7 STRATEGIES FOR CONTROLLING YOUR SUSPENSE STORY
There are many layers to creating a suspense story where
the intensity is so thick you can taste it, and your protagonist defeats the
antagonist against insurmountable odds. But,
giving away too much too soon can be a spoiler, just as letting the protagonist
off easy. So, how do you strike the
right chord? Suspense writing, like any
other genre, requires discipline.
1. Your
protagonist has to stay vigilant with objectives. This is not the time for tip-toe-through-the-tulip
moments. One way to do this is to create limits on when he/she can achieve a
specific goal, making time a factor.
2. Keep
it moving, don’t stall. Avoid overloading
your suspense scenes with narrative and colorful passages.
3. Make
your protagonist tough even when he/she may start fragile. If there is such
a transformation, the character must be believable to win over the reader.
4. Make
matters worse. Give your protagonist
multiple problems to solve at once.
5. Get
into the bad guy’s head. Everyone loves
to hate a good villain.
6. A
happy ending won’t let down your readers. The reader should feel relieved and
pleased at the outcome of your story.
7. Create
a likable protagonist in spite of character flaws. You want the reader to root
for him/her.
“How To Up The Stakes For Your Main Character,” (http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapter-get-started/how-to-up-the-ante-for-your-main-character)
“How To Write Suspense Stories And Mystery Novels,”
(http://www.bristolservicesintl.com/suspense_stories.html.)
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