audrey sherman
asked
April Henry:
Do you have any writing tips for young writers? How do you make a book suspenseful? I am writing a story about a girl who lives with people who do not have emotions.
April Henry
You'll have to think why they don't have emotions, which is unusual. Even sociopaths have a few limited emotions.
Some ways to turn the tension: short chapters, a ticking clock (like a bomb or a deadline), raising the stakes (not only will someone die if you don't catch the killer, but it's your best friend), make the character's choices painful, give characters fears and unresolved issues (that they then have to face), and hurt or even kill a character so your readers knows you can.
Some ways to turn the tension: short chapters, a ticking clock (like a bomb or a deadline), raising the stakes (not only will someone die if you don't catch the killer, but it's your best friend), make the character's choices painful, give characters fears and unresolved issues (that they then have to face), and hurt or even kill a character so your readers knows you can.
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