Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

#219. How To Build Story Tension by Sharing More (Not Less) with Daniel David Wallace

Nov 11, 2025

Join Daniel David Wallace, author and writing teacher, as he unpacks the art of building story tension through clarity rather than secrecy. He argues that too much mystery can confuse readers, while providing key details fosters trust and engagement. Learn from examples in 'The Hunger Games' about effective foreshadowing, why being 'too obvious' can enhance suspense, and how to skillfully navigate multiple POVs. Daniel emphasizes treating readers like friends by sharing information generously, ensuring every twist hits home.

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INSIGHT

Clarity Beats Concealment

Readers enjoy being given many possible clues, not being tricked by scarcity of information.
Withholding details often causes confusion and kills tension rather than creating it.

ADVICE

Be Overt In Early Drafts

Be obvious in drafts and lay clues on thick so readers have the tools to solve and enjoy the mystery.
You can always dial subtlety back later during revision if needed.

ANECDOTE

Berries Seeded For A Climactic Payoff

The Hunger Games seeds 'berries' dozens of times so the climactic berry moment lands instantly.
Repeated, dramatized mentions let readers accept the finale without pausing to question facts.

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Discover why clarity (not secrecy) is the key to keeping your readers engaged, curious, and emotionally invested in your story.

Writers often think suspense means withholding information, but what if the opposite were true?

In this episode, I'm joined by Daniel David Wallace, author, writing teacher, and founder of the annual Escape the Plot Forest Summit, to discuss why holding back details can leave readers confused or disconnected rather than curious.

Daniel explains how sharing the right information at the right time builds trust, deepens emotion, and makes every twist hit exactly the way you intended.

Here’s what we cover:

[02:25] Why trying to keep readers guessing for too long kills tension, and what actually makes a mystery feel exciting instead of confusing.

[06:35] How the fear of being ‘too obvious’ causes writers to hide key details, and why showing your hand sooner can keep readers even more engaged.

[10:00] What The Hunger Games can teach us about foreshadowing in fiction through the famous berry scene.

[18:00] What it really means to treat your reader like a friend, and how building trust keeps people invested in your story from start to finish.

[20:00] Where writers go wrong with multi-POV—and why including more POVs isn't always the way to make your story clear to readers

If you've ever worried that giving too much away will ruin your story, this episode will change how you think about suspense, clarity, and reader trust.

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