The Writer's Corner: Plotting!

I love a good plot. One that makes you gasp out loud. One where you say, "Whoa, I never saw that coming." As  a reader, that's my favorite kind of book. As a writer, it's the goal to which I aspire. Of course, the best stories are a combination of the Holy Trinity: Plot, Character and Setting. One doesn't exist without the other. What affects one, affects the other. But a better understanding of all three elements individually, helps us weave them together to create the whole.

So, as writers how do we create a plot that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, turning the pages because they HAVE TO KNOW what happens next? There are many layers to plotting so today we're going to talk about keeping the reader engaged enough to keep turning the pages.

One aspect of plotting is profluence.  The plot must always be forward-moving. Every sentence, every scene must have value and contribute to revealing new details of the story. As they say, we must kill our darlings if they don't move things forward.

But Donald Maass, says something in THE FIRE IN FICTION, that I think cracks the nut on keeping your reader engaged:

"Holding reader's attention every word of the way is not a function of the type of novel, or a good premise, tight writing, quick pace, showing not telling, or any of the other frequently taught principles of storytelling.  Keeping readers constantly in your grip comes from the steady application of something else altogether:  Micro-tension.

Micro-tension is the moment-by-moment tension that keeps the reader in a constant state of suspense over what will happen, not in the story, but in the next few seconds."

So, how do we create micro-tension?  Here's what he says:

"Micro-tension has its basis not in story circumstances or in words: It comes from emotions and not just any old emotions but conflicting emotions."

Contentment and guilt, peace and torment, relief and worry - these are conflicting emotions and what makes them powerful? When they are viewed simultaneously from inside our point-of-view character.  Maass says: "As readers, we unconsciously want this conflict resolved so the dichotomy causes us to continue reading to see what will happen."

As a writer, this makes me want to shout 'Eureka!' THIS makes sense.  What do you think? What are the elements that make one book a page-turner over another for you?

~Kiki