 Mystery: October 30, 2024 Issue [#12814] |
This week: I’m Thinking of Something … Mundane Edited by: Carol St.Ann  
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| How does one write a story about seemingly mundane, everyday happenings and make it interesting enough to capture a readership? How would you create and write an original sleuth so that it’s entertaining and ultimately satisfying? |
| ASIN: B083RZ2C5F |
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I’m thinking of something . . .
I’m thinking about a character. Like Bruce Willis in moonlighting. Why was he such a smart Alec?
I’m thinking about a character. Like Peter Falk in Colombo. Why the cigar and raincoat?
Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote.
And dare I leave out Tony Shalhoub’s Monk?
These were entertaining characters of substance, who could carry the story on their own. You know, without the car chases and pathetic attempts at the standard cliched male/female standoff-road-to-romance recipe from which no one seems to be able to break away.
And speaking of cliches, what about the stories! Why is every mystery drenched in murder?
What about the everyday mystery’s like:
•Who stole Mrs. Holland’s lawn statue?
•Why are so many pets disappearing from the Senior community?
•Why does a 10-mile-long traffic jam suddenly dissipate without evidence of what caused it?
•What happens to all the contractors in the middle of your remodel?
•How come you used the same recipe and ingredients, but one batch is completely different from the other?
•Why did 4 of the 7 members of the Board of Directors suddenly resign from what everyone sees as a healthy HOA?
Is all this actually sinister, or are there perfectly logical explanations for all of them?
How does one write a story about seemingly mundane, everyday happenings and make it interesting enough to capture a readership? How would you create and write an original sleuth so that it’s entertaining and ultimately satisfying?
Creative character building.
Well rounded characters with a healthy backstory (that need never be fully revealed, by the way, as long as the author makes it canon and sticks to it) are crucial to a memorable sleuth. Consider Telly Savalas’ character, Theo Kojak. Did the audience ever learn why he always had a lollypop? Did we need to? I dare suggest it wouldn’t have mattered one bit.
While each of these sleuths’ cleverly designed idiosyncratic quirks were always present, they were never the center or subject of the story. The quirk’s true role took place outside the story; in the mind of the reader.
Quirks are developed to build character recognition.
Are you up for a challenge?
Sometime between now and November 30th (2024), write a short story or poem (beginning-middle-end) with (1)an everyday mystery (2)solved by a sleuth with a memorable quirk that hasn’t been done before. And I’ll send you an MB (or 10k GPs) of your choice. (Extra surprise points if you make me laugh!)
See you next time. 🔍
Who loves ya, Baby!
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