Stein On Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies

by Sol Stein

Suspense arouses a feeling of anxious uncertainty in the reader about what might happen, or a hope that something bad won’t happen. Tension usually involves the sudden onset of a feeling of stress, strain, or pressure. As I’ve pointed out earlier, we deplore suspense and tension in life and enjoy them in writing.