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Summary: one of the keys to narrative is the promise. The promise comes in various forms, the simplest of which is desire. If a character desires something then the (implicit) promise is that he or she will act to fulfill that desire. (Or that some drama will arise out of not acting to fulfill that desire.)
A basic device for adding tension. This device has been used again and again by any number of writers. What is it? We could describe it as "delayed completion of a revelation". The protagonist learns something, but the reader only later learns what it is that the protagonist knows. Example:-
"He lifted up the lid of the chest. He saw what was inside. Now he understood. And was horrified."
The protagonist has obviously discovered something, but the reader does not yet know what.
Variants:-
A partly-revealed joke. The beginning of a joke is given in the text. We are told that the characters hear the punchline, and laugh. However, the punchline is not revealed to the reader at this point. The punchline is only revealed later in the text. (For example, a character will tell the joke again, this time with the punchline, or the punchline of the joke will drift into the character's head.)
Variation:-
Someone is stated as writing something down but what is written down is only revealed later in text, ditto someone sees something, ditto someone hears something, ditto someone recognises someone.
Something seen / heard / encountered returns later in text with greater force.
Revision tip:-
Go through the text and have and analyze it in terms of whether all is or is not revealed. Something which is half-revealed acts, in a way, as a promise of further revelation to come.
Remember, you must make good on that promise!
Somewhere, in one of his books, Lewis Carrol has a character pose the question "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" (Or maybe not a raven ... I am quoting here from an imperfect memory.) Carrol did not provide an answer to this joke in his text, so was pestered by readers until he finally came up with an answer.
(If you want the answer you can research it yourself ... see how annoying it is when the revelation is half-made but then the promise of complete revelation is not made good on?)
(Hint: Carrol's answer is a bit flat.)
Tensioning Elements
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