How writers create suspense

Setting

A dangerous environment will create immediate tension

Expectation

Building tension through what others expect of the main character. How do those expectations stress the character out

Disaster

Can be big or small

Hidden Thoughts

Characters don't reveal their thoughts and readers are for ed to infer them, wondering if they're right or not

Distance

Creating space betwen the character and his goal, such ad an urgent need to reach a far-away destination. Ending chapters or sections with an emphasis on worries.

Main character flaw

Ex: someone cant tolerate being called coward reader worried if calked coward what will he do

Small wins, small losses

Fell more suspense when writer uses instead of s big one

Withholding Information

From the readers (dont tell everything about characters back story), from the main characters (that the readers know), and from each other (characters hide info from each other).

Getting personal

Its not just the protagonist gets kidnapped its the protagonists son who does the kidnapping

Time

Making pressure lon by using s ticking clock device. There needs to be a destination in the future that is looming. Worried thoughts can also work to help emphasize the time. The writer poses some sort of dramatic "question" grom the get-go and delays the answer for nearly the whole story.

Pressure

Protagonist is operating under insurmountable odds

Secondary character flaw

Same as main character flaw

Thoughts

Shoeing the tension characters are feeling through their thoughts

Loss

Something is lost and the main character thinks its necessary the tension comes from the fact that they must get it back

Changing focus

Varying the pace by zooming in on different aspects

A test

When the character is faced with sone sort of test. Even better: when the writer lets the character feel like they've passed the test and then pulls the rug out from under neath

Separation

When the main character is physically separated from the problem. Also a focus on what the villain is doing while main character is away

Foresight

When the reader has a lofty viewpoint they are able to see the two trains barreling towards each other on the same track the tension grows as the distance closes

Isolation

When there is danger around the main character and he is also isolated

Red Herring

Writer introduces something that misleads or distracts from a relevant issue - false clue