Table of Contents
What creates tension in a story?
The greater the protagonist fears the cause or result of the change, the greater the tension. When a character is thrown off-balance, they may act rashly or a little out-of-character. Anything could happen. The uncertainty of how characters will react creates tension as the reader desires to know what happens.
How do you find the tension in a story?
Narrative tension is often described as “the reason you turn the page”—in other words, the reader’s desire to know what happens next. Narrative tension has three components: anticipation, uncertainty, and investment.
How is tension created in literature?
Begin by writing an incomplete description—just enough to tease the reader’s interest. Create an obstacle for your characters, something that distracts them. Then give another hint at what they think they see—but again, don’t explain it entirely. Find ways to drag out the description until your readers finally see it.
How do you write tension in a scene?
What works and what doesn’t.
- Write in tight sentences or phrases. Sometimes using a single word is all you need.
- Use hard, action verbs.
- Imagine the character’s feelings.
- Mix short and long sentences.
- Use dialogue but quick short sentences.
- Show don’t Tell.
- Toss out your flowery language.
How do you create tension?
- Create a conflict crucial to your characters.
- Create engaging characters with opposing goals.
- Keep raising the stakes.
- Allow tension to ebb and flow.
- Keep making the reader ask questions.
- Create internal and external conflict.
- Create secondary sources of tension.
- Make the story unfold in a shorter space of time.
How does language create tension?
1. Long sentences – (1) writers create a list of fearful or worrying details, which creates an overwhelming, claustrophobic or intense feeling. (2) Writers build suspense by leaving the most shocking thing to the end of a long sentence. + Get more on how to build tension through sentence construction here.
What are three techniques an author can use to create suspense?
Four factors are necessary for suspense—reader empathy, reader concern, impending danger and escalating tension. We create reader empathy by giving the character a desire, wound or internal struggle that readers can identify with.
How do you teach tension to write?
Vary the length of words, sentences and paragraphs to increase the pace and tension:
- Use short words, for example, ‘at once’, rather than, ‘immediately’.
- Place several short sentences consecutively.
- Include one or two-word sentences.
- When the action is fast, use partial sentences: He had to get to the others.