Q

Could you possibly give a brief rundown of the differences between suspense, drama and angst? They seem to run rather parallel to each other.

A

Suspense = 😨
Drama = 😯
Angst = 😭

The goal with suspense is to have readers on the edge of their seat, worrying about what will happen next. An example that you’ll find in most stories is the hide-and-seek scene, in which the protagonists must run away and hide from an antagonist. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, that scene happens when Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville run away from Mr Filch and end up in the forbidden corridor.

Drama wants readers either to grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the fireworks or to break down in tears. It comes in different flavours (comedy, tragedy, romance, etc.), and its objective is to cause a strong emotional reaction, positive or negative. You’ll find this genre in most death scenes and love confessions, for example.

Angst done right should have readers suffer at least one existential crisis. It should create a sense of dread and anxiety. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has a lot of angst because Harry is dealing with what happened at the end of his fourth year.