Uses pens to create anxious uncertainty (8)
I believe the answer is:
suspense
'anxious uncertainty' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'uses pens to create' is the wordplay.
'to create' indicates an anagram.
'uses'+'pens'='usespens'
'usespens' anagrammed gives 'SUSPENSE'.
(Other definitions for suspense that I've seen before include "Excitement and uncertainty about an outcome" , "Tense uncertainty" , "Pre-climactic excitement" , "State of uncertainty about the future" , "Tense expectation" .)