3 Ways to Add Tension to a Scene

By Janice Hardy

If your scene lacks excitement, try making someone squirm.

I wrote an interrogation scene for my detective WIP that should have been dripping with tension, but it read like a giant infodump. No resistance. No stakes. Just the bland back-and-forth of information I wanted readers to know, and the whole scene just went splat.

This is pretty common, especially in early drafts. We know what happens in our story and why, so we tend to skip over the uncertainty that creates that all-important story tension. 

But without that uncertainty, scenes can feel like they're just going through the motions.

Tension is the uncertainty that makes readers worry, wonder, and keep turning pages. 

Will a secret be revealed? Will someone snap? Are things about to go horribly wrong? Such questions give a scene its edge, even when there’s no action at all, because it’s not about what’s happening, it’s about what might happen. A quiet conversation can be more riveting than a car chase if the stakes are high, the emotions raw, and the outcome is up in the air. 

So how do you add tension when your scene is dragging? Start by making someone squirm.

1. Add tension between characters

One of the fastest ways to raise tension is to add friction between characters, especially when they’re supposed to be on the same side. If everyone in your scene is working together in perfect harmony, you might be missing an opportunity for potential conflict.

Can anyone be actively working against your protagonist?

A clerk who isn’t being helpful. A guard they have to sneak past. A minion of the antagonist with a full-on plan to stop them. Any type of conflict, large or small, that could make the outcome uncertain. 

Can anyone disagree with your protagonist? 

Maybe they flat-out think the protagonist is wrong, or maybe they agree but think they're going about it the wrong way. Maybe these opposite opinions can make the reader wonder if the protagonist's view is right or if they're absolutely wrong. 

Can anyone have an agenda that interferes with your protagonist’s plan? 

If two guys are courting the same girl, one might try to sabotage the other. Or maybe a secondary character thinks they're protecting the protagonist by making sure they fail. Even good intentions can create trouble if the person hearing the advice doesn't like it. 

Can anyone be keeping secrets? 

Secrets are a great way to add uncertainty and keep readers guessing, especially if they suspect that secret could affect the protagonist or their plan. Even a tiny lie or withheld truth can keep readers turning pages. 

(Here's more with Shh! It's a Secret: How to Raise Tension and Conflict in a Scene)

2. Add tension with the setting

Life doesn’t always play along. It rains when we want to go on a picnic, the restaurant that was supposed to be romantic has a busload of rowdy school kids on a field trip, or the power goes out when we really need that computer. Sometimes the world itself refuses to cooperate and can offer subtle ways to challenge your protagonist.

Can weather be a factor? 

Someone who's cold and miserable might say things they ordinarily wouldn't. A trip that might be easy in clear weather could be dangerous in a bad storm. A bright, sunny day might cause trouble for someone who really needed it to rain. 

Will changing location make the goal harder? 

Sneaking through a park you grew up next to feels different than sneaking through an area you've never seen before. Changing locations can add a layer of uncertainty and make your protagonist worry or second-guess their decision, because they're on unfamiliar ground.

Is there a setting or location that can cause stress or discomfort? 

If your protagonist is terrified of heights, forcing them into the air will affect how they act. Being in public when they have something private to say might throw off their focus. So can being alone with someone in a romantic location when romance is the last thing on their minds.

(Here's more with Setting up the Tension in Your Novel)

3. Add tension with the self

Sometimes the problem isn't about external forces, but internal distress. And when the danger comes from within, readers worry deeply about what a character might choose—or avoid. 

Can your protagonist face a moral dilemma? 

They can get what they need, but it means betraying someone. Or they have to sacrifice something deeply personal to do the right thing. The cost of the necessary action has far-reaching consequences, and readers wonder...does the end really justify the means?

Can the right choice require going against a personal belief? 

Maybe doing what’s “right” feels wrong, and that internal tug-of-war will raise stakes and send the protagonist into a moral tailspin. The wrong path is often paved with good intentions. 

Can the protagonist face something that forces them to address an issue they've been avoiding? 

Characters don't always want to face their demons, but they have no choice if you shove them in their faces. And the fallout can be devastating. This is a fantastic tension builder for a character who needs to learn a lesson and grow. 

Can they face an impossible choice? 

Impossible choices have no clear answers, which means the reader won't be able to predict the outcome. Maybe the only way to save the child is to let the mother die. Or something horrible will happen no matter what the protagonist does. If you get your readers thinking, "I have no idea how this is going to turn out," you'll keep them hooked.

(Here's more with The Impossible Choice: A Surefire Way to Hook Your Readers)

High stakes are great, but tension thrives in the small moments, too. 

You don’t need to blow up your plot to add tension. The little moments can be just as powerful, and they're often easier to slip into a scene that needs a little help. A minor disagreement, a misstep, a pause that stretches too long—these little uncertainties can turn a flat scene into a page-turner. 

EXERCISE FOR YOU: Take a scene from your current WIP. Who could disagree, resist, or even sabotage the moment—intentionally or not? Could the setting make things more difficult or uncomfortable? What inner struggle might your protagonist be avoiding that you can bring to the surface? Is there a small uncertainty you could add—a secret, a hesitation, or an implied threat—that might keep readers uneasy? Add a little pressure and see how the tension shifts. 

Think about the last scene you wrote. Who could squirm just a little more—your hero, your villain, or maybe even your reader? 

*Originally published February 2013. Last updated July 2025.

Find out more about conflict and tension in my book, Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means).

With in-depth analysis and easy-to-understand examples, Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means) teaches you what conflict really is, discusses the various aspects of conflict, and reveals why common advice on creating conflict doesn't always work. It shows you how to develop and create conflict in your novel and explores aspects that affect conflict, as well as clarifying the misconceptions that confuse and frustrate so many writers.

This book will help you:

• Understand what conflict means and how to use it
• Tell the difference between external and internal conflicts
• See why conflict isn't a "one size fits all" solution
• Determine the type of conflict your story needs
• Fix lackluster scenes holding your writing back

Understanding Conflict (And What It Really Means) is more than just advice on what to do and what not to do—it’s a down and dirty examination and analysis of how conflict works, so you can develop it in whatever style or genre you’re writing. By the end of this book, you’ll have a solid understanding of what conflict means and the ability to use it without fear or frustration.

Available in paperback and ebook formats.

Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of the teen fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, including The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. The Shifter, was chosen for the 2014 list of "Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read" from the Georgia Center for the Book.

She also writes the Grace Harper urban fantasy series for adults under the name, J.T. Hardy.

When she's not writing novels, she's teaching other writers how to improve their craft. She's the founder of Fiction University and has written multiple books on writing.

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