Edgar Allen Poe's Techniques To Create Suspense

Remember when you were a little kid and you were afraid of the dark? Perhaps it was the quiet, or maybe it was being alone, but something about it made you afraid. By now you must know that it was all in your head and there was nothing to be afraid of. However, what if I told you that there was an author who could recreate that same fear through his writing. A writer who could make through fears in your mind appear to come to life. A writer that goes by the name of Edgar Allen Poe.
One thing he carries in his bag of tricks for creating suspense is making time stand still, sort of speak. His writing will appear to be dragging on forever and you’ll feel as if the part you’re waiting for will never happen. Poe creates this illusion by describing every little detail going on in the current setting. For example, The Cask of Amontillado, as they went further down the caverns, Poe describes every little detail in the
setting right before the event everyone is waiting for.
Describing sounds is another trick up his sleeve. By describing these sounds to the reader, they begin to understand and are able to place themselves into that situation. In The Tell Tale Heart, Poe creating suspense by describing the constant irritating sound of the still beating heart driving his character mad. He used words to make every sound come to life in the reader's mind. This writing trick is perfect for giving the reader another use of it’s senses to experience the story more.

And Now for his third and final trick, Poe will attempt to create a truly frightening scene out of thin air!
Mood is such an important thing when it comes to suspenseful writing, as any author well knows. An important part of creating this suspenseful mood is choosing the right setting and how they are portrayed in the story. In The Raven, the setting is described as a dark and quiet night. By using subtle hints and careful descriptions, You know that it’s dark and quiet outside, without the author just coming out and telling you that in one boring sentence.
As you can see there’s more to making a book scary than just a creepy title. You have to be able to drag out the part of suspense in order to really make it feel more suspenseful. You have to use onomatopoeia, which is to use sound effects in your writing, which helps it become more three dimensional. Finally, you must be able to create a frightening mood, or else it doesn’t seem scary at all. In conclusion, Edgar Allen Poe has an extraordinary act of magic tricks to create some truly frightening
tales.