In the golden age of digital audio, the “true crime” boom and the rise of narrative journalism have proven one thing: listeners don’t just want facts; they want to be on the edge of their seats. Whether you are documenting a historical mystery, an investigative deep-dive, or a personal memoir, the ability to weave tension into a true story is what separates a viral hit from a forgotten upload.
Building suspense in non-fiction is inherently more challenging than in fiction. In fiction, you can invent a ticking bomb or a masked killer. In non-fiction, you are tethered to the truth. You cannot change the facts to suit the pacing, but you can—and must—change how and when those facts are revealed.
This comprehensive guide explores the psychological and technical strategies used by top-tier producers to master the art of suspense in non-fiction podcasting.
1. The Architecture of Information: The “Need-to-Know” Gap
The foundation of suspense is the Information Gap. In psychology, this is known as the “Information Gap Theory” of curiosity. It suggests that when we notice a gap between what we know and what we want to know, it creates a mental itch that can only be scratched by obtaining the missing information.
The Open Loop Technique
In podcasting, an “open loop” is a narrative thread that is started but not immediately resolved.
- The Hook: Start your episode with the climax or a baffling moment from the middle of the story.
- The Pivot: Just as the listener expects a resolution, pivot back to the beginning.
- The Result: The listener is now “locked in” because their brain is subconsciously seeking the closure to that first loop.
Avoid the “Data Dump”
The biggest suspense-killer in non-fiction is the chronological data dump. While it might feel logical to start at the very beginning of a timeline, it often lacks stakes. Instead, identify the inciting incident—the moment everything changed—and anchor your narrative there.
2. Character-Driven Tension: Making the Stakes Personal
Non-fiction often deals with abstract concepts—politics, science, or history. To create suspense, you must ground these concepts in human experience. Listeners don’t feel suspense for a “system”; they feel it for a person.
The Relatable Protagonist
Even in a documentary-style podcast, you need a “hero.” This could be the whistleblower, the victim’s family, or even the host/investigator. When the audience identifies with the person at the center of the story, their anxiety becomes the audience’s anxiety.
High Stakes and Vulnerability
Suspense requires that something important is at risk.
- Professional Risk: Will the journalist lose their job for pursuing this lead?
- Emotional Risk: Will the subject finally confront their past?
- Physical Risk: Is the investigator in danger?
By highlighting the vulnerability of your subjects, you increase the “emotional volume” of the narrative.
3. The Power of Audio: Using Sound to Heighten Anxiety
Audio is a visceral medium. Unlike film, where the viewer can look away, audio lives inside the listener’s head. You can use sound design to manipulate the listener’s heart rate.
Silence as a Weapon
New podcasters are often afraid of “dead air.” However, a well-placed silence is more effective than a loud jump scare.
Pro Tip: When a subject reveals something shocking, leave three to five seconds of silence. Let the gravity of the statement sink in. The silence creates a vacuum that the listener’s anticipation rushes to fill.
Atmospheric Soundscapes
- Drones and Textures: Low-frequency synth drones can create a subconscious sense of dread or unease.
- Foley Art: The sound of a door creaking, footsteps on gravel, or a phone ringing can ground the listener in the scene, making the suspense feel “real” rather than narrated.
4. Scripting for the Ear: Pacing and Rhythm
Writing for a podcast is vastly different from writing for a blog or a book. You are writing for the ear.
Short, Punchy Sentences
Long, academic sentences are difficult to follow and kill momentum. Use short sentences to speed up the pace during high-tension moments.
- Example: “He reached for the handle. It was locked. He tried again. Still nothing. Then, he heard the footsteps.”
The “Cliffhanger” Scripting
Every segment of your podcast should end with a “micro-cliffhanger”—a question or a hint of what’s to come after the ad break or in the next chapter. This keeps the listener from hitting the “stop” button.
5. Structural Strategies for Non-Fiction
There are several proven frameworks for organizing a non-fiction story to maximize tension:
| Strategy | Description | Best For |
| The In Medias Res | Starting in the middle of the action. | High-stakes investigative stories. |
| The Parallel Narrative | Telling two stories at once that eventually collide. | Historical events with multiple perspectives. |
| The Slow Burn | Gradually layering small mysteries that lead to a major revelation. | Scientific or philosophical mysteries. |
6. Interview Techniques: Extracting the Tension
Your interviewees are your best source of suspense. However, you have to guide them to share their stories in a way that builds tension.
- Ask for Sensory Details: Don’t just ask “What happened?” Ask “What did you see? What did it smell like? What were you thinking in that exact second?”
- The “Wait and See” Questioning: If a subject is about to reveal something big, ask them to describe their feelings before the reveal. This delays the gratification for the listener and builds the “itch.”
7. Maintaining Ethical Integrity
In non-fiction, you have a responsibility to the truth. You should never manufacture suspense by lying or misrepresenting facts.
How to balance ethics and suspense:
- Be Transparent: If you don’t know the answer to a mystery, make that “not knowing” part of the story. The journey of the search is often more suspenseful than the find.
- Respect the Subjects: Ensure that your quest for “drama” doesn’t exploit the real-life trauma of the people involved.
8. Post-Production: The Final Polish
The edit is where the suspense is truly born.
- Remove the “Ums” and “Ahs”: In high-tension moments, clean up the audio so the delivery is crisp.
- The “J-Cut” and “L-Cut”: Use these video editing transitions in audio to keep the conversation flowing smoothly, overlapping a question with the start of an answer to maintain energy.
- Volume Dynamics: Use “ducking” to lower the music when the narration is vital, and swell the music during transitions to signal a shift in the story’s weight.
9. Case Studies: Learning from the Best
Serial (Season 1)
Sarah Koenig mastered the “investigative suspense” by being a surrogate for the listener. Her doubts, her changing opinions, and her phone calls with Adnan Syed created a sense of “real-time” discovery.
The Daily
The New York Times uses a “Narrative Arc” in daily news. They often start with a personal anecdote (The Hook) before zooming out to the policy or the global impact (The Context), keeping listeners engaged in topics that might otherwise be “dry.”
Conclusion
Building suspense in non-fiction podcasts is about respecting the listener’s curiosity. It is the art of giving them enough information to care, but holding back just enough to keep them asking, “What happens next?”
By mastering the information gap, utilizing immersive sound design, and focusing on human-centered stakes, you can turn any factual narrative into a gripping, binge-worthy experience. Remember: the truth is often stranger—and more suspenseful—than fiction. You just have to know how to tell it.
Would you like me to generate a specific 10-point checklist for your next podcast script based on these principles?
https://dma.org.uk/article/the-power-of-storytelling-in-gaining-customer-loyalty
Arthur Zani is a podcast storytelling enthusiast who helps beginner podcasters turn simple ideas into engaging audio stories. With a strong focus on clarity, emotion, and listener connection, they share practical tips and insights to help new creators build confidence, improve retention, and tell stories that truly resonate.