Keeping Readers Hooked: Mastering a Two-Tier Tension Method with Alex Kenna

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EPISODE INFO:
I firmly believe that quality thrillers, mystery, suspense, and crime fiction use this technique where there’s tension in the main plot (or what I call the professional plot).

This is the dead body or missing person plot line that is omnipresent in these genres.

But the thing that differentiates really great stories is that there’s also this running tension in the main character’s personal life that makes them feel more real.

This has to be done well, though. And that’s what we’re talking about today.

In this episode, you’ll learn about how Alex balanced the personal and professional tension in her story, and how she developed the kind of backstory necessary to keep that tension high and keep readers on the edge of their seats throughout the entirety of her novel.

That way you’ll be able to apply it to your story.

BIO:
Alex Kenna is a mystery writer, prosecutor, and amateur painter based in Los Angeles. Her first novel, WHAT MEETS THE EYE, was a 2023 Shamus Award Finalist for best first P.I. novel. Her second novel, BURN THIS NIGHT, is coming November 2024.

Tweet me @DavidRGwyn