Writing a Killer Thriller by Jodie Renner

Author:Jodie Renner [Renner, Jodie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cobalt Books
Published: 2014-01-12T18:30:00+00:00

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Chapter 15

DELAY, TEASE, AND STRETCH OUT THE MOMENT

WITHHOLDING INFORMATION, DELAYS, INTERRUPTIONS

Withholding information

A great way to build suspense and create anticipation is by teasing the reader with fragments of critical information and then delaying the big reveal – the payoff. Think of a slow, tantalizing striptease, where one item of clothing comes off at a time, with lots of flirting and playful manipulation to build up anticipation. Use the technique of delayed gratification by revealing critical details bit by bit, layer by layer. Getting glimpses of information and having to wait for more revealing details creates intrigue, curiosity, worry, and suspense. This compels the reader to become emotionally engaged and invested in the story, so they have to keep turning the pages.

As Jessica Morrell says, “There is no surer way to kill suspense than to answer every question before the reader wonders about it. Don’t explain everything or answer every question up front or set things up too thoroughly, because this destroys suspense.”

So don’t reveal everything right away. Spread out your character’s backstory and drop clues and innuendos as you go along about their dysfunctional family or shameful secrets, to keep the readers wondering, What’s really going on here? What’s going to happen next? What happened to her in the past? What’s that all about?

Secrets and subterfuge

Either we, the readers, know something the hero doesn’t, or he’s working certain things out in his head and has crucial info he’s revealing to us little by little – the clever author’s way of keeping us on our toes, anxious and questioning, eager to keep reading to find out more.

Distractions and interruptions

Within scenes, heighten anticipation by using distractions and interruptions to delay long-awaited news, expected events or outcomes, resolutions of problems or conflicts, feared confrontations, etc.

Prolonging outcomes to delay the payoff

Even when writing a tense, critical scene, you can use little techniques to stretch out the moment for maximum effect. But don’t annoy the readers by inserting useless trivia or anything off-topic or that doesn’t suit the mood of the scene.

GO INTO SLOW-MOTION AND EXPAND THE MOMENT

~ At critical moments, stretch out the tension and suspense.

Years ago, I read this line by Hallie Ephron in isolation somewhere: “Write slow scenes fast and fast scenes slow.” At the time, I really didn’t get what she meant, but later I understood. Skip past slow, boring scenes by summarizing them or even leaving them out. But at a tense, intriguing moment, when you’ve got the reader on the edge of her seat and biting her nails, prolong the suspense and agony by slowing things down and stretching out the scene. Milk the moment for all it’s worth. Or add an interruption and delay the resolution to a later scene.

As James Scott Bell says, “The more intense the tension, the longer you can draw it out.”

So exploit and highlight suspenseful moments by slowing down time, drawing out the tension, and delaying the final revelation.

~ To stretch out the tension, show the critical details of your hero’s struggles.

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