In this article Max explores the craft of writing through the lens of tension, arguing that the ability to create, sustain, and release anticipation is one of the most powerful tools a writer has for keeping readers engaged, while also emphasizing that tension alone is not enough without underlying quality. Using a mix of examples from film, television, nonfiction, and classic literature, he examines how effective storytelling balances setup and payoff, builds empathy, and carefully controls the reader’s curiosity, while also showing that even works which seem to “break the rules” often do so deliberately in service of a broader artistic goal.

* 00:00 - Introduction

* 07:07 - Tension Done Well

* 15:06 - Tension in Nonfiction

* 16:57 - Chesterton’s Fence

https://open.substack.com/pub/raelifin/p/tension?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

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