Between the very sentences of page-turning stories thrums an element that pulls you on without your notice, beckoning you forward with an outstretched finger, your heart beating all the while. Without this element, even the most well crafted characters and compelling plots would fall flat. In a word: tension. Page-turning stories thrive on this element of the craft like lungs do air.

Tension in novels, stories, and even memoirs, is like the connective tissue that allows muscles to attach to bones, and thus flex their might. It's the heart of conflict, the backbone of uncertainty, the hallmark of danger. It keeps readers guessing, and characters on their toes. When you've got tension in place, stories leave readers breathless and wanting more. When it's missing, scenes feel inconsequential, plots drag, and characters meander.

Learning the craft of writing can sometimes feel like a paint by numbers approach--connect compelling character A to plot event B. To avoid writing that's formulaic, predictable, and slow, this book will help readers sew the threads of tension tight for an unforgettable story.

While this book walks you through the obvious areas that need tension building, from character to plot, it also delves deeper, to the subterranean places in a story where tension is often lacking: into the inner conflicts of a character's deepest psyche, to the breath beats between the very words you write, to the mechanics of how you reveal information to the reader.