Melodie Campbell on the mystery novel

[Melodie Campbell]

Melodie,


Ah, I see that Alice Munro's stories are suspense genre then. The stories of her character discovering the dead bodies and her unusual reactions. And also the story "Tricks" was done so well in that suspense manner.
I like how you structure your plots. How do you structure each scene within that framework? In my current WIP I'm using the Reaction/Motivation unit technique with a Scene basically Goal/Conflict/Disaster and the next (Sequel) chapter in the form of Reaction/Dilemma/Decision. It keeps me digging more deeply into the potential conflicts for each character, and I can write toward a kind of cliffhanger at end of the chapter. Do you recommend this structure?

Definitely, this zeroes in on keeping your plot moving forward in a clear direction. One difficulty literary writers find (when switching to crime) is that the crime market expects EVERY scene to have a reason for being there - that is, either to demonstrate needed character, or most commonly, to move the plot forward.

I think you have touched on something very important, Maia. In a mystery, you need at least three or four suspects. Their motivations MUST be believable. If someone is killed, why would that suspect be motivated to kill them? What could possibly be worth the risk? You need three suspects at least that we as readers would nod our heads and say, yes, that motivation is believable. This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak.

Your structure would also help a mystery author address the motivation of every character.

 

[Melodie Campbell]

I loved Drood by Dan Simmons, although that might be considered more horror/thriller.
Seems there are a lot of what I thought of as "literary" works that could be considered suspense or mystery. Ian McEwen is master at creating that brooding suspense in the everyday lives of his characters. Saturday, Atonement, On Chesil Beach, all have those elements.
Du Maurier's Rebecca is one of my favourites too. Wish I'd thought of that plot.
I suppose Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch is in the literary suspense genre

My personal opinion? Every single good book has suspense in it.

Okay, found my 9 stages of suspense notes. back in a sex oops sec

 

[Melodie Campbell]

My personal opinion? Every single good book has suspense in it.

Okay, found my 9 stages of suspense notes. back in a sex oops sec

Suspense Writing

“I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN”

SUSPENSE WRITING DEPENDS THAT THE AUTHOR EMOTIONALLY INVOLVE THE READER BOTH IN THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE STORY AND IN THE CHARACTER WHO STANDS TO SUFFER IF THINGS DON’T TURN OUT RIGHT.

1. THE AUTHOR MUST GIVE THE READERS SOMEONE TO ROOT FOR AND TO IDENTIFY WITH.

The aim here is to get the readers so involved that they imagine they are the protagonist and experience the anxiety of being in the protagonist’s dilemma.

The main problem must be big enough s the person the readers are rooting for will suffer a great deal if it isn’t solved.

Now, increase the suspense…..

PLOTTING THE SUSPENSE STORY – 9 Steps

1. INVOLVE THE READER’S EMOTIONS. Make sure the protagonist has a lot to lose. 2. MAKE A REALLY GOOD VILLAIN. In mystery fiction, the villain has to be somewhat transparent because you don’t want the reader to catch on to who she is too quickly. But in a suspense novel, the bad guy is very visible. The ultimate antagonists are smart and motivated. 3. ENLARGE THE PROBLEM
At first we see a house has burned down. Now we find the fire was deliberately set.
4. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES.
Personal problems may intrude, making resolution of the main problem more difficult.
Give your protagonist more things to do than he can handle.
5. ELIMINATE OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS – Make each lead a failure. When the hero tries to do something, it makes everything worse. 6. RAISE THE STAKES
What happens if the main problem isn’t solved? Can the situation get worse?
Make the stakes really high. The man only attacks women in red rain coats. The detective’s wife has a red raincoat. It’s starting to rain.
7. ISOLATE THE PROTAGONIST
With cell phones, this is harder and harder to do. But you MUST make sure the protagonist solves the problem on his own. This is a standard device on film and television.
8. PROMOTE UNCERTAINTY
Suspense is increased when we don’t know whom to trust or whether a plan will work. Create dilemmas. Make all the choices seem lose/lose.
9. CREATE A DEADLINE We know the killer is going to strike tonight. The kidnapped girl will die if she doesn’t get her insulin.

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak.

Wow. This is soooo helpful. I'll be sending the writers I work with here and revisiting it myself for some time to come.

Melodie, are there other common areas that writers stumble over as they write mysteries? Any other tips on things we might avoid or watch for?

 

[Katherin Edwards]

"Their motivations MUST be believable. If someone is killed, why would that suspect be motivated to kill them? What could possibly be worth the risk? You need three suspects at least that we as readers would nod our heads and say, yes, that motivation is believable. This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak." This is pure gold, Melodie! Thanks!

 

[Gordon Graham]

This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak.

Great point, thank you!

In my WIP, I have two deaths and I'd like to introduce a female suspect or two. But the deaths are pretty violent: a stabbing and a hanging. In the old days, women were supposed to use different murder methods than men (e.g. poison, not a gun). Do you think that's gone by the boards now? Can a murderess today be as violent as any man?

 

[Melodie Campbell]

Suspense Writing

“I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN”

SUSPENSE WRITING DEPENDS THAT THE AUTHOR EMOTIONALLY INVOLVE THE READER BOTH IN THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE STORY AND IN THE CHARACTER WHO STANDS TO SUFFER IF THINGS DON’T TURN OUT RIGHT.

1. THE AUTHOR MUST GIVE THE READERS SOMEONE TO ROOT FOR AND TO IDENTIFY WITH.

The aim here is to get the readers so involved that they imagine they are the protagonist and experience the anxiety of being in the protagonist’s dilemma.

The main problem must be big enough s the person the readers are rooting for will suffer a great deal if it isn’t solved.

Now, increase the suspense…..

PLOTTING THE SUSPENSE STORY – 9 Steps

1. INVOLVE THE READER’S EMOTIONS. Make sure the protagonist has a lot to lose. 2. MAKE A REALLY GOOD VILLAIN. In mystery fiction, the villain has to be somewhat transparent because you don’t want the reader to catch on to who she is too quickly. But in a suspense novel, the bad guy is very visible. The ultimate antagonists are smart and motivated. 3. ENLARGE THE PROBLEM
At first we see a house has burned down. Now we find the fire was deliberately set.
4. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES.
Personal problems may intrude, making resolution of the main problem more difficult.
Give your protagonist more things to do than he can handle.
5. ELIMINATE OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS – Make each lead a failure. When the hero tries to do something, it makes everything worse. 6. RAISE THE STAKES
What happens if the main problem isn’t solved? Can the situation get worse?
Make the stakes really high. The man only attacks women in red rain coats. The detective’s wife has a red raincoat. It’s starting to rain.
7. ISOLATE THE PROTAGONIST
With cell phones, this is harder and harder to do. But you MUST make sure the protagonist solves the problem on his own. This is a standard device on film and television.
8. PROMOTE UNCERTAINTY
Suspense is increased when we don’t know whom to trust or whether a plan will work. Create dilemmas. Make all the choices seem lose/lose.
9. CREATE A DEADLINE We know the killer is going to strike tonight. The kidnapped girl will die if she doesn’t get her insulin.

Sorry about the format issues here. I tried to copy over from word.

 

[Melodie Campbell]

Great point, thank you!

In my WIP, I have two deaths and I'd like to introduce a female suspect or two. But the deaths are pretty violent: a stabbing and a hanging. In the old days, women were supposed to use different murder methods than men (e.g. poison, not a gun). Do you think that's gone by the boards now? Can a murderess today be as violent as any man?

Oh yes! Certainly, I write that way. The first murder victim in A Purse to Die For is beaten over the head with a baseball bat. The thing is: with mysteries, you don't linger on the crime scene details. The way we say it is: "The violence is offstage." The protagonist may see the violence and tell you what is happening, but he/she doesn't describe the violence in loving detail.

 

[Maia Caron]

Suspense Writing

“I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN”

SUSPENSE WRITING DEPENDS THAT THE AUTHOR EMOTIONALLY INVOLVE THE READER BOTH IN THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE STORY AND IN THE CHARACTER WHO STANDS TO SUFFER IF THINGS DON’T TURN OUT RIGHT.

1. THE AUTHOR MUST GIVE THE READERS SOMEONE TO ROOT FOR AND TO IDENTIFY WITH.

The aim here is to get the readers so involved that they imagine they are the protagonist and experience the anxiety of being in the protagonist’s dilemma.

The main problem must be big enough s the person the readers are rooting for will suffer a great deal if it isn’t solved.

Now, increase the suspense…..

PLOTTING THE SUSPENSE STORY – 9 Steps

1. INVOLVE THE READER’S EMOTIONS. Make sure the protagonist has a lot to lose. 2. MAKE A REALLY GOOD VILLAIN. In mystery fiction, the villain has to be somewhat transparent because you don’t want the reader to catch on to who she is too quickly. But in a suspense novel, the bad guy is very visible. The ultimate antagonists are smart and motivated. 3. ENLARGE THE PROBLEM
At first we see a house has burned down. Now we find the fire was deliberately set.
4. PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OBSTACLES.
Personal problems may intrude, making resolution of the main problem more difficult.
Give your protagonist more things to do than he can handle.
5. ELIMINATE OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS – Make each lead a failure. When the hero tries to do something, it makes everything worse. 6. RAISE THE STAKES
What happens if the main problem isn’t solved? Can the situation get worse?
Make the stakes really high. The man only attacks women in red rain coats. The detective’s wife has a red raincoat. It’s starting to rain.
7. ISOLATE THE PROTAGONIST
With cell phones, this is harder and harder to do. But you MUST make sure the protagonist solves the problem on his own. This is a standard device on film and television.
8. PROMOTE UNCERTAINTY
Suspense is increased when we don’t know whom to trust or whether a plan will work. Create dilemmas. Make all the choices seem lose/lose.
9. CREATE A DEADLINE We know the killer is going to strike tonight. The kidnapped girl will die if she doesn’t get her insulin.

Thanks for posting this! I forgot about isolating the protagonist. Very helpful.
I just read the blog post Gail put up earlier on "Not your Granny's mystery," and was struck by, "I want edgy, I want hard-hitting, I want dark. I want to squeeze the pages in anticipation as I read, I want to be entertained, I want to be scared. Or worried. Or nervous. But I also want to care and be invested in multilayered characters. I want to think and be challenged."
I would think that every reader wants this kind of story and every writer wants to deliver it...

 

[Gordon Graham]

Those 9 points are golden, Melodie, thank you!

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

Those 9 points are golden, Melodie, thank you!

Hey Gordon! Nice to "see" you here! Welcome.

 

[Katherin Edwards]

Does the way a person is murdered put the story in different mystery camp? E.g. poison in a teacup = cosy mystery?

 

[Melodie Campbell]

"Their motivations MUST be believable. If someone is killed, why would that suspect be motivated to kill them? What could possibly be worth the risk? You need three suspects at least that we as readers would nod our heads and say, yes, that motivation is believable. This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak." This is pure gold, Melodie! Thanks!

Thanks, Katherin! Just pulled out this. I give this mid-term to all my students:

PLOT PROBLEMS! Fiction writing with Melodie Campbell

NOW is the time to look at your plot to make sure it passes the following tests:

MOTIVATION PROBLEMS:

“So what?” Story

- Situation is too easily resolved, uninteresting.

- Situation is not desperate enough to make readers care whether it is resolved or not.

- We don’t really like your protagonist and thus we don’t care about her. Don’t care if she gets what she wants (be it safety or something else)

- Motivations don’t make sense.

- Holes in logic: Reactions don’t make sense.

- Reasoning behind resolution doesn’t hang together.

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

I would think that every reader wants this kind of story and every writer wants to deliver it...

Yes!

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

I give this mid-term to all my students

Hey, speaking of which, where can writers work with you?

 

[Melodie Campbell]

"Their motivations MUST be believable. If someone is killed, why would that suspect be motivated to kill them? What could possibly be worth the risk? You need three suspects at least that we as readers would nod our heads and say, yes, that motivation is believable. This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak." This is pure gold, Melodie! Thanks!

Another point on Motivation: What I call "Haunted House Syndrome"
Your teenage protagonist and friends are staying overnight in a house where they know someone has been recently murdered.

WHY? Why would anyone with half a brain do that?? I often get students saying, but I NEED them to stay overnight for the plot.
Then I say: Then make it so the HAVE to. It's storming out. One of the kids fell down the stairs and broke his leg, so they can't move him. All the phone lines are down and they are out of cell reach.

To add to this: I've heard this expression in romance writing: TSTL.
Do you know it? It's when the heroine is "Too Stupid to Live"
(I love it!)
Bottom line, your motivation must be believable.

 

[Katherin Edwards]

Thanks, Katherin! Just pulled out this. I give this mid-term to all my students:

PLOT PROBLEMS! Fiction writing with Melodie Campbell

NOW is the time to look at your plot to make sure it passes the following tests:

MOTIVATION PROBLEMS:

“So what?” Story

- Situation is too easily resolved, uninteresting.

- Situation is not desperate enough to make readers care whether it is resolved or not.

- We don’t really like your protagonist and thus we don’t care about her. Don’t care if she gets what she wants (be it safety or something else)

- Motivations don’t make sense.

- Holes in logic: Reactions don’t make sense.

- Reasoning behind resolution doesn’t hang together.

This is really excellent and a superb checklist for all stories! We have to care, don't we? As readers and writers. We have to care deeply about the characters..otherwise, why write/read it? Start with the so what? indeed

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

To add to this: I've heard this expression in romance writing: TSTL.
Do you know it? It's when the heroine is "Too Stupid to Live"
(I love it!)
Bottom line, your motivation must be believable.

I love this. We may know people that stupid in real life, but our characters can't be ...

 

[Gordon Graham]

OK, I'll remember to give "equal opportunity" to women suspects! And maybe even have a man resort to poison in a teacup ;-)

 

[Katherin Edwards]

To add to this: I've heard this expression in romance writing: TSTL.

Now that's hilarious! And usually stops the DVD machine in our house many times. The OMG, are you serious? I hope she/he gets murdered. They are well, too stupid to live. Love it!