Most people try to avoid tension in real life. We dislike uncertainty, conflict, fear, and difficult decisions. In fiction, however, tension is one of the most important tools a writer can use. Whether you’re writing novels, short stories, picture books, or memoirs, tension creates curiosity. It gives readers a reason to keep turning pages because they want to know what happens next. Understanding how tension works can dramatically improve your writing.
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What Is Tension in Writing?
Tension is the gap between what a character wants and what stands in the way.
The larger or more meaningful that gap becomes, the stronger the tension.
Readers experience tension whenever they begin asking questions like:
- Will the character succeed?
- What happens next?
- How will this problem be solved?
- What is the character going to do?
A Simple Example of Tension
Example 1
Sam climbed over the fence to retrieve his frisbee.
Example 2
Sam heard scratching behind the fence. Taking a deep breath, he climbed over to retrieve his frisbee.
Example 3
The scratching behind the fence suddenly stopped.
Sam tightened his grip on the fence post.
His frisbee was on the other side.
So was whatever had been making that noise.
Despite his injured leg, he pulled himself over the fence.
Which story would you be most likely to continue reading?
Is #3 not the most fascinating?
Most readers don’t consider why #3 is the best. Most writers don’t either.
The simple reason is that the stakes are higher. There’s nothing very surprising or shocking or intriguing about #1.
But in #3, boy oh boy, you are curious what happens next!
Why Tension Keeps Readers Engaged
When you write or read tension, thoughts enter your mind instinctively. In Example #3 above, you may be wondering the following:
- Why would a boy risk climbing over a fence with a broken leg?
- Where are Sam’s parents?
- Why does he care so much about a frisbee that he’s willing to risk getting hurt?
- What is making the noise behind the fence?
- Will the noise maker hurt Sam?
- How will Sam get back over the fence if there is no stump on the other side?
- How badly is Sam bleeding?
- Will the injury prohibit him from climbing back over the fence?
Tension. Tension. Tension.
Not all tension is this serious.
For those of you who write children’s books, Ann Whitford Paul notes an excellent example in her book, Writing Picture Books.
She describes a boy going to the store. This simple adventure can have tension added if he must buy his mother a present for her birthday or if money is limited or if he comes across something on the way.
The more challenges he may experience in having a successful outcome pulls the reader in more and more. Tension is described elsewhere as change.
When the character or story experiences an unexpected change, tension is produced.
Ways to Create Tension in Your Story
On your quest for tension, it’s important to note that tension should not be added or created simply for tension’s sake. It is only beneficial when it supports the overall intent of the story or adds extra dimension to the characters.
Increase the Stakes
What happens if the character fails? The greater the consequences, the more readers care about the outcome.
Create Obstacles
Characters should earn success. Obstacles force them to struggle and adapt.
Limit Time
Deadlines create urgency. A ticking clock naturally increases tension.
Withhold Information
Give readers enough information to care, but not enough to know exactly what will happen.
Force Difficult Decisions
The best stories often place characters in situations where every choice has consequences.
Tension in Children’s Books
Learning to create tension takes practice, but once you begin identifying it in the books you read, you’ll start noticing it everywhere.
Every compelling story contains questions that readers desperately want answered.
Writer’s Digest wrote one on How to Build Tension and Heighten the Stakes that is well worth your time and NowNovel provided succinct tools in How to Create Tension in a Story.
Children’s books often use:
- Lost objects
- Missed opportunities
- Embarrassing situations
- Family expectations
- Simple obstacles
Tension is not about making every story dangerous or dramatic.
It is about creating meaningful uncertainty.
Give readers a reason to care about what happens next, and they’ll gladly follow your characters from the first page to the last.
The next time you revise a manuscript, ask yourself one simple question:
Where is the tension?
The answer may reveal exactly what your story needs.
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