About Tension
So Joss Whedon is my fave when it comes to character development and showing emotions on the page, though he uses the screen. Still, he does it so well it’s simple for me to adapt his techniques to the page.
However, all I ever needed to know about tension I learned from J.K. Rowling. Again, though, this is using an adaption from the screen to the page because guess what? I’ve never read the Harry Potter books. Nope, never. I have them all. Bought the whole set actually. But I watched the movies first and the books moved way too slow for me then. So, yeah, I can’t get into them.
You might think this is crazy, but truth be told, I had no desire to read them until I started writing fantasy. I was halfway through Panthan’s Crucible and I figured I’d better see what fantasy was all about. So I rented a couple movies. Oh, just shameful, I know. What’s worse is when I was in school you couldn’t have made me watch a movie instead of reading a book. Now, it’s all about time management.
Thrash me later, pay heed to my words now. :-)
It was the tree and the flying car. See, I was already on the edge of my seat when they crashed the car into the tree, but then the tree started attacking the car! And they were trying to get out and one thing after another kept happening… It was wild and insane and I absolutely loved it.
I also learned from it.
Nothing and I mean nothing makes a person die to keep reading like tension. And the trick is to not let up. When one thing seems to be leveling out throw something else in there. Keep at it and keep at it.
I know. I know. You’re thinking the reader needs a break at some point. Okay, fine. Give them a break, but do it with humor. Do it with wit.
The very next chance you get to bombard them with a tension avalanche then please, please, do it. You’ll enjoy writing it as well, because it makes your heart race and gives you a natural high. We’re all junkies to that high, so don’t deny it. ;-)
However, all I ever needed to know about tension I learned from J.K. Rowling. Again, though, this is using an adaption from the screen to the page because guess what? I’ve never read the Harry Potter books. Nope, never. I have them all. Bought the whole set actually. But I watched the movies first and the books moved way too slow for me then. So, yeah, I can’t get into them.
You might think this is crazy, but truth be told, I had no desire to read them until I started writing fantasy. I was halfway through Panthan’s Crucible and I figured I’d better see what fantasy was all about. So I rented a couple movies. Oh, just shameful, I know. What’s worse is when I was in school you couldn’t have made me watch a movie instead of reading a book. Now, it’s all about time management.
Thrash me later, pay heed to my words now. :-)
It was the tree and the flying car. See, I was already on the edge of my seat when they crashed the car into the tree, but then the tree started attacking the car! And they were trying to get out and one thing after another kept happening… It was wild and insane and I absolutely loved it.
I also learned from it.
Nothing and I mean nothing makes a person die to keep reading like tension. And the trick is to not let up. When one thing seems to be leveling out throw something else in there. Keep at it and keep at it.
I know. I know. You’re thinking the reader needs a break at some point. Okay, fine. Give them a break, but do it with humor. Do it with wit.
The very next chance you get to bombard them with a tension avalanche then please, please, do it. You’ll enjoy writing it as well, because it makes your heart race and gives you a natural high. We’re all junkies to that high, so don’t deny it. ;-)