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About this quote

What does it mean?
Fear comes from expecting something bad, not from the event itself.
In plain terms
Waiting for danger is scarier than the danger arriving.
What can you take from it?
Anticipation builds more tension than action.

Where it applies

  • storytelling
  • horror
  • thrillers

Putting it to work

  • build suspense
  • delay reveals
  • use silence

Questions to consider

  • Which scares you more: the wait or the hit?
  • How do you build tension?

Another view

Sometimes shock works better than buildup.

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