Tension is what keeps the
reader turning pages. Caring about what happens to your character is the most
important hook a writer creates. There must be something happening and
something at stake in every scene. Because of the importance of pacing, tension
isn’t appropriate for every scene. We need peaks and valleys. Our audience must
be able to recognize the calm spots in order to recognize high intensity.
It’s important to build
traits into the characters that will lead to trouble in important scenes. Impetuousness,
independence, pride and naiveté are all qualities that can get your character
into jams. Make the character’s conflict an inherent part of him. Starting with
solid conflict assures tense scenes will occur throughout the story.
Set up the tension. Keep
saying “No” to your character. Whatever it is he wants, hold it back. Don’t try
to fix things--that comes later. Much of the time I don’t even worry how I will
fix a problem. If I don’t know, I can usually figure I’ve kept the reader
guessing. The best conflict is that which appears unsolvable, so heap
situations on your story people so they can prove their mettle. Don’t make
their situation easier, always make it more difficult.
Look at your character’s
goals and ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Then take
the worst thing a step further. For emotional intensity, conflict should be
directly related to the character’s internal goals and to their backstory.
Don’t rely on “incidents” to carry scenes or conflict. Heaping one calamity
after another can end up leaving the reader breathless and without direction.
By an incident, I mean something that could happen to anyone and doesn’t really
have emotional importance to this particular character.
Here’s a simplistic example:
A torrential thunderstorm with hail that destroys property or crops would be
devastating for anyone. But if your character’s goal is to become a success by
growing the largest tomato for the state fair, and her parents died when a
storm washed out a bridge when she was young, you’ve got the basis for a tense
scene.
Jayne Ann Krentz once
suggested that in pivotal scenes you should think “larger-than-life, emotion
and contrast.” A plot is basically a series of pivotal scenes that will cause
your two main characters to confront each other frequently on an intense
emotional level. Arrange these scenes in your story so that they escalate in
terms in intensity.
Leaving details about the
character in question is an effective way to intrigue your reader. Don’t fill
in all the answers, but give them enough so that they’re not frustrated. With
most techniques, what to use and what to omit is a balance, one that depends on
your story and your characters.
You can’t leave out something
and then just throw it in at the end because it needs to be told or because
it’s the end of the book. You must make the reader want to know the information
by planting a seed, alluding to this mystery and using it as a teaser. Like
this line: “She hated funerals.” Someone dies, but your heroine won’t go to the
services. The reader is left knowing there is a reason and wanting to know the
reason. The lure of the unknown draws the reader further and further into the
story. Revealing too much takes away the seductive lure of discovery.
The reader must know
something is missing. We don’t want to make him feel as though he’s had
something pulled over on him once the story ends. We don’t want him surprised
that something is revealed, we want him surprised at what that revelation is.
Another approach is the Hitchcock
technique: Let the reader know something that none of the story people know.
This is successful because it keeps the reader guessing when the character will
find out and how they will react.
In a romance, scenes with
kisses or declaration of love are action scenes, and if you’ve kept tension
high throughout the first chapters, the reader is eagerly awaiting this scene.
If the declaration happens at the end of the book, it’s a resolution--by now
the hero and heroine have realized they love each other and are sealing their
relationship. All external conflicts should have been tied up by this time.
If the declaration scene
takes place before internal conflict is settled, as a plot point or as an added
dilemma, then you must follow the scene with a new problem or hook or story
question that keeps the story moving. If tension is allowed to be dropped, your
story will stop moving forward.
The classic example, of
course, is where the hero/heroine declare their love, everything seems
blissful, and then one of them discovers some truth about the other that pushes
them apart again. This is used so much in books and movies because it works so
well, but it’s always fun to think up something new, so give freshness another
thought when you’re plotting.
Change is what keeps the
reader turning pages: New challenges, new information, new twists and added
complications.
Backstory in a scene of
tension slows the pace. Save it for sequels and then use only sparingly. If you
need to reveal information, you can do it through a quick flash of
internalization or a secondary character’s dialogue.
Hint at things to make the
reader want to know.
Keep the reader wanting to
know more.
In a faster-paced scene avoid
speech tags and use action instead. “I can’t take this anymore!” James slammed
his fist on the table.
Use shorter sentences,
shorter paragraphs and clipped dialogue. This is not the time for descriptions
or internalization or lengthy speeches. Use shorter, simpler words that don’t
distract the reader from the action.
Don’t be wordy. Don’t echo
dialogue with exposition. As you should always do, use specific adjectives,
vivid nouns and strong verbs.
* Use
a hook at the end of a paragraph.
* Use
a hook when you switch point of view.
* Use
a hook at the end of each scene.
* And
of course, use a hook at the end of each chapter.
How is this done? Say
something or allude to something that makes the reader ask herself “Why?” Make
her want to see a character reaction. Make her want to find out what happens
next.
Keep the reader in suspense
and expecting by not giving answers. Present questions and give just enough
information to keep the story moving forward. If you do answer a question, then
it should be information that only opens up a bigger question.
As a rule, don’t end a scene
with hope or acceptance or resolve--those are for internal narrative or
decisions. Do end the scene with a story question, worry, pain, anger,
frustration or a negative reaction. Our goal is to keep the reader turning
pages because he has a question, is engaged and wants to see what happens next.
Tension is the state of excitement, nervousness or concern over the outcome
that doesn’t allow the reader to relax until he gets to the end.
Wrap it all up at the end.
Don’t leave any loose threads and show your reader a satisfying conclusion. We
don’t like tension in real life. We want to experience all the chaos and drama
through our characters’ viewpoints and know that in the end everything will
turn out all right.
Want to learn more about writing tension and emotion?
Writing With Emotion, Tension, and Conflict:Techniques for Crafting an Expressive and Compelling Novel by Cheryl St.John
Today's highly competitive fiction market
requires writers to imbue their novels with that special something - an element
that captures readers' hearts and minds. In Writing With Emotion, Tension
& Conflict, writers will learn vital techniques for writing emotion
into their characters, plots and dialogue in order to instill that special
something into every page.
"...essential knowledge
and practical exercises which combined, create a tool-kit that no aspiring
author can afford to be without. Everything you need to write your novel can be
found in these pages."
- Kelly L. Stone,
author of THINKING WRITE: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind
Wow! Where was this book
when I started my writing career?
"A must-have compilation
of rock-sound advice from a writer who knows what she's talking about. A book
you'll want to inhale whole and then return to time and time again to improve
your craft and go deeper in order to write YOUR story. Not only does this book
embrace some of the most complex elements of story construction in a clear,
easy to digest format, it acts as inspiration for the writer. Sentence upon
sentence of outstanding advice!"
- Mary Buckham, author of
the Amazon best-selling WRITING ACTIVE SETTINGS series for writers.
