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Position:Home>Books & Authors> How can I build suspense in my writing?Question: How can I build suspense in my writing!? Although I am only 14 I write a lot of short stories and I want to write a novel just because it is a goal I have!. A lot of people say that my writing is very mature for my age and that I have serious talent!. I write a lot of depressing stuff though!. haha!. In these suspense filled stories I want to build suspense!. I feel that in my work I am not doing a very good job at this!. Anyone have any tips!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Same deal, only I'm a tad bit older!. I'm [attempting] writing a novel right now and the person I'm having edit my writing says I have too much suspense!. I get a topic and leave it open!. Like I had one of my characters receive a call and set a date, but she blows it off [accidentally] to go to a party!. She leaves her phone at home and I show a scene with it ringing and no one being there to answer it!. I've left it like that for a couple of chapters, my editor is going nuts!. So open up a topic and kind of keep it going, but don't really get to it until later!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Suspense only takes place when something we care about is at risk!. We're in suspense when we wait for the doctor to call and tell us what the bump on our elbow is, when we wait to find out if we got into college, etc!. So!.!.!. one important prerequisite is that your reader has to care about something (usually somebody) in your story!.!.!. meaning you need a character who is both realistic and possesses sympathetic qualities!. Not knowing if Johnny Q!. Scumbag gets into college is much less nerve-wracking than the same with Reggie Ragstoriches!. The simplest way to achieve suspense in writing is probably dramatic irony, meaning the audience knows something the character doesn't!. In a horror movie, this is when, say, an innocent teenager gets up to answer the door, and the camera pans out to reveal a man in a ski-mask or whatever on the other side!. More advanced methods for suspense can be crafted from the situation!. For example, some sympathetic protagonist is cheating on his wife, so he tells the missus he's going out to do so-and-so!. He gets to his mistress' house, and she asks why he never responded to her racy text message!. He realizes in shock that he left his cellphone on the kitchen table!. There's more to suspense writing, of course, but that's about the gist of it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Try strong adjectives and verbs!. Improve diction!. Sentence structure can be used as a tool!.!.!. For example, if a character is creeping around a corner, make the sentence 'creep' slowly and draw it out!. If a character is running from a bad guy, make sentences short and choppy, as if the sentence itself is out of breath!. But if you do this, you have to do it expertly or it will sound terrible!.Www@QuestionHome@Com read a lot of suspenseful books and learn how the writer made it work!. Take tips from all writers old and new!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |