{"id":21958,"date":"2019-08-01T03:00:20","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T10:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=21958"},"modified":"2019-07-30T16:02:26","modified_gmt":"2019-07-30T23:02:26","slug":"creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Creating<\/a>Please welcome guest writer, C. S. Lakin, who shares about how to create tension in your fiction. Enjoy!<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/span><\/p>\n

Tension is created by lack.<\/strong> Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.<\/span><\/p>\n

Masterful writers keep their readers in a constant state of tension. And that\u2019s a good thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

But here\u2019s something to keep in mind: our characters may be tense, but that doesn\u2019t mean readers are tense in response. A character with a tightened fist or clenched jaw does not ensure readers will respond in the same way. And that might not even be the desired response a writer is hoping for.<\/span><\/p>\n

What the characters think, feel, and show must be carefully executed to evoke the desired emotional response in readers.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The tension we writers want to focus on most is the tension our readers feel. If we don\u2019t keep them in a state of expectation, they\u2019ll start nodding off, and next thing you know, our novel slips unread to the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tension on Every Page\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

That means getting tension on every page. How is that possible?<\/span><\/p>\n

By focusing on microtension.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just what is microtension? Just as the prefix suggests, it\u2019s tension on a micro level, or in small, barely noticeable increments. Your big plot twists and reversals and surprises are macro-tension items. And those have great potential for sparking emotional response in readers. But microtension is achieved on a line-by-line basis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Microtension is\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\n

For example, anytime a character has conflicting feelings, you have microtension. Microtension can be small, simmering, subtext, subtle. Even the choice of words or the turn of a phrase can produce microtension by its freshness or unexpected usage.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microtension is created by the element of surprise. When readers are surprised by the action in the scene, the reaction of characters, or their own emotional reactions, that is successful microtension at work.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sudden change in emotion can create tension.<\/strong> A character struggling between two opposite emotions creates tension. Odd contradictory emotions and reactions can create microtension.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microtension is created when things feel off, feel contradictory, seem puzzling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe that sounds crazy, but if characters are sitting around happy with nothing bothering them, you have a boring scene that readers will stop reading. Sure, at the end of your book, you might have that wonderful happy moment when it’s all wrapped up and the future, finally, looks bright, but that’s why the book ends there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use Inner Conflict to Create Microtension<\/span><\/h2>\n

At any given moment, we are feeling a number of different emotions, and they often clash. By going deep into your characters and drawing out that type of inner conflict as often as possible, you can bring microtension into your scenes. Yes, you will have outer conflict as well (hopefully a lot of it). But by adding the inner conflict, you can ramp up the microtension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Strive for the unexpected<\/span><\/h2>\n

Try to avoid common expressions we\u2019ve all heard before. Think past the obvious first emotion and find something deeper, something submerged and underlying the superficial emotion. Strive for the unexpected.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ramp up the Tension: 3 Ways to Add Microtension\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Here are three areas and ways you can add microtension to your scenes:<\/span><\/p>\n

#1 Dialogue:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Examine each line of dialogue. Take out boring and unnecessary words and trivial matters. Go for clever. Find a way to give each speaker a unique voice and style of speaking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Subtext can hint at what characters are really feeling below the surface, and that creates mystery.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Keep in mind the tension is in the relationship between the characters speaking, not in the information presented.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

#2 Action:<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This can be with any kind of action\u2014high or low. Even a gesture is action. So think how to make an action incongruous. What does that mean?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Real people are conflicted all the time. Real people are complex, inconsistent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So by having a character react in an incongruent manner<\/strong>, and having incongruent developments in the storyline, will add microtension.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have things happen and characters react in ways the reader does not expect. And, most importantly, show everything through the POV character\u2019s emotions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Action will not be tense unless the character is experiencing it and emotionally reacting to it.<\/span><\/p>\n

#3 Exposition:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Exposition is the prose, your writing. It is the way you explain what is happening as you show it. It includes internal monologue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Find ways to add those conflicted emotions and create dissonance. Show ideas at war with one another. Use word choices that feel contradictory. Find fresh, different ways to describe common things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Universal Feelings Resonate\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Remember, when you tap into universal feelings\u2014human experiences many share\u2014the thoughts and actions of a character will resonate. And when something resonates, such as in music when a sound wave causes a string to vibrate, it elicits a response.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The emotions readers feel when an author is a master at microtension are intrigue, curiosity, excitement, fascination, unease, and dread.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words<\/strong>, when you sense something coming around the corner and you don\u2019t know what it is, it triggers emotions. Depending on the story and genre, those might be fear, anguish, giddiness, mirth, terror, or titillation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If a writer masterfully creates microtension, she is going to get readers committed to her story and her characters, feeling tense all the way to the last line of the novel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Want to learn how to become a masterful wielder of emotion in your fiction?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Enroll in Lakin\u2019s new online video course, <\/span>Emotional Mastery for Fiction Writers<\/b>, <\/span>before September 1<\/b>st<\/b>, and get half off <\/span>using this link<\/b><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Emotional<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/span><\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"C.S.<\/a>C. S. Lakin is an editor, award-winning <\/span>blogger<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>author<\/span><\/a> of twenty novels and the Writer\u2019s Toolbox series of instructional books for novelists. She edits and critiques more than 200 manuscripts a year and teaches workshops and <\/span>boot camps<\/span><\/a> to help writers craft masterful novels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":21961,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[515],"tags":[3732,4020,4019,2703,4021],"class_list":["post-21958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guest-columnists","tag-c-s-lakin","tag-macro-tension","tag-microtension","tag-susanne-lakin","tag-writing-a-page-turner"],"yoast_head":"\nCreating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin · Writer's Fun Zone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin · Writer's Fun Zone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Writer's Fun Zone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-08-01T10:00:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@BethBarany\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@BethBarany\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Guest Contributor\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168\"},\"headline\":\"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-08-01T10:00:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1005,\"commentCount\":3,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/07\\\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png\",\"keywords\":[\"C.S.Lakin\",\"macro-tension\",\"microtension\",\"Susanne Lakin\",\"writing a page turner\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Guest Columnists\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/\",\"name\":\"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin · Writer's Fun Zone\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/07\\\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-08-01T10:00:20+00:00\",\"description\":\"Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/07\\\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/07\\\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png\",\"width\":600,\"height\":600},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2019\\\/08\\\/01\\\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Writer's Fun Zone\",\"description\":\"where we go to the edge to play and become better writers\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Beth Barany Productions\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/05\\\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/05\\\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":246,\"caption\":\"Beth Barany Productions\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/bethbarany\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/BethBarany\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/bethbarany\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/c\\\/BethBarany\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/bethbarany\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168\",\"name\":\"Guest Contributor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Guest Contributor\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/guest-contributor\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin · Writer's Fun Zone","description":"Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin · Writer's Fun Zone","og_description":"Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.","og_url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/","og_site_name":"Writer's Fun Zone","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\/","article_published_time":"2019-08-01T10:00:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":600,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Guest Contributor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@BethBarany","twitter_site":"@BethBarany","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Guest Contributor","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/"},"author":{"name":"Guest Contributor","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168"},"headline":"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin","datePublished":"2019-08-01T10:00:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/"},"wordCount":1005,"commentCount":3,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png","keywords":["C.S.Lakin","macro-tension","microtension","Susanne Lakin","writing a page turner"],"articleSection":["Guest Columnists"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/","name":"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin · Writer's Fun Zone","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png","datePublished":"2019-08-01T10:00:20+00:00","description":"Tension is created by lack. Lack of understanding, lack of closure, lack of equilibrium or peace. When your readers have questions, that creates tension. When they need to know what happens next, that is tension.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Creating-Tension-at-the-Micro-Level.png","width":600,"height":600},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/01\/creating-tension-at-the-micro-level-by-c-s-lakin\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Creating Tension at the Micro Level by C. S. Lakin"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/","name":"Writer's Fun Zone","description":"where we go to the edge to play and become better writers","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Beth Barany Productions","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg","width":1024,"height":246,"caption":"Beth Barany Productions"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\/","https:\/\/x.com\/BethBarany","http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bethbarany\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/BethBarany","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bethbarany\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168","name":"Guest Contributor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Guest Contributor"},"url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/author\/guest-contributor\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21958"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21962,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958\/revisions\/21962"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}