How to improve your writing 1: suspense

I once asked my best friend what she liked best in a book. Her answer was..

Suspense.

Also known as a cliffhanger, suspense is typically described as not knowing what is going to happen next.

You can see where the term "Cliffhanger" got its name. Cliffhangers usually come at the end of chapters, but with discretion they can be used anywhere!

Let me introduce you to my fictional characters: Alynn the Irish refugee, and Humility her horse. They were running through the woods, but their fun ended abruptly. The scene follows:

Suddenly, Humility stopped and reared. Alynn fell off and watched as Humility ran away. A hand clapped over her mouth and pulled her into the brush. Alynn drew her axe....

Exciting, huh? You'll have to read my novel Where the Clouds Catch Fire as soon as it's published to find out what happens!

Basically, the entire plot line is based on suspense. The ending (according to Lee Roddy's book How to Write a Story) is revealed in the beginning in a trick called the Anticipated Catastrophic Event.

Ha just had to add that!

Basically, hint at the trouble to come long before it happens. Just be careful--don't give away too much, or too little and your reader won't be hooked.

Stay tuned for more writing tips! God bless you!