Take chances. He knew exactly how to remove people from their comfort zones. There was no room for boredom. So what does this mean for you as a writer? Avoid pages of backstory and endless descriptions. People want to be entertained.

Create empathetic characters. While readers want a happy ending, make sure the characters earn them. They have to go through a horrific situation so the readers feel a strong emotional attachment. For example, back to the shower scene in Psycho, we learn the main character is on the run from the police because she robbed a bank. We didn’t expect her to meet a horrible death at the Bates Motel.

Become an observer of the human condition. Everyone has a dark side so never take anything at face value. Be suspicious of possessions, settings, body language, and speech patterns.

Visualize the scene. Think of each scene like a picture and not a book. The setting is important and it can add suspense and layers to the mood of the character. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Take a page from the Hitchcock movies when it came to the settings, most of the time, they were shot in one room, like the movie the Rope and Rear Window.