Comments on: Wherefore Art Thou Tension?

By: Joanne Cleary

Joanne Cleary — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:29:27 +0000

Hmm, I failed in my very first chapter to have enough tension in there! Just hoping I have edited it to show the conflict that there’s under the surface otherwise I will be getting a swift ‘no thanks’ in the MH comp 🙁

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:05:40 +0000

Margie – that’s fantastic advice. And incredibly appropriate for my ms at the moment. Think I might write that down. Thanks for your comment, really appreciate the input!

By: Margie S

Margie S — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:01:37 +0000

Jackie, thanks, I'm really enjoying your blog.
When you mentioned torture, my gaze immediately lifted to a sign above my desk-
Make them WANT
Make them WORRY
Make them WAIT
Don't know where it came from, but it's great 'torturing' advice! ms

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:31:04 +0000

Kaily – too true. Or we leave their barriers conveniently by the door too much, when in fact those barriers should be there the whole way.

Lorraine – oh yes indeed. Not enough character torture going on here. 😉

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:09:28 +0000

You can definitely do it, I have faith in you, I know how much you like to torture your characters for a start… 🙂

By: Kaily Hart

Kaily Hart — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:13:05 +0000

I think sometimes we get caught up in the path to their happiness (at least I know I do) that we forget about the fact that they need to fight for it and want it above everything else despite the barriers. I had the same issue with my current ms. I guess I’m always eager to get them there as quickly as possible. The beauty though is that you recognize it and at such an early state!

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:26:12 +0000

I hope it’s there, Maisey. 🙂 Nah, it is. Just getting bogged down in how to put it in! Action as Michelle S keeps telling me. But what action I ask myself??

By: Maisey

Maisey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:30:38 +0000

Ah! Tension!

Kudos to you for seeing right away what needed to be done though! I hate that feeling, you want this big black moment and instead it's just all kinda...gray.

The good thing is, the conflict is there, and you know it.

Best of luck on the tweaking!

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:28:29 +0000

Caroline, yep, it’s a problem eh? Bringing it back to the conflict is the answer I suspect. What’s keeping them apart? What can you do to make it worse for them? I made my heroine talk about something that my hero doesn’t want to talk about. That certainly upped the tension in that particular scene.

By: Caroline Storer

Caroline Storer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:27:32 +0000

Snap! I’ve hit a sagging middle – with no tension whatsoever. Need to get out of the kitchen asap. How? Dunno. Need to sleep on it overnight – a night thinking about it, and I will hopefully come up with something! Fingers crossed. Take care. Caroline x