tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post8662516351513597108..comments2024-01-24T05:13:06.164-08:00Comments on Not Your Usual Suspects: 5 Mistakes Nearly Every Newbie Mystery Writer MakesSusanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286314155783213006noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-57172362170635016992011-08-15T11:25:23.866-07:002011-08-15T11:25:23.866-07:00Wendi, I think most seasoned mystery readers do! ;...Wendi, I think most seasoned mystery readers do! ;-) <br /><br />But very few modern mystery readers read primarily for the puzzle. So long as the mystery is sufficiently interesting and mysterious <em>enough</em> all will be well.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-19076649732572964322011-08-14T11:44:57.845-07:002011-08-14T11:44:57.845-07:00My problem is that I usually do guess 'whoduni...My problem is that I usually do guess 'whodunit', however many red herrings are dotting through the story. It' a constant challenge to write a book where it isn't obvious. Not sure if I've got there yet but it's fun trying.Wendy Solimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05769040606499192321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-87760927344878102442011-08-14T08:42:08.102-07:002011-08-14T08:42:08.102-07:00Just remember that there are no new ideas in myste...Just remember that there are no new ideas in mystery fiction, Blaine. That damned Agatha Christie seemed to be on a mission to hog up every possible variation there was. ;-D So the best the rest of us can do is take an old idea and put our unique spin on it.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-130945704839815332011-08-13T03:35:37.490-07:002011-08-13T03:35:37.490-07:00Great article, Josh.
Sometimes it seems so easy t...Great article, Josh.<br /><br />Sometimes it seems so easy to fall back on clichés, because they're familiar templates to work with.<br />Of course, turning them into something fresh and new is the hard part :)<br /><br />I have to admit I froze a little at the 'serial killer' mention. So I do hope I won't fall into the trap when I get to edit my serial killer first draft.Blaine D. Ardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08549035880505100657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-46815844692181615042011-08-12T18:28:48.808-07:002011-08-12T18:28:48.808-07:00Thanks so much, Marcelle!Thanks so much, Marcelle!Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-53538491018408258022011-08-12T18:28:16.028-07:002011-08-12T18:28:16.028-07:00I agree with you, JB. There are only so many plots...I agree with you, JB. There are only so many plots in the world and the fact that writers keep coming up with new spins on them is testament to the versatility of the human mind.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-60472898740557093152011-08-12T18:27:09.617-07:002011-08-12T18:27:09.617-07:00I hear what you're saying, KC, but this is the...I hear what you're saying, KC, but this is the weird paradigm of the cozy mystery series. The sleuth must be a non-law-enforcement professional and they must continue to fall over bodies for the course of the series (and each mystery must somehow be sort of personal and hit home for the sleuth).<br /><br />Is it preposterous? You bet.<br /><br />But in fact no more preposterous than the harboiled detective series where the PI has a murder to solve in every case. Because, believe it or not, very few PIs ever solve a murder or even investigate one. <br /><br />It really gets down to reader temperament. Some readers love the unreality of the cozy, some love the unreality of the hardboiled PI. Both readers do an equal amount of suspending disbelief.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-7707668251469191442011-08-12T18:22:03.785-07:002011-08-12T18:22:03.785-07:00Hey, Toni, if you're going to be in this busin...Hey, Toni, if you're going to be in this business for any length of time you're going to HAVE to do a serial killer novel. :-D <br /><br />It's da law.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-87347219168166306292011-08-12T18:21:14.165-07:002011-08-12T18:21:14.165-07:00Thanks, Maureen!Thanks, Maureen!Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-2276971633019299002011-08-12T18:20:57.133-07:002011-08-12T18:20:57.133-07:00Rita, I think some of the most entertaining books ...Rita, I think some of the most entertaining books are when someone takes one of those old chestnuts and turns it on its head. It's almost the best of both worlds because you get the cheesy fun of the tried and true but you also get something unique to that book and those characters.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-76270848221737062732011-08-12T16:52:57.223-07:002011-08-12T16:52:57.223-07:00Good advice, as always, Josh.Good advice, as always, Josh.Marcelle Dubéhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18164965676254630066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-41747543375151355012011-08-12T14:06:00.644-07:002011-08-12T14:06:00.644-07:00Love the list! I'm always so impressed when so...Love the list! I'm always so impressed when someone manages to make a cliche fresh and so disappointed when they don't.JB Lynnhttp://jblynn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-85416853939567055512011-08-12T12:01:21.746-07:002011-08-12T12:01:21.746-07:00Great post now I have to get back to my crazy seri...Great post now I have to get back to my crazy serial killer story with one suspect, but don't worry I'll kill off six people in the first chapter to keep it fresh *snicker*Amber Kellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-64750560681769978052011-08-12T11:21:25.199-07:002011-08-12T11:21:25.199-07:00I have a total mystery pet peeve arising from #1 a...I have a total mystery pet peeve arising from #1 and that's the series sleuth. Making the love interest a cop or investigator may seem like a great idea for the first book, but if your protagonist is a hair dresser or a caterer or a wedding planner or whatever, if people keep getting murdered around you, I'm betting your business will fold & if your lover doesn't start wondering about you, his/her superiors will. And if that <i>doesn't</i> happen, I lose my ability to suspend disbelief. So, not exactly a newbie mistake, but something for newbies to be aware of. I speak as a seasoned mystery reader, because I can't write 'em for s**t. :)KC Burnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12054334177185905626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-15493171342198328952011-08-12T10:54:44.661-07:002011-08-12T10:54:44.661-07:00Excellent list, Josh :) Funny because I'm curr...Excellent list, Josh :) Funny because I'm currently writing a serial killer book :) <br />I agree with everything though--with that old caveat that sometimes breaking the rules can work too.Toni Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08348843511453338339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-50808129367126258292011-08-12T09:55:04.442-07:002011-08-12T09:55:04.442-07:00Somewhere my little "Cliche" bug is doin...Somewhere my little "Cliche" bug is doing the happy dance. :)<br /><br />You are always dead on with your observations, Josh. Great post!Maureen A. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16432964748852427405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-62098556127719039382011-08-12T09:54:42.755-07:002011-08-12T09:54:42.755-07:00Great post! Mystery is very difficult to write. Wh...Great post! Mystery is very difficult to write. Why I don’t do it*grin*. It’s all about the clues and delicate information balance given to the readers to keep them going. I like your rules. That said I think you can break the rules if you do it well. Like a serial killer is the vice-president or the beautiful, number one, actress in the world.Ritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09054306874904898496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-88931915039641814582011-08-12T09:41:58.540-07:002011-08-12T09:41:58.540-07:00Gloria, that one is pretty much par for the course...Gloria, that one is pretty much par for the course. :-) <br /><br />Just because it's a cliche doesn't mean it can't work, but the writer has to make sure she's not taking shortcuts and using that relationship as a way to avoid the real work of having the sleuth do his own investigating. If all the tough questions are solved by the romantic interest handing the info over, that's a no-no.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-87432154135182941602011-08-12T09:37:49.468-07:002011-08-12T09:37:49.468-07:00Thanks, Robin. I think most of these boil down to ...Thanks, Robin. I think most of these boil down to laziness on the part of the reader. <br /><br />Not #1 because lord knows cops and investigators are sexy, but the others basically result from hoping to take shortcuts.Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-44511946484709897532011-08-12T09:11:29.168-07:002011-08-12T09:11:29.168-07:00Should have been "break ONE of your rules...,...Should have been "break ONE of your rules...," of course!Gloria Galassonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-34350134612179064762011-08-12T09:09:40.884-07:002011-08-12T09:09:40.884-07:00Great list. I am glad you gave the caveat at the e...Great list. I am glad you gave the caveat at the end, because I am about to break on of your rules big time! (Number 1, in fact.) Hopefully the rest of my writing will be interesting and good enough to make it work.Gloria Galassonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-84253947447092399432011-08-12T09:07:40.218-07:002011-08-12T09:07:40.218-07:00Josh: Great post. I don't write mysteries per...Josh: Great post. I don't write mysteries per se but my last book had a suspense aspect and I'm getting ready to do the edits. I'll keep your list handy when I check to make sure that those aspects are fresh.<br /><br />RobinRobin Covingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08738966068843350238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-748772344879847212011-08-12T08:58:57.895-07:002011-08-12T08:58:57.895-07:00HA! Thank you, Clare. Yes, a life in m/m makes eve...HA! Thank you, Clare. Yes, a life in m/m makes even the most innocuous comments sound salacious, doesn't it? :-D <br /><br />I agree with you that the first time we come across any literary device it really makes an impression!Josh Lanyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11944091956589831656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7545210782126483136.post-49051039747093357992011-08-12T08:52:56.212-07:002011-08-12T08:52:56.212-07:00Great post Josh! I can remember the impact of the ...Great post Josh! I can remember the impact of the first murder mystery I ever read - but of course, that plot device was nevr going to work as well again for me :). And as we're all avid readers, we build up all the past experience and it takes *that much more* to enthrall us. Hurrah for the great writers who can do that!<br /><br />Looking forward to your book's release at Christmas :).<br /><br />(I'd typed "looking forward to your release", then realised it sounded like you were coming out on probation *g*)Clare Londonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09392142798976142547noreply@blogger.com