Story + Character: Tips and Tricks to Enhance Your Writing

Tension and Conflict

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~Tension~

I recently read a book (no names, sorry!) that I had some trouble getting into. The premise seemed interesting (nothing amazing or too dramatic--just a nice, contemporary love story), but the only thing that kept bringing me back was what would happen when "the world" found out the girl was with this guy she wasn't supposed to be with. Other than that, there wasn't much tension in the story.

So tension is kind of a weird thing because, as a people, we don't like it our real lives. In fact, many of us flat-out avoid it.

Tension, conflict--these are things we could do without on most days.

The problem? We love to live vicariously. Tension is fine as long as it's not happening to us, and we especially love to read about it.

Your reader wants to return to the story you're telling (otherwise, why would they have picked your book?), and they can only do that when they're anticipating what's going to happen next.

How do we create that suspense?

First, we can't make things too easy for our characters. They need to struggle, and they need to fail (to a point).

Second, characters shouldn't get along with 100% of the people 100% of the time. Pit them against each other. Let them disagree, argue, and "duke it out"--literally or metaphorically.

Third, when you do introduce conflict, don't resolve it too quickly. Draw it out (not unnecessarily so, but maybe character one shouldn't accept character two's apology so soon).

Finally, as conflicts are resolved, make sure new ones have been introduced. At least one over-arching conflict should take us all the way to the end of the novel, but there will be sub-conflicts popping up all over the place. Use them to keep the reader coming back for more.

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~On Conflict~

Conflict happens when someone wants something he can't have.

Conflict happens when someone wants two different things, but can't have both.

Conflict happens when two people in the same orbit want different things (but also each other).

Conflict happens when two people want the same thing, but there can only be one winner.

Conflict happens when two people want the same thing, they can both have said thing, but they disagree over how to get it.

Putting characters at odds with each other (and themselves) is the quickest way to propel the plot and keep those pages turning.

And, let's be real, conflict is super-fun to write. :)

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~On Setbacks~

Suspense is built through setbacks.

When things are going well for a character, the reader is likely to set the book down.

(And why wouldn't she? There are a million other things vying for her attention at any given moment. If nothing is happening that will keep her glued to the page, why stick around?)

As humans, we're wired toward homeostasis (balance or equilibrium; in other words, things working as well as they possibly can). Our brains aren't fans of conflict. We don't like it. In fact, most of us avoid it at all costs.