 Mystery: November 18, 2009 Issue [#3392] |
  Mystery
This week: Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading  
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All that I see or seem is but a dream within a dream.
Edgar Alan Poe
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A mystery is an answer in search of a question; knowing what’s been done and the journey to discovering the how and why of it. It deals with something unknown to the reader, which the writer reveals in bits and pieces by use of clues, drawing the reader into the puzzle. Welcome to this week's edition of the WDC Mystery Newletter, where we will explore some of the means by which we plot the journey to discovery for ourselves and our readers.
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Greetings, fellow sleuths.
You know who done it; well, you're almost sure. But why? You know a crime's been done; the window was smashed in from the outside and there's no longer any jjewelry in the store. But who did it? You see the body posed for a slam-dunk chalk outline on the pavement; but it's all too obivous, appearing staged for a newscam. And time is of the essence, lest it happen again or the perp gets away or rain washes away the chalk outline, or... somehow clues become lost or outdated or irrelevant.
You sift through what you find in front of you; seek that which are thinly (or heavily) veiled by the obvious or obtuse; in order to answer the how, or why, or what for, or by whom. The focus is on the puzzle: be it as a crossword with questions to answer; a sudoku with all the pieces there awaiting their proper placement; a word find with the clues out in the open awaiting but insight as to their relevance to each other.
I'm thinking of a mystery short story - one that's less than maybe 10,000 words, generally between 2,000 and 5,000, but it can be shorter yet. And, being a mystery short story, a crime or threat of a crime is central to the plot and significant and immediately apparent to your reader.
 Just as there are numerous types of puzzles, i.e., crossword, sudoku, wordfind, etc., there are sub-categories of mysteries. What makes a short story mystery work is the closeness and immediacy of the puzzle to its logical solution. The story itself has to be focused and cmpact, with little extraneous information and scenic background. Everything that doesn't move the story forward, focus on the solution either by aiding the solution or attempting to thwart it, has to go. Weave a story about a hostile or threatening situation; have the protagonist (and/or antagonist) suffer in the process of finding and solving clues, then have him/her solve the puzzle, leaving no loose ends. Consider this puzzle - you assemble a bike for a 5-year old's birthday and sweeping the cardboard casing, find a couple of screws on the ground. You wouldn't consider the bike rideable; so also your short story mystery - leave no loose ends for your readers.
Moving the mystery with dialogue provides a sense of time and place and immediacy. Argument, commenary (I'd avoid a long soliloquay), and conversational observation serves to give depth to not only the characters but the story itself.
Focus on one or two sentient characters, a protagonist and antagonist, with perhaps a few bit parts for helpers to guide clues or maybe a red herring (but don't get too 'fishy', lest the mystery be lost in a net of side-stories). These characters will converse and interact and help or thwart each other's efforts to solve the puzzle.
Add a bit of humor to the story; another way to bring your reader into the mystery, make it more real, create an 'otherword' to which he/she can relate. Some quirk of behavior either physical or emotional makes the characters more human, ones to which your reader can relate, and perhaps vie with to work the puzzle.
Try mapping out your mystery, beginning with 'what if.' For exampe, what if that girl leaning against the car that's been running in front of the jewelry store just found her fiance had given someone else an engagement ring, who's now lying across the front seat with eyes wide shut. "what if..." Then add a handful of characters, give them a problem (puzzle) to solve and an obstacle that makes it harder to solve the probem, and a way to sole the puzzle (clues). And, again, remember to tie up the loose ends that your sleuth (and reader) arrive at the most believable and logical solution to the puzzle.
Start a short story mystery fast to pull your reader in and involve him/her in the puzzle. Provide a few obstacles to solving the clues, and keep the story to a relatively short timespan for believability.
Say more with less over a short period of time; keeping the clues, characters, and obstacles in proportionate scale with the length of the story. Use dialogue or action to move from one scene directly to another, eliminating most transitions or expository scenic descriptions. Some short mysteries are resolved in a single vivid scene with a cool twist in the middle or the end.
Focus the reader's attention with a single point of view or perhaps two parallel views to move the story forward and hold with a linear chronology, avoiding past reflection or shifting back and forth. Some dialogue can answer a question and perhaps pose a clue to background of the puzzle or a character.
Ready to start ~ Well, why not ~ begin with 'what if,' and start writing. Give it a shot 
If you have a short story myster you'd like to submit for possible print publication, consider the following which welcomes established and emerging writers with short stories fromn 1000 words and up ~
http://strandmag.com/htm/strandmag_guidelines.htm
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How about reading some good short mysteries submitted by our readers/and writers to our newsletter for your reading pleasure and review
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#1554661 by Not Available. |
Short Story Mysteries penned by members of our Community for your enjoyment and comment
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#808845 by Not Available. |
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Sarah was alone in her new house that night, when she heard a noise downstairs.
#1109610 by Momo  |
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Like a challenge ~ see if this incites the muse creative to pen a mystery
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
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I thank you for sharing this exploration with me and welcome your comments in response. What if there were no more knives to carve a roast turkey because .... What if the butcher shop was robbed and the butcher was ... what if ...
If you think of a 'what if' and it incites a short story mystery, consider submittng it via bitem to this newsletter; it may show up for some further holiday 'digestion' by our readers 
Until we next meet,
Keep Writing!
Kate - Writing & Reading
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