on Writers in the Storm:

Mastering the elements of tension, suspense, and conflict in your stories requires that you recognize the difference between them. Last month, in Part 1 I discussed discussed the definitions and gave samples of each. This month, we’ll dive deeper into the role of each of those elements in a story and techniques to develop them in your work.

The Role of Tension in Storytelling

If you recall from Part One, tension is the feeling of uncertainty or anticipation. Readers expect a certain level of excitement via anticipation in the stories they read. In a thriller or a horror novel, the anticipation/tension levels are high. It’s different in a memoir or romance, but there is still tension.

To elicit the right amount of tension in your story, it’s usually best to develop tension in more than one aspect of your story.

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