How to create tension in your story?

Creating tension in a story can be tricky. Have you ever received feedback that a scene is boring or should be cut, but you know it's crucial to the overall plot development? What do you do at this point? You probably need a little help building tension, taking the scene from good to great. In this article, we take a look at eight ways to increase the tension in your relationship.

Why is it important to create narrative tension?

More than anything else, tension, conflict is the core of any compelling story.

By nature, humans are curious creatures, and it is the narrative tension that the writer weaves through the stories that will keep readers turning the pages.

The tension in the writing produces fear, worry, or anxiety in the character or reader. It keeps the reader or viewer in suspense, eager to know what happens next. Generate a real emotional investment in your characters.

Whatever genre of story you're writing, tension is key. And it's not just the tension in the story as a whole that's important, but also the tension that's created in each scene. After all, what's a story without a little conflict , right?

So here are eight tips to help you build tension in your scenes. From creating deep POVs (Points of View) to changing the setting, these techniques will help keep your readers or viewers engaged with the story, but more importantly emotionally engaged.

We choose the conflict in the scene

Ok, before we get into the nitty-gritty of amplifying the tension in a scene, let's make sure the scene itself is actually necessary.

Ask yourself: Does this scene move the story forward? Does it reveal anything new about the characters or their motivations? Raise the stakes significantly? If the answer to any of these questions is "no," then it's time to reconsider whether that scene belongs in your story.

Assuming that the scene is, in fact, meant to be there, let's talk about the skeleton of the scene. Conflict is key here: without it, you have nothing. This doesn't necessarily mean that your characters have to be attached to each other's throats, but there still needs to be some sort of tension between them.

Perhaps they are trying to hide something from each other or have conflicting goals that they are trying to achieve. Whatever the case, make sure there's something at stake, something your characters stand to lose if they fail. The conflict in character can be external: conflict with another character or external force, even a ticking clock.

Or it can be an internal conflict, a character at war with himself. Inner tension can be a quieter moment in a scene where a character struggles with conflicting desires or it can be something overwhelming like an emotional wound that has led to beliefs or worries that keep them from taking action to achieve their goal.

If you're having trouble finding conflict, try asking yourself what your characters want and what's getting in their way. What is the external lens in the scene and how can you stop it? It's amazing how much tension you can create even in an ordinary scene by simply putting obstacles in the path of your characters.

So before you start worrying about body language and sensory overload and all that fun stuff, take a step back and make sure your scene has a solid foundation to build on. Once you have that, it's time to start increasing the tension.

Enter a deep POV

Alright, let's talk about getting inside your characters' heads. No, I don't mean literally - that would be weird, even for me. But seriously, it's important to get inside your characters' heads and understand what they're really thinking and feeling. Because let's face it, no one ever says what they're really thinking. That's not how humans work.

So how do you get into deep point of view (aka POV)? Well, remember those obstacles we just talked about? This is where they come into play. At stake is what a character can gain or lose in any scene. The most effective stake is the emotional one because the character wants to achieve a certain result and this creates a sense of tension.

So part of what you need to find out is why the stake creates an emotional reaction in your character. The deep POV switches from narrating the character's reaction to showing the character's thinking and why the stakes are so important.

Start thinking about how your characters would react to the situation. What emotions are they feeling? Are they anxious, angry, scared, excited? How do these emotions physically manifest? Do they clench their jaw? Do they touch their foot? Do they bite their nails?

And remember, not everything your character feels will be expressed out loud. Maybe they feel guilty, but they don't want to admit it to the other characters. Or maybe they're hiding a secret that's eating them away. Whatever the case may be, be sure to convey those internal struggles to the reader.

Don't be afraid to get a little introspective with your characters. Find out what's really going on in their heads and use that to heighten the tension in your scene.

Get physical

Ah, body language. The unspoken language of the human race. It's amazing how much tension you can create just by the way your characters behave or the way they move.

Let's say you're writing a scene where your main character is about to face his nemesis. You could just have them stand there, staring at each other, and hope the dialogue brings tension. But that's not enough, my friend. You have to show this tension.

Using body language to convey tension can also be part of a profound point of view, but it's not limited to the main character at the time. The physical language of the other characters in the scene can also be used to build tension .

Perhaps another character starts tapping his foot or pacing while your character is speaking, thus indicating his impatience with him. Or perhaps they freeze, completely paralyzed by fear or anger. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that will get the reader's heart racing.

Another great way to show tension is through eye contact. You know that feeling when you're in a staring contest and you just can't look away? This is the kind of tension we are talking about. Perhaps your characters lock their eyes and refuse to break gazes, even when things start to make them uncomfortable. Or maybe they're avoiding eye contact altogether, which could be a sign that something isn't right.

And let's not forget about other non-verbal cues, like sweating, fidgeting, or even blushing. All of these things can be signs of tension and are great ways to show the inner turmoil of your characters without having to explain it to the reader.

Show us the tension through their body language and other non-verbal cues, and you'll have your readers on the edge of their seats, wondering how the character will deal with the source of the tension.

Use your senses

It's time to think about the senses. No, not like a sense of fashion or a sense of humor. I mean, just the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. How can we use sensory language to make a scene more tense?

First, try overloading the characters' senses. Imagine your character is in a very crowded street market. There are people everywhere, yelling and haggling over prices, the smell of spices so strong it seems to have stuck in the hairs of her nose.

Throw a few uneven pebbles underfoot, and maybe a few stray animals, and your character feels pretty overwhelmed. By overloading the senses, you can make the reader feel as tense and nervous as the character.

On the other hand, sensory deprivation can also be a useful tool. Imagine a character trapped in a small dark room. He can see nothing, hear nothing, or even feel anything other than the cool, smooth walls. The complete lack of sensory input can be as straining as a stimulus overload.

Choose sensory details that matter to the type of tension or conflict your character is facing, and use your senses to your advantage in scenes where they make a difference.

Just be careful not to overload your reader with too much sensory detail or else they may start to feel overwhelmed too!

Don't forget the dialogue

Hm, dialogue. That beautiful symphony of words, dripping with subtext and hidden meanings. A great way to build up the tension in a scene.

One dialogue technique for building tension is veiled language. You know, when characters say one thing but mean another. It's like a game of verbal chess, where the winner walks away with their dignity (and hopefully their life) intact.

Let's say you have a scene where two old friends are having a conversation. Seems harmless enough, right? But what if one of them is secretly a spy and the other unknowingly provides classified information?

Suddenly, every seemingly innocent comment takes on a whole new meaning. "How is your work these days?" is this just a friendly question or a subtle way of asking if he still works for the government?

The tension rises with each sentence of the dialogue. However, that's not the main focus, the dialogue is supposed to serve a purpose. Your character may have ulterior motives to seek information, perhaps to see if anyone knows one of his secrets or to expose a lie. Whatever the ulterior motive is, it has to be specific to your book, your storyline , and that particular scene.

And then there's the classic misconception. You know the saying take the whistle for fiascos? one character says something, the other character plays it the worst way possible, and chaos ensues. It's like a comedy of misunderstandings, only instead of laughing you get palpitations.

Remember, dialogue isn't just for exposition and witty banter. Use it to build tension and watch your readers squirm in their posts.

Change the setting

Changing locations: one of fiction's oldest tricks for creating tension. Because, let's be honest, the location can be just as important as the characters in a scene. Sometimes, even more.

Think about it. A romantic candlelit dinner in an elegant restaurant? Pretty tense, but for all the right reasons. A candlelit dinner in a spooky abandoned mansion? Pretty tense, but for all the wrong reasons.

Location can set the mood and up the ante. So if you're looking to build up the tension in a scene, try changing the setting. Perhaps moving the conversation from a quiet, peaceful park to a noisy, crowded concert. Or taking it from a spacious office to a cramped and cluttered closet.

Get creative. Maybe your characters have a serious conversation while hanging off a cliff. Or perhaps they are trapped in an elevator with their greatest fear. The possibilities are endless.

Just remember that the position should serve a purpose. It should create a tense scene and help move the story forward. Don't throw your characters into a random, awkward space for no reason. Unless, of course, you're Ryan Murphy and you're making American Horror Story.

So, go ahead and change things up. Move the conversation to a new location and see how the dynamic changes. And if you need some inspiration, remember that Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker also had their epic showdown in a cramped, claustrophobic space.

Throw a curveball

Listen, we all like a good twist, right? But sometimes the best twists are the ones you don't see coming. So when you're looking to amp up the tension in a scene, throw the reader a curveball. Lead him down a path, and then suddenly, BOOM! Take it in a completely different direction.

For example, let's say you've staged a scene where two characters are about to have a tense confrontation. The reader expects a heated discussion, perhaps even a physical confrontation. But instead, one character suddenly breaks down in tears, thus revealing a vulnerability the reader never saw coming.

Or perhaps the characters find themselves in a high-stakes situation and the reader expects the protagonist to make a heroic sacrifice. But instead, the protagonist decides to save himself and leave everyone else behind.

These kinds of curveballs can be really effective at building emotional tension because they subvert the reader's expectations. It's like a little mind game: the reader thinks they know what's going to happen, and then you pull the rug out from under them.

But here's the thing: You can't throw a curveball just to throw it. It has to make sense to the story and the characters. And you can't rely too much on it, or it'll start to look like a cheap gimmick. But used sparingly and effectively, a plot twist can be a powerful tool for building tension in the scene.

Look at syntax and diction

Last but not least: syntax and diction. This is where things get a little technical. But don't worry, I'll try to keep it interesting.

One way to add tension in a scene is to pay attention to syntax and diction. I mean things like sentence structure, paragraph breaks, and word choice.

For example, short phrases can be used to create an urgent, staccato rhythm that builds tension. Longer, more complex sentences, on the other hand, can slow things down, giving the reader a chance to catch their breath.

Paragraph breaks can also be used to great effect. Short, punchy paragraphs can help build momentum, while longer paragraphs can be used to slow things down, giving the reader time to process what's happening.

And of course, diction or word choice is key. The right word can make all the difference in creating tension. For example, using a word with negative connotations may give the reader a sense of unease or foreboding. Using a word with positive connotations in a tense moment can create a sense of cognitive dissonance, thereby heightening the tension.

So, as you work on your scene, pay attention to syntax and diction. Experiment with sentence length and paragraph breaks. Play with your choice of words. You might be surprised at how much difference it can make.

Write voltage: be selective

Here you go, folks. Eight ways to heighten the tension in a scene. Now, I'm not saying you should use all eight of them in a scene, this could give your readers a heart attack. But mix and match. Try a few and see what works best for your story.

Again, not all tips will work for every scene. It's about finding the right balance between your story and your characters. Always take a look at your scene and ask yourself which tip will work best for that scene. But above all, as always, have fun.