Writing Tips: How to Create Suspense in a Story

Creating suspense in a story presents a unique challenge for most writers and offers the reader an intriguing realm of inquiry, as the art of the writer strives to develop the atmosphere of momentary suspense. Understanding what suspense is can prove beneficial in terms of creating suspense.   

        

What is suspense?

Dictionary.com defines suspense as “a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety,” or sometimes, “a state of mental indecision” or “an undecided or doubtful condition.”

Consider the following tips for creating suspense in a story, as what you write with its sequence of events, dramatic circumstances and level of excitement will play a major role in enticing your readership.  

Use an unusual event to initiate the suspense

Suspense generally begins with an unanticipated event that is likely to be likely to be intriguing, frightening, thrilling or appalling to your reader. Note that suspense differs from adventure and mystery, but may contain elements of both.

Employing fear and its resolution

The use of fear in suspense stories, places the writer and the reader in a precarious position of needing and wanting effective resolution. There is uncertainty leading to anxiety or apprehension that raises concern and questions, for example, what is happening or likely to happen.

Development of sensory stimulation and emotional triggers to build excitement

In suspense, sensory triggers are powerful in that they can affect the deepest emotions of both the writer and reader in a positive or negative way, creating powerful or over-powering feelings of love and hate, joy and sorrow. Strong emotions prove to be motivators for writers to write and readers to read.

Timely interaction of problematic characters

Timing and timely interaction of characters are everything when it involves suspense. The interaction of characters or problematic characters, places the story in a tenuous balance. Extremes in weather can offer the same degree of suspense as can a disaster, war or passion of different kinds.

Using the aloof position of reader

The writer can place his or her potential reader in a situation where he or she knows more than the characters involved in the suspense. This invites reader participation in the suspenseful event.   

Unexpected action and interaction

It is the anticipation of unexpected action and interaction of characters or circumstances beyond their control, that has the power to complicate the suspense further. It also prevents or leads to the prospect of resolution that entices the reader to read on.

Use of repeated trial and error leading to a state of almost, but not quite resolution

Suspense is not always resolved immediately or in the way that a writer or reader expects it to happen. At times, the writer may be uncertain about the resolution of his or her suspense story. For him or her, it may be unpredictable, or just happens in his or her story because it works in conjunction with the story line.

There is a certain element of play in suspense as the writer holds the key to resolution. At times, it may work out like a game of chess, with one stalemate after another or turn into an amazing adventure or mystery, with a wonderful conclusion. It can also create more suspense leading the writer to write more suspense stories in the future.