Keeping up the tension/suspense in slow scenes

[Kamikaze]

So I'm working on a new script and I'm really worried that this is going to be a snoozer of a story. It's set in the down time after a LOT of action, and I'm trying to figure out how to make it more tense and suspenseful.

Creators what do you do to keep up the tension in slow parts of your story?
Readers what keeps you reading during the 'down time' of a comics story?

[AliceHoffmannArt]

Maybe it's a good thing to have a different level of suspense.
Otherwise the high times will feel monotonous when there's not really a difference. Or you can shorten the down time scene, interrupt it by new danger if needed, let the characters explore new feelings...

In any case, it's probably best to show a "story question" that is (still) unanswered so the plot doesn't feel too calm at the end of the chapter. Otherwise it may be in danger of becoming a place where readers stop for a while and forget continuing to read because unconsciously it felt complete.

When in doubt, ask beta-readers maybe.

That's all I can think of. If you'd like concrete input, maybe you can describe the actual scene (vaguely)?

[Inspector_Spinda]

Most of it depends on art. Maybe keep the sense dark, add a couple more scenery shots. Some dialogue with context you learn later. Mysterious sounds (no false jump scares).

or simply have something bad happen to the character the readers really care about and slowly make them get out of the problem. will they, or will they not?

[mariusthered]

Creators what do you do to keep up the tension in slow parts of your story?

i run two story lines at the same time so i can flip between them and break the boredom of dull bits that need telling

[MichelleAntisocial]

I think it's ok, maybe even important to have some down time in a story. Not everything has to be action packed to hold attention, it just has to be interesting.. telling us something important about a character, or how characters interact with each other or the world, is just as beneficial to move the story forward as tons of action is (well, maybe not JUST, but close). I wouldn't necessarily even worry about keeping the tension up, as long as the section you're working on is important to the story. I hope that kinda helps.

[J.Z.Castillo]

There's a LOT of down time in BioHazard (my comic), because that's what the action genre requires. Action scenes are usually followed by a cool down period so the audience isn't tired (unless you're Michael Bay). What I do during these cool-downs is I provide either exposition or set-ups to the next scene, which can be quite tense if you write them correctly, like explaining a new enemy or going over a plan. Look at Mission Impossible or The Italian Job, for example, they use their cool-down time to expose new characters and develop an action plan for the next scene, and it's stressful to watch as the audience because you really don't know if it's going to work.

I also do quite a bit of monologue and dialogue, this way I can grow my characters and they can analyze what they just went through, processing the information they gained and applying it to future situations. This also makes them grow closers or further apart, driving their respective personalities forward and developing as well-rounded characters.

These scenes might seem boring, but often they are the most important ones in an action driven story as they provide the audience with the most material to really get into the story and become attached to it.

[Shanny8]

@mrjonzap Michael Bay's movies dont even have scripts...lol

[gateofselidor]

I don't think you necessarily need suspense in a slower scene - it's a good opportunity to show the reader more about your characters or the setting that they wouldn't necessarily learn from an action scene.

[J.Z.Castillo]

Michael Bay's scripts consist of the 3 Bs: Boobs, Bros, and Booms

[Michelle]

As long as there is a plot development with every scene, you should be able to maintain the audience's interest. A good story should be like a rollercoaster when it comes to intensity; those quiet moments will lend greater impact to the more intense, action-oriented scenes. If it's all drama all the time, it's hard to make any one moment stand out and your readers might tune out.

It can feel like a scene drags on for a long time when you're updating a comic page-by-page. I had a scene in my comic that I felt was too quiet and too slow, but that's because it took a few weeks to get through with my update schedule. But when I was done with the scene and read it through all at once, it wasn't that long or dragged out. I think webcomics can have a way of warping our sense of pacing.

As a reader, I'll stick around through the slow times of a comic so long as there is still an important question that needs answering, which usually leads to a build-up to the next action-packed/suspenseful scene. What I don't want is page after page of character development/goofing-off with no real story movement. That stuff is fine for a page, but when it goes on too long, I get antsy to get back to the story.

[69Michi]

I second pretty much everyone above me. When there is no action/suspense scene going on, you can always have the readers get to know more about your characters. Show their interaction, relationship, unlike what you may think, these cooldown period works best for character development, not those flashy action scene! (In my opinion) My comic has been going on for probably 3 months, and I'm still at the building up intro LMFAO No one had complaint about the lack of action scene just yet, some says the pacing is too slow, some says it's actually perfect because I lay out a lot of question and mystery in building up for the bigger plot about to come.

Although do keep in mind if these cooldown time aren't building up for something bigger and just your ordinary day by day activities, it could get boring really quick... well, think of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (is it season 2? I can't remember, the one with timeloop), the cooldown time drags out way too long, episode repeats itself. You think "Finally this episode will be different!" But nope, day go on, maybe a bit deja vu, then day rinse and repeats for the next 38290312 episodes. I got tired and stopped watching that series. That is a bad example of slow scenes :/

Edit: It's actually 2 episode formed an Endless Eight VII timeloop arc gosh I swear it felt way longer than that when I watched it LMFAO

[TrustyShamrock]

i always try to make sure that the slow bits of my comic at least lead to somethin for the plot. like it hints at somethin thats goign to happen later or explains somethin. that way its not just the characters sittin around talkin and that the comic coulda easily gone on without that part. also if its a reeeally long explainy scene i try cuttin it up with more than 1 story line so it'll have
A: talking explainy peeps
B: crazy robot fights
A: back to explaining
B: back to robot fights
so at least theres some kind of action going on even if its not the most important thing

[Kamikaze]

Michael Bay's scripts consist of the 3 Bs: Boobs, Bros, and Booms

You're not wrong. xD

[Shanny8]

@mrjonzap @Kamikaze AND this annoying rotating camera shot he does on EVERY one of his movies...lol

[punkarsenic]

I think, if it's after a lot of action, now's the time for character development. Flashbacks to important scenes from pre-story, character confict, processing the situation, you know...

also, sometimes you dont want to have constant suspense. sometimes, if its like that, readers can get exhausted by the non-stop of it all. if you take, like, a filler episode and fill it with a story to learn about their favourite character, it gives the reader a rest while also being perfectly productive to move the story on.

i read your series, and i love it, i love the action and the suspense - but it would be nice to take some time to learn about markesha and her world, and i wouldnt get bored at all.

also, down-time episodes are a great place to drop easter egg style hints of foreshadowing.

[TheVoidchildProject]

I medan of you're describing a scene as "dull" or "slow" then maybe that's what it is? I imagine that you're just talking about downtime after a bunch of literal action. These can oftentimes be some of the most interesting parts of stories to me. Where characters have to deal with aftermaths of what they've done, what's been said, changes in relationships and emergences of new aspects of a story.

I think an important part of this is to first think up what this "down-time" is meant to mean for your story. What should happen? Is there a falling out between characters? Is there mourning? Is there a huge celebration with lots of laughter and fun? Whatever it is, have a clear focus on this when you write and have that end goal of conveying this to the reader.

When i write/draw my own "talky" scenes I try to
Think of what's actually going to be said and how that will carry the story forward. Cause if it doesn't progress story/character in at least some way it's probably a waste of panels/pages. And when I draw I try my damndest to draw dynamic angles, expressions and other things happening around or in the background.

[Kamikaze]

but it would be nice to take some time to learn about markesha and her world, and i wouldnt get bored at all.

Whew! I'm so glad a reader responded to this! Thanks for following the comic!

I'll keep that in mind. We have only so much space, so we've got to figure out how to use that. Each 'episode' for us takes about a year or so to produce, so we've got to find a way to keep it interesting over such a long period. I'm glad you want to know more about Markesha and her world. I promise more is definitely coming! Seriously though, thank you so much for reading and telling me that. It means a lot. <3

[ChrisCoteArt]

Just keep it interesting, honestly. If you pace it well, the suspense will come through. That is just a matter of picking your shots and spacing your dialogue out properly. From there, if the story is interesting, people will get invested, and once someone is invested, you can make them feel the suspense.

My comic > Weird Tales of Elderfield is a horror comic that updates twice a week. Nothing "scary" is going to happen until the last few pages and so it is roughly 2 months of slow burn before the scare. Despite this, people seem to get interested and it's been generally well received, because the dialogue and events all lead up to the climax, and every new event makes people wonder what that climax will be.

[mac]

the true tension is a particularly worrying cliffhanger

[scythe]

Reduced tension/suspense doesn't have to be boring, and you can't have peaks if you don't have troughs.

Use those moments to show something important about a character, fill it with intriguing foreshadowing, or just make the art as brilliant as you can, so no one notices that that the tension's dropped off a touch.

Also, think of stories with lots of tension in them, Inglorious Bastards comes to mind for me. It was almost all just talking, but man was it tense. A lot of that was just subtext and dialogue mixed with some stellar characters.

That also reminds me, brilliant dialogue should keep anyone interested no matter what's going on, so maybe put in that extra edit to make sure every single line is as good as it can possibly be.

And lastly, never try to pander action junkie readers and just write the story you want to write. The chips will fall where they'll fall.