There’s an amazing quote from a Tom Clancey novel (Debt of Honour I think): “Days of fire and death start like any other....”.
A particularly timely thought this month as we look back ten years to an event that shook the world and, for the majority of people, happened on what started out like any other day. For the writer too, this truth is worth remembering because it is an important factor in how you manage the suspense and impact of large events in a story.
You make a decision to what extent the reader has a little bit more information then the characters about what is to come. There is no right or wrong, really, but the reader experience differs with the approaches you take.
The reader being aware that something terrible is approaching whilst the character is blissfully unaware does create a certain type of suspense. It engages the reader as a “third party” to the story - they are willing the character to “wake up” and see what to them is inevitable. It’s an effective technique and can make compelling reading.
The other is to give the reader as much forewarning as the character themselves. This approach is less about tension and more about impact. Events explode off the page with an immediacy that allows the reader direct empathy with the character and their emotions as they too face the unexpected.
There’s a middle approach too, of course. Give the reader just enough information to suspect something dramatic is imminent but not enough that they know what that might be! Create several potential scenarios - conflicting influences that may impact upon the characters for tension. Then have the thrill of the reveal when the characters are plunged into events and have to deal with them. Trying to build tension without sacrificing the direct empathy is quite a tough one to get right - but its a great challenge for any writer and if you nail it, you will blow the socks off your readers!
Outside of writing, I should add, the powerful truth of Clancey’s quote is that when you start each day, take some time for your loved ones. Keep in touch with family. Because you don’t really know today will be “just another day” do you?
A particularly timely thought this month as we look back ten years to an event that shook the world and, for the majority of people, happened on what started out like any other day. For the writer too, this truth is worth remembering because it is an important factor in how you manage the suspense and impact of large events in a story.
You make a decision to what extent the reader has a little bit more information then the characters about what is to come. There is no right or wrong, really, but the reader experience differs with the approaches you take.
The reader being aware that something terrible is approaching whilst the character is blissfully unaware does create a certain type of suspense. It engages the reader as a “third party” to the story - they are willing the character to “wake up” and see what to them is inevitable. It’s an effective technique and can make compelling reading.
The other is to give the reader as much forewarning as the character themselves. This approach is less about tension and more about impact. Events explode off the page with an immediacy that allows the reader direct empathy with the character and their emotions as they too face the unexpected.
There’s a middle approach too, of course. Give the reader just enough information to suspect something dramatic is imminent but not enough that they know what that might be! Create several potential scenarios - conflicting influences that may impact upon the characters for tension. Then have the thrill of the reveal when the characters are plunged into events and have to deal with them. Trying to build tension without sacrificing the direct empathy is quite a tough one to get right - but its a great challenge for any writer and if you nail it, you will blow the socks off your readers!
Outside of writing, I should add, the powerful truth of Clancey’s quote is that when you start each day, take some time for your loved ones. Keep in touch with family. Because you don’t really know today will be “just another day” do you?
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