| Mystery, action/adventure, crime, and detective stories | | | | Something vitally important must be at stake, or |
| require components which build, add, and/or continue | | | | readers can't believe the protagonist would never |
| the suspense needed to keep the reader's attention. | | | | abandon the quest. |
| The first place to build suspense needed in any writing | | | | 4. Give your protagonist highly motivated antagonists |
| is the first few sentences. According to Bill Reynolds, | | | | (opponents, villains). "All stories need strong villains. |
| The Writer, August 2005, page 7, "A proper opening | | | | Suspense rests on the possibility - even the likelihood - |
| picks the reader up by his collar and throws him into | | | | that the villain will defeat the hero," William G. Tapply |
| the story." | | | | writes in The Writer, August 2005. |
| The art of suspense means giving the reader | | | | 5. Keep raising the stakes and creating disasters. The |
| something to worry about. In Latin suspendere means | | | | formula for building suspense is a bad start that gets |
| to hang, thus suspense, which avoids boredom and | | | | worse. Suspense is about problems and obstacles, |
| losing readers. The reader is compelled to turn pages, | | | | disasters and failures, small triumphs and big reversals. |
| the cure for boredom. | | | | As Tapply says, "Never make things easy for your |
| Suspense (uncertainly, doubt, anxiety) is a must for all | | | | protagonist." |
| fiction. It should start from the very beginning of a story | | | | 6. Choose your story's point of view to maximize |
| or novel, should be built into the premise and structure | | | | suspense. The objective POV allows the attention of |
| of any fiction writings. | | | | the reader to shift from character to character. We, |
| According to The Writer, composition text books, and | | | | as readers, are allowed to interpret and imagine, to |
| my own notes and lesson plans, the essential elements | | | | wonder and worry. We are drawn into the story by |
| for suspense are as follows: | | | | the changing of point of views from one character to |
| 1. State the story's plot as a question (not in the story | | | | another. The single POV limits only to one character's |
| itself), one that can be answered yes or no in the | | | | experiences and thoughts. Anything else is speculation, |
| pre-writing stage. Make a list of all the possible reasons | | | | imagination, and worry. |
| why the answer could be "no." Those "no" answers | | | | 7. Finally, wind up the ticking clock. Tapply's words |
| become the focus of problems and obstacles - | | | | express this point best. Suspense depends on urgency. |
| suspense. | | | | Build a zero hour into your story's arc: Antagonists of |
| 2. Create a likable and competent - but flawed - | | | | all kinds - kidnappers, terrorists and assassins, of |
| protagonist. (Protagonist = hero, good guy/gal) | | | | course but also teachers and parents and editors, not |
| If the reader doesn't care about the protagonist, then | | | | to mention tides and storms and seasons - create |
| suspense is meaningless. The flaw or flaws will help | | | | time pressures and constraints. Your story's |
| create needed suspense because the outcome of the | | | | momentum might build gradually at first, but soon it |
| struggle/conflict will be in doubt. | | | | becomes a race against the clock, and it accelerates |
| 3. Give the protagonist a powerful motivation. He/she | | | | as it rushes towards its fateful climax. |
| must have strong desires, needs, wants. The basic | | | | The result of the use of suspense in any story |
| and powerful human needs and drives are essential: | | | | becomes a riveting story that the reader cannot put |
| Love, ambition, greed, survival are examples. | | | | down until finished. |