Suspense is the lifeblood of any thriller. It keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eager to turn the next page. But how do you build that heart-pounding tension and keep your audience hooked? Here are some tips to master the art of suspense in your thriller:
Create High Stakes
For suspense to truly resonate, your story needs high stakes. What will happen if the protagonist fails? Whether it’s a life-or-death situation, a personal loss, or a societal collapse, the consequences of failure should feel significant. The higher the stakes, the more invested readers will become in the outcome.
Master Pacing
Suspense thrives on pacing. Vary the speed of your scenes – slow down for moments of reflection or building tension, then speed up during moments of action or revelation. Short, punchy sentences during high-stakes scenes can create urgency, while longer passages can allow the tension to simmer before the next big twist.
Foreshadow and Drop Clues
Foreshadowing is a key tool for building suspense. Dropping small clues and hints about future events creates an underlying tension that keeps readers anticipating what will happen next. Just be careful not to give away too much too soon – keep them guessing!
Unreliable Narrators and Deception
An unreliable narrator can add layers of suspense, as readers can’t fully trust what they’re being told. Whether your protagonist is keeping secrets or misinterpreting events, this sense of uncertainty will leave readers questioning everything and craving more information.
Introduce Red Herrings
Throw in a few curveballs! Red herrings keep readers on their toes and make them second-guess their theories. Introduce suspects, motives, or events that seem important, only to reveal later that they were distractions. This keeps the suspense high as readers try to figure out what’s really going on.
Use Cliffhangers
Ending chapters (or scenes) with a cliffhanger is a tried-and-true method for building suspense. A character in danger, a mysterious discovery, or an unexpected twist will have readers rushing to the next page to see what happens.
Control the Reveal
Don’t give everything away at once. Keep secrets from your readers until the perfect moment to reveal them. The more you withhold and tease, the more suspense you create. Time your reveals to maximize the emotional impact and drive the plot forward.
Thrillers are all about building tension, creating uncertainty, and giving readers just enough to keep them hooked – but never enough to let them relax. Master the art of suspense, and you’ll have readers hanging on to every word!