Creating Tension in Fiction: How to Keep Readers Leaning In

Whether you're writing a sweeping family saga, a quiet literary novel, or a pulse-pounding thriller, tension is the heartbeat of your story. It’s what keeps readers emotionally invested, turning pages, and holding their breath even when the stakes aren’t life or death.

But tension isn’t just about cliffhangers or dramatic twists. It’s about crafting moments of uncertainty, emotional friction, and anticipation that make your characters — and your readers — feel something deeply.

Let’s explore how to build tension in fiction through character dynamics, setting, and dialogue, with examples and tips you can apply right away.

Create tension in your plot with professional developmental editing services.

Why Tension Matters in Every Genre

Tension creates emotional connection. It’s the feeling that something could go wrong or that something important is at stake. Even in genres like romance, historical fiction, or literary drama, tension is what makes readers care.

• In Pride and Prejudice, tension simmers in every misunderstanding between Elizabeth and Darcy.

• In The Night Circus, the magical competition builds romantic and existential tension.

• In We All Want Impossible Things, emotional stakes unfold through tender, aching moments of humor and quiet dread as two best friends navigate the heartbreak of impending loss.

  
  

Tension makes readers feel, and that’s what keeps them reading.

Tension Between Characters

Character-driven tension is often the most powerful. It arises from:

• Conflicting goals or values  

  • Example: In Ready Player One, Wade and IOI want the same prize, but for radically different reasons (i.e. freedom vs. control).

• Unspoken emotions or secrets  

  • Tip: Let characters hide something important. The reader knows, but the other character doesn’t. Instant tension.

• Power imbalances  

  • Example: A mentor withholding approval, a parent with rigid expectations, or a friend who’s emotionally unavailable.

  
  

Try this: Write a scene where two characters want the same thing but for different reasons. Let their values clash subtly in dialogue or body language.

Environmental & Situational Tension

Your setting can be a source of tension too. Think of it as a character with its own mood and stakes.

• Ticking clocks  

  • Example: A character has one hour to make a decision that could change everything. Racing the clock is a great way to create situational tension.

• Claustrophobic or unfamiliar spaces  

  • Tip: Use sensory details (i.e. flickering lights, muffled sounds, stale air) to heighten discomfort.

• Symbolic tension  

  • Example: In The Hunger Games, the reaping ceremony is a quiet, ritualistic moment loaded with dread.

    
    

Try this: Place your character in a setting that reflects their internal conflict. A crowded room when they feel isolated. A quiet forest when they’re overwhelmed.

Professional developmental editing and coaching services for character development.

Tension in Dialogue

Dialogue is a goldmine for tension — especially when characters don’t say what they mean.

• Subtext  

  • Tip: Let characters speak around the truth. What’s left unsaid is often more powerful.

• Interruptions and pacing  

  • Example: Short, clipped sentences can signal urgency or discomfort. Long pauses can build dread.

• Mismatched emotional tones  

  • Tip: One character is joking; the other is serious. That disconnect creates friction.

    
    

Try this: Rewrite a calm conversation with one character hiding something. Use body language, fragmented speech, or a sudden change in tone to hint at the tension.

Quick Tips to Build Tension

• Start scenes in the middle of a dilemma: skip the setup.

• Create a “no-win” scenario: Put your character in a situation where every choice has a cost. The tension comes from watching them wrestle with impossible decisions.

• Let tension ebb and flow: quiet moments make the intense ones hit harder.

• Raise emotional stakes: What does your character stand to lose?

  
  

Final Thoughts

Tension isn’t just for thrillers — it’s for every story that wants to move readers. It’s the quiet dread before a confession, the charged silence between two people who love each other but can’t say it, the moment a character realizes they’re about to change. Lean into the discomfort. Let your characters squirm. Let your readers wonder. That’s where the magic lives.

From my written world to yours. <3