This post is sort of a follow-up to my post on suspense and tension, and one the one where I compared plot twists and suspense (and pitted Emma and Pride and Prejudice against each other...). I wanted to discuss one of the most powerful ways to create suspense, and show you the method I've been using personally while revising The Coffee Shop Book.
Tag: Suspense and Tension
Plot Twists or Suspense: Which One is Better? {Case Study} {Emma VS Pride and Prejudice}
I'm an avid fan of Jane Austen's works. They're wonderfully written, witty, and interesting. Also, the language used is older English, so it's delightfully elegant. In grade 12, I read Pride and Prejudice for school; it was the first book by Jane Austen I'd ever read, and I fell in love with it. The next one I read was Emma. And as I read it, I noticed something that Pride and Prejudice managed to achieve that Emma didn't.
How to Use Suspense and Tension to Make Your Novel Insanely Addicting
Have you ever been so hooked by a story that you couldn't stop turning the pages, even into the wee hours of the night? And have you ever been so bored by a book that you put it down for days, weeks, years... or even forever??? Yeah, me too, to both of those. What made these books so different? There are reasons books fall flat, differing from book to book. But today, I'm going to show you a core element of story that keeps a reader glued to the page with baited breath to see what happens next: suspense and tension.
Should You Include Dialogue Snippets in Your Outline? {Case Study}
I think that all pantsers have this fear inside of them that making a plot will box them in when they try to write their story, limiting their creativity. That fear keeps them from trying to outlining. They want to be creative, and in their eyes, having a plot stops that. If you don't know, I actually used to be a pretty hardcore pantser. I don't think it shows very much anymore, but that used to be the only way I wrote. Some of those leftover fears from my time as a panster still lurk in the back of my mind, though. (Also, WordPress keep trying to autocorrect me whenever I write 'pantser' into 'panther'. 😑) However, as a person who now refuses to walk into any book without at least some semblance of a plot, those fears have taken on a different form in me: the idea that, while I'm plotting, maybe I'm plotting too much. I need creative freedom to go meandering down whatever paths happen to pop up along my way, and if my plans have to be followed exactly, then I can't do that. So how far am I really willing to go with my outlines?
Foreshadowing: The Art of Being A Ninja
Have you ever just had your jaw drop while reading a book when a plot twist was thrown at you? And then, as you continued to try and process it, things just clicked in your mind as you realize that the author actually had been leading up to this the whole time without you knowing? … Continue reading Foreshadowing: The Art of Being A Ninja
How to (and not to) Write Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing. It's something we've all wondered how to pull off at some point. It also is something that doesn't seem to be written about very much. So, I decided to write up a post on it. (the obvious choice)
For Every Question, there’s an Answer (And Another Question) {How to Keep Readers Interested}
If there is absolutely ONE THING that you're going to have in your story to keep it interesting... what do you think it is? Probably taking into account that this is my intro, you've most likely guessed questions. And you'd be right!