A Discussion on Suspense

Sometimes it’s hard finding any articles on fiction writing that go beyond explanations and techniques at the beginner level, almost step-by-step (and terribly unsatisfying for intellection types).

The New Yorker published an article called The Secrets of Suspense by  Kathryn Schulz (there may be a paywall). I started reading The New Yorker because Cal Newport talked about how to think in a world where everything is measured in seconds, and we’re encouraged not to think.

The article is not a writing instruction article like you might find in Writer’s Digest. It’s a long read, thought-provoking (Intellection alert), and blends both life and fiction writing. It uses an example of Jaws, which celebrates it’s 50th anniversary this month.

The most telling me:

Suspense is all around us: Anticipation and dread.

Suspense is something we know instinctively, so as writers we have to take that up another level for a story.