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“The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.” O. Wilde Writers want to engage their reader in a story, to make the book interesting. In order to do this authors build a sense of tension, or suspense. This is what the reader anticipates, wants to know, looks forward to. There are several major steps that will help you as a writer to create tension. Step 1: Create engaging and dynamic characters with opposing goals (protagonist – antagonist) Step 2: Choose a conflict that is important to your characters. Step 3: Create several peaks where tension is the highest. Step 4: Allow tension to ebb and flow: Don’t keep your reader in constant tension – let them breathe. Step 5: Keep making the reader ask questions: Uncertainty and the need to know are powerful storytelling tools. Step 6: Create tension both in characters’ inner lives and in the world around them. Step 7: Make sure there are multiple sources of tension (examples: sickness, the character gets into a serious car accident, social isolation, family is breaking up, school problems, grappling with an antagonist on different issues) Step 8: Make the story unfold in a shorter, more urgent space of time. 44
The Gold Bug (by E.A. Poe) Read and analyze the story with your partners. Use the skills box to see what steps were followed and how? Why do you think so? Many years ago, I met Mr. William Legrand. He was of an ancient family, and had once been wealthy; but a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid the further disasters, he left New Orleans, and took up his residence at Sullivan’s Island, near Charleston, South Carolina. This Island is a very singular one. It consists of little else than the sea sand, and is about three miles long. It is separated from the main land by a tiny creek, a favorite resort of the marsh-hen. The whole island is covered with a dense undergrowth of the sweet myrtle. The shrub here often attains the height of fifteen or twenty feet. Not far from the eastern or more remote end of the island, Legrand had built himself a small hut, which he occupied when I first, by mere accident, made his acquaintance. This soon turned into friendship. I found him well educated, with unusual powers of mind, and subject to perverse moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy. He had with him many books, but rarely employed them. His chief amusements were gunning and fishing, or walking along the beach in quest of shells. The winters in the latitude of Sullivan’s Island are seldom very severe, and in the fall of the year it is a rare event indeed when a fire is considered necessary. About the middle of October, 18th, there occurred, however, a day of remarkable chilliness. Just before sunset I scrambled my way to the hut of my friend. Upon reaching the hut I rapped, and getting no reply, sought for the key, unlocked the door and went in. A fine fire was blazing upon the hearth. It was a novelty, and by no means an ungrateful one. I took an arm-chair and awaited patiently the arrival of my hosts. Soon after dark they arrived, and gave me a most cordial welcome. Legrand was in one of his fits of enthusiasm. He had hunted down and secured a scarabaeus which he believed to be totally new, but in respect to which he wished to have my opinion tomorrow. “And why not to-night?” I asked, rubbing my hands over the blaze, and wishing the whole tribe of scarabaei at the devil. (full text is available at : http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/poe/gold_bug.html )
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