Suspense vs. Surprise

Treskillard · **Posted:** March 11th, 2011, 6:55 pm

This was something I learned recently over at the sfwa website (not everything is kosher over there, so be careful). Here's an excerpt, that includes a quote from Alfred Hitchcock:

The classic example of this is given by Alfred Hitchcock in an interview conducted by Francois Truffaut. Here’s Hitchcock.

Quote:

“There is a distinct difference between ‘suspense’ and ‘surprise’, and yet many pictures continually confuse the two. I’ll explain what I mean.

“We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let us suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, ‘Boom!’ There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table, and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware that the bomb is going to explode at one o’clock and there is a clock in the décor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions this same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene.

“The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: ‘You shouldn’t be talking about such trivial matters. There’s a bomb underneath you and it’s about to explode!’

“In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second case we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story.” (François Truffaut, Hitchcock, pp 79-80)

Anyway, that was interesting to me, and helped me see the need to add a clear "ticking clock" to the end of my second novel, MERLIN'S SHADOW.

Also, I hope to be more involved over here in the forums, and hope this initial tidbit of wisdom I found to be helpful.

-Robert Treskillard

Aragorn · **Joined:** September 23rd, 2010, 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9085

Thanks for posting. I sometimes struggle with finding a balance between suspense and surprise.

Treskillard · **Posted:** March 11th, 2011, 9:49 pm

Personally, I had never thought about how similar the two are, and how what is a surprise can also be used for suspense if the reader is aware it's coming.

:shock:

Rachel Newhouse · **Posted:** March 12th, 2011, 5:05 pm

I'd never thought of this before, but that quote put words on an essence that was lurking in the back of my brain. Thank you so much for sharing this! I expect this definition to be helpful in the future.

The thing to consider in your own works - do you want suspense or surprise? Sometimes surprise can be cheesy because it is so sudden; it would be much more effective to have built suspense. By contrast, sometimes suspense and foreshadowing and ruin the impact of something by dragging it on.

Treskillard · **Posted:** March 12th, 2011, 5:42 pm

Very True! :book:

One of the things to consider is where it takes place ... near the end, you often want to surprise your reader with a plot twist. In that case, a sudden surprise is exciting ... they thought they had it all figured out, but did not.

Also ... here's a weird idea ... make something suspenseful that they anticipate NOT happen the way they expect ... in other words fit a "SURPRISE!" inside your suspense. Hmmm ... I'll have to think about how to do that.

-Robert Treskillard

BushMaid · **Posted:** March 12th, 2011, 5:45 pm

This is an interesting concept; I wasn't aware of the difference between the two. I guess there would have to be a perfect length of suspense so it wouldn't drag, and also good enough reason for the surprise so it wouldn't be cheesy.

I like the idea of a surprise within the suspense, though. It really makes your audience do a double take, then lean forward in anticipation for more.

Aragorn · **Joined:** September 23rd, 2010, 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9085

Treskillard wrote:

Also ... here's a weird idea ... make something suspenseful that they anticipate NOT happen the way they expect ... in other words fit a "SURPRISE!" inside your suspense. Hmmm ... I'll have to think about how to do that.

That could be very effective.

Varon · **Posted:** March 14th, 2011, 10:48 am

I'd never thought of it that way. Then again, I haven't really written much suspense yet.

The Bard · **Posted:** March 14th, 2011, 2:57 pm

Dickens was really good at suspense and not letting you know exactly what was going on till he wanted to.

Airianna Valenshia · **Posted:** March 14th, 2011, 4:11 pm

I am so glad you brought this up, Treskillard! This has always been something I've found fascinating. Writers often confuse the two.

Treskillard · **Posted:** March 14th, 2011, 4:47 pm

You're welcome! :wave:

I have another "Suspense vs. ZZZZ" topic coming up, so hold onto your hats, everyone.

-Robert Treskillard

Lady Eruwaedhiel · **Posted:** March 15th, 2011, 3:20 pm

Haha, nice title Treskillard.

What about dread? Do you all think there is a difference between it and suspense?

I would define the difference as the element of "badness". Suspense isn't always about something bad. Dread is.

Treskillard · **Posted:** March 15th, 2011, 3:49 pm

I would think of Dread as a subset of Suspense ... meaning that there are different kinds of Suspense, Dread being one of them. The others? That's a good question. Here are two ideas I came up with:

Anticipation (Meaning the thing is right there and you want it to arrive, but it is too slow. Can anyone say, "Ketchup"?)

Hope (Meaning that, in a Biblical way, you hope something good will happen even if it is unseen.)

Can anything add to this list? :wave:

-Robert

Rachel Newhouse · **Posted:** March 19th, 2011, 1:25 pm

Treskillard wrote:

I would think of Dread as a subset of Suspense ... meaning that there are different kinds of Suspense, Dread being one of them. The others? That's a good question. Here are two ideas I came up with:

Anticipation (Meaning the thing is right there and you want it to arrive, but it is too slow. Can anyone say, "Ketchup"?)

Hope (Meaning that, in a Biblical way, you hope something good will happen even if it is unseen.)

Can anything add to this list? :wave:

-Robert

Good thoughts.

"Suspicion" might qualify as a subset of Suspense.

Rachel Newhouse · **Posted:** March 19th, 2011, 1:31 pm

After reading your other topic, I came up with another possible subset...

Curiosity, and/or Fascination. Sometimes I have just been so enthralled by a quirky premise that I want to keep reading about it.

Treskillard · **Posted:** March 19th, 2011, 1:57 pm

I agree ... curiosity and fascination ... that can definitely drive a reader to keep turning the pages!

Suspense vs. Surprise

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