Suspense, conflict, and tension are the engines that drive your story. Without them, you can have the most engaging characters in the world, and your scenes might still fall flat.

It’s easy to confuse the three, or to think that suspense only belongs in your story if, for instance, you’re writing mysteries or thrillers. But the truth is that every story needs suspense, in one way or another, to keep the reader wondering what will happen next—and every story leans heavily on conflict and tension to keep our hearts pounding as we wait to have our questions answered.

This handout, free of charge with a subscription to my newsletter, will give you the insights you need to keep readers on the edge of their seats, desperate to know what happens next.