In a new post on her blog, Tiffany Yates Martin examines how writers can create dramatic tension without overt conflict. “Tension is the rocket fuel of propulsive, engaging storytelling,” she writes. “But it can be challenging to incorporate it in stories and scenes that aren’t about overt hostilities or battles or car chases.”
Romance stories heavily rely on this kind of tension, though many resort to ridiculous scenarios or unbelievable misunderstandings to keep their leads apart until the end. Worse, they make the leads’ path to their Happy Ending too smooth, which cuts the tension altogether.
TYM examines the Netflix series Nobody Wants This to see how the writers used tension to raise the stakes and engage readers.
- The title. The title itself creates tension, as it directly opposes the central premise of romance stories, which is that everyone wants this.
- The leads. Noah is a devout rabbi who has recently ended a long-term relationship. Joanne is an agnostic, commitment-challenged serial dater. Noah worries about his role as a spiritual leader, while Joanne fears she’ll never measure up to his perfect ex or be accepted by his family.
- Their families. Noah’s mother wants him to work things out with his ex-girlfriend and hates that he’s interested in a non-Jewish woman. Joanne’s sister Morgan thinks that Noah and Joanne’s differences are too big to overcome and warns Joanne that she’s losing herself in the relationship. The relationship is also affecting the popular podcast that Joanne and Morgan host together.
The show also uses various types of tension. Characters reveal their open opposition to the relationship, while also struggling with hidden feelings. They learn secrets, which they leverage against their keeper. The writers layer the tension even in quiet scenes or when characters are in accord.
