Have you ever read a story and felt cheated by the end? Perhaps there was some tense situation, but it turned out to be nothing. Or maybe the protagonist’s lover died but then in the end you’re told the two faked the death so they could run away together. Most readers feel cheated when there is tension in the story that leads to nothing or is misleading. This is called false tension, and today I want to dig into what makes false tension and some alternatives that create better tension in stories.
False Tension
False tension is purposefully withholding information from readers without a good reason, hoping to get a reaction out of them. Every writer knows that getting an emotional reaction from readers is the best praise for a book. Because of this, often new writers try to get readers riled up by withholding information and making them think something awful happened. You will get an emotional reaction from readers by doing this, but not the kind you want. Most will be frustrated and give bad reviews of the book. Let’s look at the two main ways authors create false tension and how to fix each.
1. Making A Big Deal Out Of Nothing
Sometimes writers try to build tension by creating intense moments that don’t fit in the story. A popular example is the “it was all a dream” trope. The scene starts off in a life-or-death situation and by the end the character wakes up and realizes it was all a dream. This is one of the most frustrating experiences for readers. If they get invested in the character and what happens to her, the last thing they want is to be told all the danger wasn’t real. It’s false tension because it has no impact on the main story or the protagonist’s life. It’s all fake.
Instead of making an “exciting” scene to spice up a story, try to find ways to create tension in what already exists. Authors can still make a big deal of something that turns out to be nothing as long as it impacts the story. For instance, if a protagonist is being chased by a killer, she can be hiding in a house and hear footsteps in the hall. Then, when the footsteps grow closer, it’s revealed to be only her brother who followed her. The tension is released without leading to anything big, but it connects back to the fact that a killer is after her. Now that her brother is with her, will she be safe or will they both die? The surprise release of tension has weight with the plot and the protagonist because a killer is still out there and the protagonist might have more to lose now that her brother is involved.
When creating tension, look for ways to create strain in your current story. If the tension and its outcome doesn’t have an impact on the plot and protagonist, then it shouldn’t be in the story.
2. Being Vague To Keep Readers In The Dark
Sometimes authors like to put twists in a story to shake up readers, but this can backfire if it is presented in the wrong way. These twists can be a loved one faking a death, a surprise change in the team’s plan, or a secret identity for the protagonist is revealed. Unexpected twists are fun for readers, but not if they are something the point of view character should know. For instance, if the protagonist is actually the general’s lost son and that’s not revealed until the end of the book, it feels like a cheat. We are in his head the whole story so why did he never once think or act in a way that would show us his secret identity. Now, if his best friend turned out to the be general’s lost son, then it’d feel genuine since we are not in that guy’s head.
Authors can withhold some information in a satisfying story. After all, how fun would a murder mystery be if we knew the murderer and his motives up front? But while withholding some information is okay, it doesn’t work if your point of view (POV) character should know those details. If a detective discovers a crucial clue to solve the mystery but doesn’t mention it for ten chapters, then it’ll feel like a cheat when it comes to light.
There are three ways to present a twist while keeping readers in the dark. Let the protagonist discover the reveals at the same time as the readers, let the reveals be about other characters whose POV we never see, or switch to other POV characters for a while until the reveal about that character is out in the open. Now, that last option only works if you have other POV characters all throughout your book. If the story is told in one POV until the last quarter of the book and then switches, it will also feel like a cheat. You must set the precedent of other perspectives before you need the switch.
When withholding information, ask yourself if your POV character knows the reveal before the readers do. If the answer is yes, make sure you have a good realistic reason for the delay. If you don’t, readers will feel cheated and may give the story a bad review.
Final Thoughts
Creating tension is fun, but it must affect the plot and protagonist and can’t be withheld information just to get a rise out of readers. If you’re looking for ways to create tension, think about how you can add possible negative consequences, contradictions, conflict between people, and internal turmoil for the protagonist. That last one is key. Readers will feel what the protagonist feels. If you show a character anxious, then readers will feel that tension too. Just remember, it all needs to have a real effect on the story.
Thanks for reading!
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