Finding the tension in a story

In the thriller genre there are some stories that shout and some that whisper. Both are building tension for the reader, but in different ways. I’ve always been drawn to the less obvious sources of tension—where unease gathers slowly, storm clouds gathering, the prickle on the back of the neck.

I’ve been keeping this idea in mind while I’ve been reading this month. In Orpheus Nine, the tension doesn’t come from spectacle. While the story is big, I found the tension in the quiet moments: the things the characters didn’t say, a question avoided or a truth hidden. I’ve found myself thinking about these parts of Orpheus Nine long after I finished.

While I’ve been incorporating beta reader feedback and doing my own edits in April, I have been trying to heighten tension in the silence between the action. What isn’t being said? What is a character trying not to feel? What is someone trying to hide from themselves and others? I think that good thriller tension lives in those spaces.

The discipline of restraint, trusting the reader, and letting the emotional weight accumulate. It’s an exercise in patience.

This month, I’ve been paying attention to the subtle shifts in my own scenes. The breath before the reveal. The hesitation before the truth. Sharpening these moments will create the biggest impact.