Tightening the Screws: How to Build Tension in Fiction

In fiction, tension is what keeps readers hooked to your stories. It’s that feeling of anticipation, curiosity, or dread that makes someone keep turning pages. Whether it’s bubbling up inside your characters, sparking between two people (hello, unresolved sexual tension!), or clashing with some outside force—tension brings stories to life.

In this course, we’ll break down what tension is, how it works, and how to use it to get your readers emotionally invested. We’ll talk about everything from the small, subtle moments to big, dramatic conflicts—and how to make them all work for your story.

Each week, you will write or revise a tension-filled scene from a new or existing project, and receive feedback and encouragement from me and your classmates. 

Who Is This Course For

If you want to make your short stories, novels, or other fiction stories more gripping, this course is for you. Whether you’re just starting out or already working on your tenth project, we’ll all work together to help you level up your writing.

Learning and Writing Goals

Learning Goals

In this course, students will:

• Understand how tension—internal and external—can drive a story forward.
• Explore the ways pacing and tension affect the reader and shapes the reading experience.
• Use micro-tension to make any scene more engaging and add depth to characters.
• Dig deeper into characters’ motivation and conflicts to raise the stakes.
• Share scenes and critique each other’s work with the goal of intensifying tension.

Writing Goals

• Write or revise four scenes from a new or existing project that build tension and increase reader engagement. 
• Develop the skills and tools you need to build tension-driven scenes in future writing projects.

Zoom Schedule

This course will meet over Zoom in four ninety-minutes sessions, to take place Tuesday evenings, 6:00 PM Eastern Time, beginning March 25th. Individual Zoom consultations with instructor are available as requested.

Weekly Syllabus

Week One: The Anatomy of Tension

During the first class we’ll define tension and analyze passages from literature that masterfully illustrate how tension moves story. Internal vs external sources of tension will be explored. You’ll will be given a prompt to develop a scene that demonstrates these sources.

Week Two: Characters on the Edge

Tension starts with characters who really want something—and have a lot to lose. We’ll dive into your characters’ goals and explore how dialogue, body language, and even contradictions can show tension. You’ll write a dialogue scene and experiment with different ways to build the pressure.

Week Three: Micro-tension and Emotional Depth 

Tension isn’t just about big action—it’s in the little moments, too. We’ll explore how conflicting emotions within a character can add complexity and keep readers hooked. You’ll share a short scene (from your current project or something new), and we’ll work together to make it even stronger.

Week Four: Pacing, Setting, and Endings That Hook

The speed of your story and the mood of your scenes can make or break the tension. We’ll talk about how to use setting to heighten the stakes, and end chapters in a way that keeps readers wanting more.

$345.00 Original price was: $345.00.$295.00Current price is: $295.00.Enroll Now