Contributed by Margot Conor
Recently I have been studying conflict. It is something I avoid in real life. I have always been a peacekeeper. A believer that good communication can solve anything. Even though I try to avoid fighting, I’ve observed more than my share of negative interactions over the years. Bickering, vindictive jealousy, intolerant name calling, mistrustful clinging control issues, and physical abuse… I have a fountainhead of momentous experiences to draw from. I just need to pull out the details from those memories and get them on paper.
However, extracting those emotional dramas of my past from the dusty archives tends to provoke some degree of sadness. The damage is etched on my soul, those memories mark you in some definable way, as experienced. Not the sort of experience you might wish for anyone. The repercussions are not as bad as they might be. You could say they are lessons learned, about what to avoid. Thus, a practice of avoidance.
Now, I must be willing to subject my characters to those experiences. From the nuance of manipulation to the full force of a physical confrontation. Let it be bloody, let it be catastrophic, let it ruin them… just enough.
I’m aware that creating tension in a story is essential for keeping readers engaged, and it requires a combination of narrative techniques that work together to build suspense, anticipation, and emotional investment. There is nothing like putting a character that readers have grown to love in danger. If done right they will hang on every word to find out what happens.
I fully understand the importance of making characters suffer so they can grow, just as I have. However, I’m still honing the skill of writing conflict. I’m learning how to weave in arguments and negative drama, though I have to push myself to really get my characters into tough situations. So here is what I have learned about creating tension in my stories…
The idea is to interject enough of these vital elements as you build your narrative to keep your readers interested. The techniques suggested in this article can help you construct a compelling story. Seductive in its ability to hold your audience, captivating their curiosity, so they just need to know what happens next.
Each technique works in concert with the others, to create a story full of tension. The key is to apply them thoughtfully and with variation, ensuring that the reader is constantly engaged, feeling both the thrill of the immediate conflict and the weight of impending consequences. By layering these through your story, you can craft a dynamic, edge-of-their-seat narrative that keeps readers emotionally invested and eagerly turning the pages.
1. Foreshadowing:
Foreshadowing is a subtle way to hint at future events, creating tension as readers anticipate how things might unfold. By dropping clues—whether through imagery, dialogue, or small actions—the writer builds an undercurrent of suspense. For instance, an offhand comment about a character’s dangerous habit can signal impending disaster, keeping readers alert as they wait for the consequences. Foreshadowing plants seeds of tension early on, making future conflicts feel inevitable.
2. Conflict and Opposing Goals:
At the heart of tension is conflict. When characters have opposing goals, it sets up a natural tension between them. These goals can be both external (two characters vying for the same job) and internal (a character torn between loyalty and ambition). As each character’s desire becomes clearer, the stakes of the story rise, and readers become invested in seeing how these conflicting aims will clash. The stronger the opposition, the more intense the tension becomes.
3. Raising the Stakes:
A key to maintaining tension is continuously raising the stakes. As the story progresses, the consequences of failure should become more significant. What starts as a simple goal should evolve into something much larger—whether it’s a personal risk, the safety of a loved one, or the fate of an entire community. Raising the stakes ensures that the characters, and therefore the readers, have more to lose with each decision, intensifying the emotional and narrative tension.
4. Pacing:
Pacing plays a critical role in how tension is perceived. Too fast, and the reader feels overwhelmed; too slow, and the tension dissipates. Effective tension builds through a balance of fast-paced action sequences and slower moments of introspection or dialogue that deepen the emotional weight of the story. By controlling the rhythm of the plot, a writer can make the peaks of action more impactful and the moments of calm more unsettling as readers wait for the next twist.
5. Curiosity and Unanswered Questions:
Curiosity drives tension by keeping readers wanting more. By introducing unanswered questions—such as a mysterious backstory, an unsolved crime, or a hidden motivation—the writer keeps readers engaged. The desire to uncover the truth pushes the narrative forward, creating a sense of urgency and intrigue. Delaying these answers, while feeding readers just enough clues, builds suspense, and adds to the tension of the unfolding plot.
6. Balance of Internal and External Conflict:
Tension is most effective when it exists on multiple levels. External conflict might come from the outside world—a villain, a looming disaster, or a ticking bomb—while internal conflict stems from a character’s personal struggles, such as moral dilemmas, fears, or emotional wounds. Balancing these two forms of conflict makes the story richer. The external challenges force the character into action, while the internal conflict adds depth, making their decisions more complex and heightening the tension as the reader waits to see how the character will navigate both.
7. Subplots:
Subplots can add layers of tension by introducing secondary conflicts that mirror or contrast with the main storyline. These subplots might involve side characters with their own agendas, romantic tensions, or smaller personal challenges. When integrated well, subplots create a more complex and dynamic narrative, allowing for brief moments of resolution that temporarily relieve tension before plunging back into the central conflict.
8. The Ticking Bomb or Ticking Clock:
One of the most effective ways to increase tension is through the use of a "ticking clock" or "ticking bomb" scenario. This device imposes a time limit on the characters, creating urgency. The stakes become more intense when characters are racing against time—whether it’s a literal bomb about to explode, a rapidly approaching deadline, or an illness that progresses with every passing day. The ticking clock adds a palpable layer of pressure, forcing characters to make difficult decisions under duress, which drives tension to its peak.
If you, like me, struggle with creating tension between your characters, I hope these suggestions will prove helpful in shaping more dynamic interactions. Tension doesn’t always have to come from grand, external events; it can arise from subtle conflicts in desires, opposing goals, or emotional undercurrents. By focusing on how characters' motivations clash, layering in personal stakes, and using pacing to build momentum, you can create a palpable sense of unease or anticipation. The key is to ensure that your characters’ conflicts feel authentic and meaningful, which will naturally enhance the tension in your narrative.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Margot Conor has been writing for as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until the COVID lock-down that she had enough time to dedicate to the craft and bring something to completion. Having finished her first novel, she went through the grueling two-year process of editing. Now she has jumped into the author's world with both feet. She's preparing to debut her first novel, which means learning how to promote it. The last year has been spent attending many writing retreats, seminars, and writers' events. She also listened to presentations specifically on the topic of publishing and book marketing. She will be sharing what she learns with the reader.
Learn more about Margot at https://margotconor.com/
