Creating Suspense

Suspense A feeling of ___________ or ____________ created by an author to keep readers ________________ about the ____________ of events.

Suspense A “suspending” of our _______________. We know something is about to happen, we just don’t know __________ or __________.

Suspense The _____________ the writer keeps the reader guessing, the _____________ the suspense.

Techniques for Creating Suspense

Foreshadowing A ________________ about what is to happen ______________ in a story.

Foreshadowing The use of foreshadowing allows a reader to ________________ what might happen later in a story.

Use of Sensory Details This allows the reader to _________________, _________________, _________________, _________________, _________________, and _________________ the _________________ or _________________ being described.

Use of Sensory Details Helps the reader to create ________________ ________________ and to feel as if he is part of the ________________ in the story.

Diction Diction = an author’s _______________ Authors choose _______________, _______________, ______________ words to clarify information for the reader Examples may include the use of ____________ and ____________. Single words or phrases can sometimes act as ______________

Diction Use of words with a __________________ __________________ allows the reader to connect ___________________ with prior knowledge and experience. Strong connotations force the reader to _________________ connect with the ________________.

Describing Action as if Happening in “Slow Motion” Suspense does not rush from ________________ to ______________, but lingers over the most ________________ details of each event.

Describing Action as if Happening in “Slow Motion” This allows the reader to “___________ _________” or ______________ on each detail one at a time.

First Person Point of View This allows the reader to see the action as it happens through the eyes of the _______________ _________________ the events.

First Person Point of View Terrible events are likely to be ______________ _______________ if described by the person experiencing them rather than a _________________ narrator. The writer ___________________ let the reader know anything before the narrator does.

Omitting (Leaving Out) Important Information This can act as a __________ _____________, thus preventing the reader from predicting the ________________ of the story’s events and creating a ________________ ending.

Omitting Important Information Omitting __________________ and _________________ details forces the reader to use his/her _______________. This often results in a scene far more ________________ than an author could have described in words.

Dramatic Irony Dramatic irony occurs when the reader ______________ something that characters _______________ know.

Dramatic Irony This creates nervous anticipation in the reader, knowing _________________ will happen, but not _________________ it will happen.

Setting Certain _________________ are associated with certain ____________________. Example: deserted alleyway with broken streetlamps ---- danger; dread

Setting Authors rely on the reader’s prior ____________________ and _________________ to choose and develop settings that evoke the desired ________________ the author hopes to create.