by Chrystina Trulove-Reyes

Created on: April 19, 2010

Many writers strive to reach the highest level of impact. Writers want to engage the reader and drive them on to the rest of the story. This is done through intensity. Intensifying writing is probably one of the hardest things for a writer to do.

What is intensity? Intensity is where there is a strong amount of concentration. In writing, that would be the reader’s interest in the story. Intensity is words and the delivery of those words. The words’ purpose in any writing is to steadily build until an impact is made. Sometimes this impact is made with such a force that it is comparable to an explosion. Other times, the impact just leads to more interest, which is the most common. In this way, intensity is much like suspense, building to a scene that will alter a character or a story.

The first thing to be aware of is that creating intensity takes time. And sometimes, many drafts. In the first drafts of stories, you can most likely create several scenes of intensity. But it is doubtful to be able to maintain that intensity throughout the story.

The next thing to do is write the story. Like with most other advice on writing the story, the point of this first draft is to get it down. Ignore the critic. Write everything down. Remember that later, you can adjust, move, remove, and add things that are missing later on.

After you have written your piece, go over it and mark areas that need adjusting. Many stages are involved in this step. You should look for problems with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and whether the scenes flow together or are rough. Like any good sculpture, the scenes may need a bit of toning. Also remember to mark areas that need more intensity. These areas are commonly known as slow areas.

Remember that sometimes writing an intense beginning can be counter-productive. By creating an intense beginning, you set the mode for which the entire book will expand. This includes the tone of the story. They can also serve to complicate the beginning of the story and even drive off readers.

Check the areas where suspense is warranted, where it’s expected. The idea here is with moments such as the antagonist and protagonist meet, times of trouble, and changes that affect the character in big ways.  Then mark areas where some unexpected intensity can be placed. This could include revelations between characters, or an intense dialogue that furthers the character.

It is ok to break the rules in writing. Too many writers stilt themselves

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