Building Tension

Nearly every story is building towards a moment or several moments. Most likely, it is a moment that changes things from bad to good or good to bad, or one that changes the way a character thinks completely. Often, it is what the story was supposed to be about the entire time, but others, it is just one moment in a series of longer moments that make up the story.

These moments are what makes or breaks a story, and part of what does that is the tension that is built in the time leading up to that moment. Building tension is an important part of story telling, and it is easier to do than you might think.

Secrets

One of the easiest and most effective ways to build tension is by having secrets. A secret plants a question in the readers mind, and they will be dying to know what the answer is. Pretty Little Liars is a perfect example of this. The entire series is based on one secret: who is 'A'? Readers will continue reading until they find out that answer, as long as your secret is compelling enough.

Sentences

More than just what's going on in your story, the writing itself is a great way to build tension. Long, detailed sentences make the moment feel slower and can often give the feeling of tiptoeing down a hallway before the attack. Short, choppy sentences give the writing a sense of urgency. Use these styles to your advantage.

Speech

What a character says and the way they say it can often build tension in a scene. If a character appears as though they are hiding something or holding something back, it gives the scene a more urgent feeling and can succeed in building tension.

Building tension in a story is a fun and exciting part of it, and every writer should take advantage of their ability to create tension. Next time you're writing, use these tips to create a little bit more tension in your story.