Dancing Word Writers Workshop

with Gail Gaymer Martin

October 22, 2004

 

Hosted by: Anne McDonald

Dancing Word Publisher/Editor

*This chat has been edited for clarity.

Anne McDonald: Tonight's guest is the incomparable and versatile Gail Martin. Known  for   both her fiction and non-fiction, Gail has graciously agreed to share some of her secrets for writing romantic suspense.  Gail,  thanks  for  coming.  We'll  open  the  floor  to  questions.

Eileen: Ok, Gail, tell me the REAL secrets of making a suspense SUSPENSEFUL. I know what I like to read...how do I write it?

 

Anne McDonald: Good question

 

Gail Martin: That's the million dollar question.

 

Eileen: Ain't that the truth? Any wonderful pointers?

 

Gail Martin: A number of things enhance a suspense - setting, character and plot - naturally.

 

The setting can sometimes help to create a suspenseful feeling - even a place that is normally comfortable can become frightening in certain situations.

 

Think of a home on a stormy night when the lights go out. Think of a familiar street with a car broken down - and a strange car hanging around. So use setting - including weather to add suspense to a story.

 

Eileen: It was a dark and stormy night

 

Gail Martin: Right - the dark and stormy knight if it's historical.     anyway. Having characters with flaws is another way to create suspense. Give your characters phobias - fears of heights or fears of being in close places, and then put them in that situation. This also enhances a suspense.

 

Eileen: Now there's a thought.

 

Anne McDonald: A claustrophobic person stuck in a closet

 

Eileen: Eileen in an elevator

 

Gail Martin: Stranded in an elevator.

 

Plotting is naturally one of the major factors in a suspense. Two major methods of creating suspense is the Big Bang or the Jack in the Box. Anyway - the big bang is like the TV show " 24 hours."   The characters are in a spot with time running out. They need to solve the problem or the bomb will go off, the child will die without medication, etc. This is very effective.   I used this technique in Adam's Promise when the heroine is kidnapped.

 

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