The Elements of Suspense

All Stories Contain Certain Elements Plot Character Setting Dialogue Narrative

Suspense Anxiety or apprehension resulting from an uncertain, undecided, or mysterious situation Dictionary.com

In suspense there must be an unknown; a suspicion, a mystery, a danger we expect

Suspense (mystery, intrigue, tension) is built with: Facts Innuendo Atmosphere Action

Ways to deepen suspense… Dreams foreshadowing what may happen showing the character’s deepest fears, his haunting past

Ways to deepen suspense… Clues journals / diaries / letters / notes / pictures, etc. physical evidence that can be used to determine time of death, how, and where

Foreshadowing Foreshadowing: when an author mentions or hints at something that will happen later in the story FORE means ahead. A SHADOW is a glimpse of something without the complete details.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived with her mother Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived with her mother. Her mother asked her to take her old and lonely grandmother some food one day. "Don't stop along the way. Go straight to your Grandma's house and back. Don't talk to any strangers and watch out for the wolf in the woods! Now get along!" This is an example of foreshadowing. Little Red Riding Hood’s mother is warning her about the wolf in the woods, which hints at what may happen next.

Ways to deepen suspense… The Weather the season can match or contrast the characters’ emotional state

Ways to deepen suspense… The Senses the smell of blood, the stench of an alley the taste of fear reaction to finding a dead body the feel of blood-soaked clothing

Ways to deepen suspense… The Villain his/her motivations or intentions simple greed, jealousy, money the complicated serial killer mind

Ways to deepen suspense… Other characters plant red herrings shift suspicion onto them