Tips for Writing Suspense

I have written the first thriller in what I hope evolves into a series that stands the test of time. As I approach the climactic finish line of the second book I find myself in the unenviable position of trying to create a nail-biting roller coaster ride that does not end in a calamitous train wreck.

To that end I once again took some time to review the techniques I use to create suspense. I know there are many books and even more websites that will give you comprehensive writing advice but these are the elements that I try to keep front and center in my mind as I write a first draft.

1) Read a ton of suspense and thriller books. There is nothing like the power of osmosis to help you gain a feel for what makes a suspense filled scene. I have read hundreds if not thousands of suspense novels since I first learned how to read - starting with the incomparable Nancy Drew. The lessons I've learned have proved invaluable.

2) Make sure your protagonist is strong enough to carry the book without being a cliche. Try to stay away from square jawed hero cops with hearts of gold who can kick ass with the best of them, disarm a nuclear device without breaking a sweat and have gorgeous women hanging off them in droves. *yawn...boring!*  A truly interesting protagonist will be a complex person with a mix of flaws, foibles and strengths.

3) Take that flawed character and thrown him or her into a brand new situation then sit back and see what happens. That initial challenge MUST be thrilling enough that readers simply have to know what happens.

4) Don't use a cliff-hanger at the end of every chapter. A couple of times is okay but if you over-do this technique the reader gets bored if not down right irritated.

5) Throughout the book mention little things that the reader thinks might come back to haunt the protagonist later in the book. For example, the letter that slips down behind the dresser, the loaded gun in the closet, the laundry chute just big enough for a small girl. Nothing keeps the tension ratcheted up like the thought that the poor little toddler might be thrown down the chute into the dank basement where a nest of giant spiders wait patiently, fangs dripping with poison.

6) Throw in the odd red herring just to keep things interesting for the reader. For example, mention in passing that a person of interest wanted in the crime went to university at the University of Arizona then make one of the victims a former resident of Arizona. In the end this connection amounts to nothing but it serves to get the reader rushing down the wrong path.

7) Ensure the action flows up and down in intensity. I once read a book where every scene was mind bending action full of nail-biting tension. I never had a chance to catch my breath. I didn't finish the book.

8) Reading about a bunch of cardboard cutouts no matter how suspenseful the plot leaves me flat. Make sure to spend as least as much time on character development as you do on plot.

9) As the novel approaches the climax I make use of a shorter scene structure. Each scene must tell a story, with a beginning, a middle and an end but as the final disaster looms I make these little scenes short and choppy, like a terrified child unable to catch her breath as the spiders attack.

If you follow these suggestions, the reader will be swept away by your story, aware only of the sound of the pages turning faster and faster and faster....