In a previous post I talked about types of tension and where you can find it. In this post I’d like to talk more about using it in your story in order to keep your readers turning pages. I’ve read books where, once the action starts, there is no stopping until the end. I’ve watched television shows and movies where the tension was like that, too.
What also works is what I call on again off again tension. This is when the tension is rising and has the reader/viewer on the edge of their seats, then the story does an abrupt change and goes to a different scene thus breaking the tension. Those are the moments when you, the reader, might stay, “Nooo. What happens next?” You might put the book down at this point because you’re frustrated or you might continue reading. But that’s up to you. Eventually, you will pick the book up again and continue reading. Although, I don’t see you waiting very long if you are wanting to know what happens next.
Either of these two ways of creating tension is effective. It all depends on the story you are writing and how you, the author, wants to create that tension. BUT…..however you present the tension in your story, it must build as the story moves along. Continue throwing conflict at your main character(s), and continue stepping up the “gas”.
Whether you are writing a book or reading one, you’re choosing a genre.
Genre: The dictionary definition of genre is as follows “A class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like:” It involves, “a kind, category, or sort, esp. of literary or artistic work.”
Nonfiction, fiction, and poetry are the three main literary genres, but there are many subgenres within each of these three. I’m going to pick on fiction and list some of these subgenres below.
horror
mystery
fantasy
legend
thriller
science fiction
crime
romance
Let’s say you want to write a short story, but you don’t know which kind you want to write. Well, what interests you the most? If you are an avid reader of fantasy fiction, then chances are you’re familiar with that subgenre. In that case choosing fantasy would be best. But what if you wanted to challenge yourself and write in a subgenre you are not familiar with? Then choose one outside your comfort zone. If you do that, make sure you do your homework and read a few books or short stories in that unfamiliar subgenre and do some reading up on it. Trust me, they all have their particular rules one must adhere to when writing in them.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to choosing a genre. It really is up to you and what your goals are.
Years ago my then husband and I traveled from Michigan to Georgia to visit a friend. On our way down we stopped at Rock City Gardens, Georgia because we had heard about lookout where you could view Seven States at once. Once there, in order to get to the lookout, we had to walk through some beautiful gardens on our way up. Our last obstacle standing in our way was a rope bridge we had to cross in order to get to the lookout on the other side.
Yes, sometimes there are obstacles in our way when we want something. Some are small and some are heart stopping to the point where you don’t know if you can overcome that obstacle. Let me tell…..you can. It might take someone else’s help to get you through it or over it, but you will.
A daydream takes the mind upon a flight of visions dancing ‘cross the brain of sight, imagine if you can a tale of weeds clawed and deep within the flowers of seed, choking out such beauty to die and bend never to grow up but meet its end, but fingers claw and pull out from the muck life’s problems sewing in and now are stuck, yank once then twice and thrown aside and out of God’s garden that man has strewn about, at last sun’s rays uplift His color wheel of blooms with sweetest scents that touch and heal our body, mind, and soul from evil’s clutches, blessing all who bow, and Jesus touches.
What’s in the world around you? Do you at times cringe at what you see? Do you take pleasure in what beauty befalls your eyes at various times? Or do you turn your back on it and say “BAH”? Well, I say there should be a happy medium of both good and bad and then make it what you will.
When we as adults are learning something (whatever it may be), be bring to this new knowledge our prior experiences so as to make comparisons. In turn this brings understanding. Plus, we can use the prior experiences of others to learn from as well. What you are doing here is building your knowledge, increasing it even, so you can draw upon it later and use it.
In creating a fictional world, we are doing essentially the same thing. We draw upon what we know of our everyday world around us and places we’ve traveled to and fictionalize them, or we use bits and pieces of it and create a world of fantasy and magic.
Use what you see. Take notes of it. Brainstorm ways you can use it. Draw a map of your created world. But don’t stop there. There is more to world building than its looks/appearance. Made up world have their own government, gods, religion, beings, environment, etc. Below are some links to some great books on world building.
WRITE TIME AND AGAIN 