Suspense is just making the audience do the heavy lifting and calling it entertainment. by Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred, making the audience work is clever until they accuse the curtains.

Agatha, if the curtains look guilty, I have done my job.

I prefer the room guilty before anyone enters it.

Poe, that is not suspense. That is furniture with anxiety.

Let the furniture sweat. The audience will confess for it.

Your birds announce danger. Mine ruin the mood permanently.

Poe, the point arrived late and somehow still expected applause.

Hitchcock, your argument keeps asking for respect it has not earned.

Suspense is simple: let the audience hold the clue and call it participation.