In a post on Writer Unboxed, Heather Webb examines micro-tension from a unique perspective: how a character practices self-care during tense moments. “Putting the character in the situation of needing to self-soothe is actually a great tool to create or heighten micro-tension,” Webb says.
These habits might be physical – baking, cleaning – or verbal, such as making inappropriate jokes or becoming overly critical. Your character might have a tic, like scratching, humming, or biting their nails. “We can use our protagonist’s self-soothing habits to underscore something essential about who they are,” Webb notes. “These habits can reveal something about a character’s backstory, give a window into what has formed them and how it influences their means of coping with the curve balls thrown at them on the page in the story.” Repeating these habits signals the reader that not all is well with your protagonist.
