deal of your character’s backstory, resist the urge to include all of it, especially if it stalls the story’s flow and does nothing to enhance reader involvement.
Create memorable characters. While plot may do the heavy lifting in a suspense novel, it doesn’t guarantee success. Character trumps plot almost every time. Readers will follow an engaging character through the most preposterous plot if they can relate. Nice or nasty, frightening or humorous, characters that elicit emotional responses—positive or negative—can keep readers involved. No matter how action-filled the story, a reader who loses interest in the main characters will not care what happens to them, and will likely set the book aside.
What about you, writer friends? What devices do you use to keep readers engaged? Let me hear from you!
Next writing tip: How to Keep ‘Em in Suspense, Part 2. Before you let go of that final draft, a clean-up list to tighten the tension. (Note: Parts 1 & 2 are expanded versions of my original article posted at Woman Writers, Women’s Books in January, 2018.)
