Since I write horromance, the suspense ends up woven throughout the whole manuscript, even the meet-cute! It's twined into the foreshadowing, into sneaky "this isn't right" points during seemingly normal convos, & into subplots that bear very tingly fruit.

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Tension can be an element of suspense, but refers only to a point of narrative conflict where the character's desire conflicts with a competing desire, such as the desire of another character, the stakes of the plot, or the desire of the reader/author

Sexual tension is a classic example #Sustember

Suspense is a tone of fear, of uncertainty, of increasing tension, paranoia, dread, and suspicion. It can be achieved not only through plot elements (mystery, action, horror), but also through narrative, rhetoric, and language (POV, pacing changes, repetition, callbacks, etc.)

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#Sustember: IMO suspense is a tone, not a narrative device, and therefore it's generally woven through a work, and comprised of various elements

Tension is a narrative device that is not married to the suspense tone and can be deployed at various points in the plot without changing the overall tone

It really depends on the plot. I like it when the suspense builds gradually, but sometimes I also fancy starting with a bang, like in a James Bond movie, and then building the suspense from zero again. That's what I did in Trapped in Amber and my actual WIP
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I like suspense in quiet scenes, when one small detail sits beneath the surface and feels wrong before anyone knows why. The danger doesn’t need to be present right away; readers should feel it gathering like a tide against a breakwater.

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I like an on best off beat kinda rhythm - don't let it fade, don't make it omnipresent. My utter favourite time however is retroactively. Use a gentle reveal to show that there's been a bomb under the table all this time ^^

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It happens whenever my characters show me, so it's absolutely a surprise to me too. 😁

A little bit here, a bit there. Resist is notorious for this.

Awe are they resting and have a reprieve? Here, let me mess that up for you.
There is a reason Rollan is seconds from losing his shit throughout the story.

It is also why I LOVE unreliable narration. Even in 3rd.
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#Sustember Sept 7

I like there to be suspense when you least expect it, like in The Rocking Horse Winner. I especially like suspense when characters are alone. That's when they are most vulnerable and prone to making mistakes or seeing/hearing things that aren't there. Or are they? 🫢

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My particularly favorite moment to introduce suspense is one where everything seems very fine and normal. Call it my horror obsession, but I love taking a satisfied moment and unraveling it 😂

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I like to think I sprinkle it in like seasoning but I do have POTS and am heavy handed with the salt…
In Thawing the Line it simmers nicely before the big reveal for Lunaris but in Permafrost Heart it’s like a pressure cooker for Amon.

My own #Sustember reply -- I think my favorite time to add suspense is probably when a character is already stressed, because it adds to the emotions surrounding the tension.

#Sustember Day 7 - What is your favorite time to add suspense to your writing?

Right before a major reveal? Woven throughout the whole manuscript? Between moments of cozy distraction? Tell us!

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Crafting suspense is definitely a learned skill. At this point, I've drafted 4 books (3 of which have been through all the editing stages) and numerous short stories, so I feel like it's easier for me to build in now. But it does get enhanced and amplified as I edit.

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Writing around a mystery is part of my process. The mystery comes naturally; what I have to work hard on are the aspects surrounding it. My browsing history can range from history to forensics, including the manufacture of explosives. It'd get the FBI on my tail if I lived in the U.S.
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I think this is genre dependent. I suspect I am better at drawing out suspense in romance and comedy than I am in mystery or thrillers for example. So in the latter genres, I'd need to revise, finesse, and revise again to get it right. Whereas the others might come easier to me

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I'd say it comes more naturally in my The Sarcophagus of Lamia novelettes as the scenes paint themselves in those books.

Because of how big the books are and the amount of moving parts in my Sigils books, I need to plan the suspense more.

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Snippet from Sigils of the Abyss (Book 3)

CW and context: Everyone in this scene is in the afterlife and it includes children, but there's nothing gory or even context for how they died. They're playing in Sanctuary City's Playground District.

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