Do NOT Trick Your Readers
I find it very frustrating when I am reading a book and I start the first chapter or end a chapter with an exciting detail that makes me want to read more only for it to be a throw away section and cliffhanger. To avoid using fake tension and ensure that any conflict or suspense in your work (whether it's writing, storytelling, or other forms of communication) feels genuine and earned, here are a few strategies:
1. Build Genuine Stakes
Ensure that the tension or conflict in your story or situation has real consequences. Characters should have something meaningful at risk, whether it's their relationships, goals, or well-being. The audience should be able to feel that these stakes matter.
2. Establish Clear Motivation
Characters' actions and decisions should be motivated by their goals, values, or desires. Fake tension often arises when characters act in ways that don't align with their established personality or motivations just to create drama. Make sure the tension is rooted in the characters' needs and desires, not just to move the plot forward artificially.
3. Avoid Overused Tropes
Relying on cliched or formulaic conflict can lead to fake tension. For example, throwing in a "last-minute" danger or unnecessary argument just to keep the audience on edge can feel forced. Instead, focus on originality and depth when crafting challenges and conflicts.
4. Pace the Conflict Naturally
Allow tension to build gradually and logically over time. Don't rush into conflicts or moments of high suspense. Let the tension evolve in a way that feels organic, rather than manufactured for the sake of keeping the audience hooked.
5. Give the Audience Insight
Sometimes, fake tension arises when the audience knows something that the characters don't, but this can be overdone or feel manipulative. Try to make sure that the audience understands the stakes and the characters' challenges without too much artificial withholding of information.
6. Resolve Conflicts Satisfyingly
When the tension is resolved, the resolution should feel earned and satisfying. Fake tension often leads to resolutions that feel shallow or unearned, leaving the audience feeling unsatisfied. Make sure that when the conflict or suspense reaches its peak, the payoff is earned and meaningful.
7. Avoid Repetitive Conflict
If the same type of conflict or tension is repeatedly introduced and quickly resolved without real progression or change, it can feel like fake tension. Avoid over-relying on repetitive situations where nothing really changes or grows.
8. Stay True to the Tone
The tension you create should fit the overall tone of your story. For example, in a thriller, you might have constant high stakes and suspense, while in a comedy, tension might be lighter and more about character dynamics. Fake tension often feels out of place when it doesn't align with the overall mood of the story.
By focusing on these principles, you can create tension that feels organic, earned, and emotionally engaging, rather than artificial or contrived.
let me know what fake tension got you tricked👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
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As a writer, I've often grappled with the challenge of creating tension in storytelling that feels authentic and keeps readers glued to the page. The original article perfectly highlights how crucial it is to avoid 'fake tension'—that 'artificially created or exaggerated conflict' the OCR so aptly describes. It’s a trust-breaker when readers feel manipulated by plots that rely on 'quickly resolved dangers' or conflicts that don't genuinely impact the narrative. But beyond just avoiding the pitfalls, how do we proactively build real tension? I've found that it's about layering different techniques to create a rich, compelling experience for the reader. Here are some strategies I've explored: 1. Harness the Power of Foreshadowing: Instead of sudden, unearned dangers, drop subtle hints throughout your narrative. A fleeting comment, a strange object, a recurring dream – these can build a sense of unease and anticipation without giving everything away. This makes readers lean in, trying to piece together what’s coming, creating a genuine, organic tension. 2. Elevate the Stakes (Personalize the Consequences): The original article mentions building genuine stakes, and I can't emphasize this enough. What does your character truly stand to lose? Make it something deeply personal to them, not just a generic plot point. If their failure means losing a loved one, their identity, or their deepest dream, the tension becomes palpable because the reader understands and cares about the emotional fallout. This isn't just about external threats; it's about the internal cost. 3. Master Pacing and Rhythm: Tension isn't always about explosions or dramatic confrontations. It's often in the quiet moments, the slow burn. Vary your sentence structure and paragraph length. Short, punchy sentences can create urgency, while longer, more descriptive passages can build atmospheric dread. Knowing when to speed up and when to linger allows you to control the reader's emotional experience, creating a natural ebb and flow of suspense. 4. Introduce Moral Dilemmas and Internal Conflict: Some of the most powerful tension comes from within. What impossible choices must your characters make? When their values clash, or they're forced to choose between two bad options, the internal struggle can be incredibly compelling. This kind of tension makes characters relatable and their journey deeply engaging, far beyond any 'forced' situation. 5. Leverage Information Imbalance: Sometimes, knowing more than the characters do can create tension (dramatic irony), but so can knowing *less*. Withholding crucial information from the reader, or presenting it through an unreliable narrator, can make them question everything and constantly anticipate reveals. Just be careful not to make it feel manipulative, as the original article warns about artificial withholding. By focusing on these proactive techniques, I’ve found that the tension in my stories feels more earned and impactful. It moves beyond simply avoiding 'artificially created conflict' and into actively crafting a deeply immersive experience for the reader. It’s about making them feel the story, not just read it.
I know this is necessarily what you’re referring too but people do this with their posts for clicks. Gets on my nerves when I expect something else.