Wisdom from a Writing Conference: Elements of Suspense

Rachelle J. Christensen presented on the elements of suspense at the LDSStoryMakers conference:

What I Learned:

There always has to be suspense. The stakes must be hide. The reader must have a questions - that keeps them reading.

I often think of when I was younger. I would be reading late at night when I should be sleeping. I would say to myself - one more chapter then I will go to bed. But then the chapter would end with such a feeling of suspense I had to read one more. I want to be able to write like that.

How I Plan to Apply It:

When plotting I will make sure that I have a clear questions/goal/problem that drives the story forward. During the second draft I will make sure that each chapter has the tension necessary to keep the reader interested.

Write. Be. - Looking Back

Write. Be.

Do you ever read over the work you wrote yesterday, or a week ago and say to yourself - "This is terrible!"

Well, that happens to me a lot. Then I remember the good old days in elementary and high school when my creative writing teachers praised me work. One time I even started wondering if my writing had gotten worse of the years.

So... I dug out some of the stories that I wrote around that time and read over them. Um... yeah... those were terrible. I mean really terrible. Of course - for a ten year old just starting out in writing they were good.

Then I went back and read that stuff I wrote the day before and I was astounded by how much better it was. Publishing worthy it may not be - but I my writing skills have improved.

So whenever you are feeling discouraged - look back at some of your older work and compare it to what you are writing now. Even if your writing isn't perfect - at least you are getting better.