A Dash of Suspense

Suspense is one of the most powerful tools a writer can use to keep readers engaged. When done well, suspense can create a sense of excitement, fear, and anticipation that will keep readers turning the pages. But how do you write suspense scenes that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats? Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Create a sense of danger. The key to creating suspense is to create a sense of danger for your characters. This could be physical danger, such as being chased by a killer, or it could be emotional danger, such as being forced to make a difficult decision.

2. Build tension. Once you’ve created a sense of danger, you need to build tension. This can be done by creating obstacles for your characters to overcome, or by revealing new information that makes the situation more dangerous.

3. Leave something to the imagination. One of the best ways to create suspense is to leave something to the imagination. This means not telling the reader everything that’s going on. Let the reader fill in the blanks, and they’ll be more likely to feel suspenseful.

4. Use sensory details. Sensory details can help to create a sense of immersion and make the reader feel like they’re right there with the characters. This can help to increase the suspense, as the reader will be more likely to feel anxious about what’s going to happen next.

5. Don’t be afraid to kill off characters. If you want to create real suspense, you need to be willing to kill off characters. This doesn’t mean that you have to kill off your main characters, but you should be willing to kill off secondary characters. This will show the reader that no one is safe, and it will make them more invested in the story.

6. Don’t give away the ending. The best suspense scenes are the ones where the reader doesn’t know what’s going to happen next. If you give away the ending, you’ll take away all of the suspense.

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