I'm going to give you some tips on how to create suspense in your novel. I don't mean that you have to be writing a suspense novel, such as Mary Higgins Clark, but every novel needs to keep the reader in suspense on many levels. We want the reader to keep turning those pages, and maybe even lose sleep in order to finish your book. I'll start with a few tips that I've learned from others, and from experience.
1. "Make them laugh, make them cry, make them wait." LaVyrle Spencer
2. Every character should have a secret.
3. "When stuck, use a letter or phone call to generate new tension."
Phyllis Whitney
4. "Resolve mystery or crime first, emotional resolution last for reader satisfaction." Mary Higgins Clark
5. Split up some scenes to create the most tension; move to another setting and leave the reader with an unsettled feeling, wondering what's happening.
More tips soon...
