tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745106208784163968.post4180020567873032826..comments2023-08-23T02:07:48.485-07:00Comments on The Write Blocks: Suspense BlockUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745106208784163968.post-31420013623592939072007-09-23T21:27:00.000-07:002007-09-23T21:27:00.000-07:00Rhonda,Good job of explaining the difference. Myst...Rhonda,<BR/>Good job of explaining the difference. Mysteries will sometimes have an element of suspense, which is why the two genres can get confused in people's minds.Cindy Beck, authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915624341543651886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745106208784163968.post-75345533720094381382007-09-20T23:07:00.000-07:002007-09-20T23:07:00.000-07:00I've never read about the differences before.Thank...I've never read about the differences before.<BR/><BR/>Thank you.Anna Maria Junushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14589846694967185982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745106208784163968.post-71334804974566051172007-09-20T10:36:00.000-07:002007-09-20T10:36:00.000-07:00This blog is a form of suspense!And I loved it -- ...This blog is a form of suspense!<BR/><BR/>And I loved it -- thanks!Tristi Pinkstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12122250747480013804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745106208784163968.post-69126392525106209782007-09-19T17:28:00.000-07:002007-09-19T17:28:00.000-07:00Andy, thanks for your comments. Yes, you're right ...Andy, thanks for your comments. Yes, you're right about "suspense" equalling what the reader feels/dreads about the protagonists actions. What I meant to say in my blog, however (and it looks like I didn't clarify this), was the "fairy-tale structure" is how the plot of a suspense vs. mystery book is organized. Sorry for the confusion.Ronda Gibb Hinrichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03504581218342122865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-745106208784163968.post-73944495652634206982007-09-19T09:45:00.000-07:002007-09-19T09:45:00.000-07:00I've never thought of suspense having its backgrou...I've never thought of suspense having its background in fairy-tales, and to be honest, I don't think that explains it well. It's not about the protagonist maturing, its about the reader fearing that the protagonist will fail.<BR/><BR/>Suspense is achieved when the reader cares about the stakes for the protagonist. The character is brought to a climax and can either fail or win. The more drastic the difference between failure and achievement (for example, if failure means death but achievement means saving the world) the more suspense is created as the reader wonders which one will end up on top.<BR/><BR/>One tool to create this suspense is to drag out the climax. "Milk the suspense" so to say. Add the emotions so that the reader can feel the stress. Have the situation change so that it looks like one outcome will come out, then its the other, then its back again. Leave the reader writhing in agony because they so desperately want to win, but don't know if they can.<BR/><BR/>That's just my two cents. It may not be worth much, since its based on my own limited experience, but its what I try to do in my stories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com