Building Suspense: Don’t Hide the Scene, Hide the Meaning
How to Create Tension Without Confusion
When we talk about suspense, most of us think about mystery, shadows, and withheld information.
And yes, that’s part of it.
But withholding information can lead to confusion, not just intrigue.
Here’s a technique that creates real tension without confusion:
Let the reader see what’s happening. Hold back why it’s happening.
When this is done well, the reader will understand what’s going on at face level, but they’ll also sense there’s more to it, and they will read on to discover what.
Suspense is About Curiosity
Let’s say your character walks into a room and finds a photo of their own face, burned and pinned to the wall with a knife.
Don’t obscure the photo. The reader would not appreciate learning about it in hind sight. In fact, show it clearly, describe it in detail, and make it sharp and visceral.
But don’t explain:
Who put it there
Why they put it there
Why it’s burned and pinned
Why your character is reacting the way they do
By showing the event but hiding the meaning, you create an open curiosity loop in your readers’ minds, and that open loop breeds obsession.
This Keeps the Reader Ahead (But Unsettled)
When readers see something before the character reacts—or before its purpose is revealed—they lean in. They start guessing. They’re in detective mode.
This is different from “mystery,” where the reader lacks key facts. Suspense says: you saw that… now sit with it.
It’s the difference between:
“What’s going on?” (confused)
“What does this mean?” (hooked)
And the second option is the one that keeps them turning pages at 2 a.m.
Let’s See It in Action
magine this scene:
Jordan steps into his apartment. Nothing’s been touched—except the kitchen table. On it sits a clean, white plate. A single spoon rests across the top, polished to a mirror shine. On the spoon: a cherry. Bright, perfect, glistening. No note. No fingerprints. Nothing else is out of place.
There’s no violence. No confrontation. No dramatic music cue.
But the reader feels it.
Why?
Because they’re not asking, “What on earth just happened?”
They’re asking:
Who did this?
Why a cherry?
How did they get in?
What does it mean?
And Jordan? He just walks over and closes the blinds. Doesn’t touch the spoon. Doesn’t say a word.
We’re shown the scene, but the meaning remains a void, and the reader is free-falling into it.
That’s the suspense sweet spot.
A Prompt to Try
Write a tense moment in your story, but spell it out completely, blow-by-blow.
Then:
Cut the explanation.
Hold back the character’s interpretation. Hold back the why. Let the reader swim in the tension for a while.
They’ll thank you. Eventually. :)
Word of caution: do not withhold the meaning for too long, or the tension would sour into irritation and disinterest. Play with it carefully.
If this post sparked something for you, hit the ❤️ and share it with another writer chasing tension.
Because sometimes the best way to build suspense is to show everything and explain nothing.
See you next week,
Tal Valante Kilim