Micro-Tensions

Maass, Donald. The Fire in Fiction. Writer’s Digest Books, 2009.

Microtension Moment by moment tension - constant state of suspense. Not central conflict, not stakes of the scene, not merely action.

Microtension = Conflicting Emotions

PARTS OF FICTION

• Setting
• Travel
• Description
• Exposition
• Backstory
• Dialogue
• Aftermath
• Action
• Interior

HOW TO INSERT MICROTENSION TO EACH PART

Dialogue/Exposition (Explaining complex systems, technical jargon, interwoven relationships, past history… which could be a dull info-dump).

• Conversation partner doubts the facts, skeptical of it, accuses them of lying. Question isn’t whether they’ll settle the logic, but will debators reconcile?
• Inner conflict of POV character. Should they defend the accusations? Should they reveal this info at this time? What harm or who will this hurt if they reveal it?
• Friendly disagreement between allies. Disagree on methods, values, choices, how to go about things, who to talk to, the order of operations.

Action/Violence/Sex (if stricly visual, flat. Objective description is boring, you must insert micro-tension).

• Disbelief at what’s in front of them
• Deciding to reveal/admit/confess/accept/reject something during the action and struggling with it until action is complete and they decide.
• Indecision, guilt, or shame about something they don’t want to deal with during this action sequence. Fear of consequences if revealed.

Interior POV/Emotion (don’t reiterate what reader already felt/thought. Show conflicting emotions).

• Unique POV of a specialist/expert in action and what they consider, why, how they weigh their decisions.
• Conflicting emotions about an accomplishment. Doubt about a success, anxiety over a decision where results are not in yet
• Uncertainty/indecision over difficult choices
• Insecurity at inadequecy
• Struggling between anger & forgiveness, feelings vs doing “the right thing”, holding on vs. letting go. Dilemmas. Opposing impulses.

Setting/Travel/Description. Don’t linger on this unless…

• Seed doubt of the setting via an unreliable narrator
• Metaphor for characters’ flaws: ego, fear, insecurities, anxieties, worries, judgment.
• Have character offer their opinion, thoughts, memories, observations, and emotions on the place… how their eyes color what they see

Backstory. Do it as it’s relevant to the plot via a struggle of conflicting emotions about the subject. Create inner tension

Aftermath. Cut if you can. If you keep it, you better have a difficult decision or conflicting emotions about what just happened that agonizes your POV character over what to do next.

Foreshadowing. Anticipation, shift of emotion,