Tag Archives: mysteries

Technique

Building a mystery

This entry is part 11 of 11 in the series Clues in non mysteries

Writing Wednesday returns this . . . well, Wednesday!

Feel free to enjoy this song (which my littlest sister would call “really old”) while you read. It’s stuck in my head anyway, if you couldn’t guess from the title.

As we’re burying our clues it’s important to remember that mysteries are central to stories in every genre. As Nathan Bransford points out, mysteries are what keep us reading (emphasis mine):

When it comes to crafting a mystery, I think sometimes aspiring authors get distracted by the bodies and murders and the actual plot mechanics of mysteries, and miss what really drives a great mystery.

Mysteries are about people. And more specifically, they’re about people wanting something, whether it’s an object, person, or knowledge (see also: Do You Know What Your Characters Want?). The character wants the woman to fall in love with him or to catch the killer or find the truth about what happened. We keep reading to find out if they’re going to get it.

Here comes the word math:

A character’s desire + Consequences/stakes + Obstacles + Delay = Mystery

Getting too caught up in the clues and how exactly to bury them isn’t something we need to worry about as we’re brainstorming, outlining, or even writing our first draft. (Unless, of course, you have a brilliant idea during any of those processes—then use it!) The fine work of layering in just enough but not too many clues requires practice, patience and critique partners.

But beyond all that, we have to keep in mind that the real key to mystery, and to suspense in any story is to keep our readers guessing about whether the protagonist will get what s/he wants.

This concludes our series on clues in non mysteries!

What do you think? What are the most important elements of a mystery to you?

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Technique

What are clues?

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This entry is part 2 of 11 in the series Clues in non mysteries

I’m taking a bloggy vacation this week, so we’ll resume this series when I get back! Other posts scheduled later this week, too!

In a mystery, a clue—or at least its definition—is obvious: it’s a little fact that, along with all the others, adds up to finding the murderer and his/her motive and opportunity. These clues include objects at (or from) the crime scene, objects or information relating to the victim or killer, and interactions with the as-yet-unknown killer, as well as red herrings, clues pointing to an innocent but viable suspect, or clues that seem to prove the innocence of the real killer.

In a work that isn’t a murder mystery or thriller, however, there’s often still a central mystery or question that isn’t answered until an important point in the plot: a secret revealed at a key moment, a reversal, a shapeshifter (archetypal, not literal) unmasked, etc. And of course, there’s usually a central element of mystery in the plot: what will happen? These mysteries are the kind of thing that you might mention with a *SPOILER ALERT* warning first (just like you would in a regular mystery).

And just like in mysteries, clues are again the little events, objects, or information that foreshadow the coming revelation: clues that show us a character isn’t who she says she is, a hint that an ally or a rival knows more than they’re letting on, or even just an unusual event or object that the POV character notices (just barely).

The balancing act with all clues is difficult because if we draw too much attention to them, we run the risk of giving away the mystery. A less serious risk would be overplaying the mystery—for minor reveals, if we include too much buildup, the “payoff” of the reveal will be less satisfying.

On the other hand, if we bury the clues too well—or neglect to include them at all—the reader feels like the rug was pulled out from under him. The reader goes from the surprise an author is aiming for right to betrayal.

With this series, we’ll look at several methods of burying these clues, so that our reader notices them just enough, and try to address how much is just enough.

What do you think? What kind of “clues” do you use?

Photo by Paul Kohler

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