“The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
Good storytelling tends to rely heavily on tension. Dramatic tension between characters, a ticking clock, whatever the device may be, stories are built on tension. Elements of storytelling like pacing, mystery, character development can help create the tension. Even in non-fiction and other forms, tension is a top reason we keep reading.
In my recent flash fiction, “Square,” the story is stripped down to almost no plot. The underlying plot remains a mystery but the dramatic tension is palpable (hopefully). Read “SQUARE” for Free at Every Day Fiction
READ AN EXCERPT:
The old man sat back in a wicker armchair with his drink. He took the cigar out of his mouth, plugged it and lit it. It took a very long time. There was a wicker coffee table with a glass top. Dave put his drink down so he could transfer the bag to his other shoulder.
The old man looked at the bag for the first time and said, “Is that what it better be?”
Dave nodded.
The old man considered Dave’s hands and face. He asked, “Trouble getting it?”
Dave said, “Not too much.”
The old man grinned at the words. He watched Dave through the smoke of his cigar. Then he looked beyond Dave’s right shoulder and spoke with a slightly raised voice.
He said, “Chucky.”
Praise for “Square”
**4.3 Stars on Every Day Fiction **
“Got a nice shiver out of this one.”
Carl Robinette 
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