Thank you to Ryan McGuire and Pixaby for this image called “Argument>”
“To Add Tension, Use Short Sentences and Words” by Joan Y. Edwards
As a writer, the way your put your story together helps the reader get excited about your story. Where there is stress, anxiety, or tension, shorten your sentences and your words for the action.
If things are going smoothly and no change is in the wind, long sentences relax the reader. Don’t make them too long! Don’t make all the sentences the same length. You don’t want to put the reader to sleep or get bored. You want each sentence to add to the spark of your story.
Here are a few examples from books or movies to help you understand the use of short sentences to increase the tension, anxiety for your action.
1. Tomorrow Never Dies by Bruce Feirstein
Can you feature the humor that would come about with a James Bond movie with the script with a lot of long dialogue when James Bond is hanging in the air over a waterfall.
Instead of: “There has to be an easier way to earn
a living.” suppose he said,
“I’ve done a study of different occupations in the United States and Russia: teacher, policeman, cashier, football player, and doctor. One of them has to be an easier way to earn a living. “
2. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
“Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
The opening paragraphs of the book are short. A lot of friction going on because Fern’s father is planning to kill the runt of the litter of pigs. It would have been harder to read a long drawn out description of the pig, the farm, and of Fern, what she was wearing, etc.
3. Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale
Go to line 210 of script-
Marty’s afraid that Brown will be killed by the terrorists. Notice the short sentences and short words at the part where he’s going back to the future.
Marty says, “Oh No. I’m too late.”
4. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
In 1936 Margaret Mitchell wrote a history of the Civil War in Gone with the Wind
Scarlett O”Hara says, “Where shall I go?”
Rhett Butler says: Frankly, my dear. I don’t give a …..
5. Liar, Liar written by Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur
In each of the six examples above, the sentences and words are short to help create tension, and suspense in books or movies.
What are some of your favorite sentences or groups of sentences that give readers the full tension of the story because of their brevity in words or length?
Thank you to the people who left a comment and shared their writing.
For the Contest – However, no one posted a story about the woman hitting the man in the chin with the boxing glove.
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