 Mystery: March 07, 2018 Issue [#8795] |
  Mystery
This week: Procedural Fatigue Edited by: Jeff  
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1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the
fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science."
-- Albert Einstein
Trivia of the Week: Sherlock Holmes is one of the few fictional characters to hold a Guinness World Record... of being the Most Portrayed Literary Human Character in Film & Television." At the time of the award in May of 2012, the character has been depicted on screen 254 times and been portrayed by 54 different actors. Second place goes to Hamlet, while the "Most Portrayed Literary Non-Human Character in Film & Television" is dominated by Dracula with 272 appearances.
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PROCEDURAL FATIGUE
Let's be honest; there are a lot of procedurals out there. There are more than 3,000 episodes of procedural television just among the Chicago, Criminal Minds, CSI, ER, Law & Order, and NCIS franchises and that's not even counting the 246 episodes of Bones, the 173 episodes of Castle, the 463 total episodes of both versions of Hawaii Five-O, and the countless episodes of the more than 250 procedural television shows out there. And that's just television.
Add to that the tens of thousands of feature films and novels out there, plus the plethora of new ones being released every year and you could easily spend an entire lifetime consuming only procedural stories and never have to watch or read a repeat. I know this because I'm pretty sure my wife is trying to make her way through all of them! 
With the exception of romance, few genres have a more rigid set of set of expectations and parameters than the procedural story. For those who enjoy the genre (and based on the sheer volume of content being produced and consumed, it's fair to say there are a lot of us out there!), that's an endless supply of stories to keep us interested until the end of our time on Earth. But what about those of us who get fatigued reading the same kind of story all the time?
The basic answer is to try something new. For readers with varied interests, that's easy. When you're tired of mystery books, we read a fantasy book. Or some literary fiction. Or a memoir. Or a paranormal romance. And then we go back to the procedurals when they call to us. For some, though, that can be a tall order as the idea of venturing far afield into a radically different genre just doesn't hold a lot of appeal. If you're a die-hard procedural fan, you might not be as interested in branching out into space opera science fiction, or westerns, or horror. You might still want the same mystery feel you've come to know and love, just in slightly different packaging. Where does one go from there?
To start, I would suggest exploring subgenres. Amazon in particular is great about breaking down stories into really specific subgenres. Maybe instead of police and private investigator procedurals, you want to try an espionage thriller. Or a supernatural mystery. Or an international crime plot. Or an action/adventure story that takes you to the ends of the earth. The great thing about the mystery genre is that the act of stumbling into a mystery and then chasing a resolution isn't just relegated to the mystery genre. You can find mysteries in just about any genre. You can even find the particular expression of a procedural in some unusual places. There's even an entire subgenre devoted to military science fiction!
Regardless of whether your interests are near or far afield of the specific procedural mystery subgenre, don't be afraid to venture out and try something new every once in a while. It might stave off procedural fatigue if you're prone to getting tired of reading the same thing over and over, and it might just inspire you to find a whole new genre of stories to explore. You know, for that lifetime AFTER you've read all the procedurals.
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"Blogocentric Formulations"
"New & Noteworthy Things"
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This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
I also encourage you to check out the following items:
EXCERPT: I must admit, I thought it was a joke too, the Leaning Tower of Pisa having been set straight during the night.
EXCERPT: There is nothing here of interest so move along.
EXCERPT: His eyes said, "I didn't do it." But who else could have?
EXCERPT: The Shadow turned slowly in the dark to look back upon the house he had just escaped.
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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!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Feedback from "Mystery Newsletter (February 7, 2018)" about bankrolling your vigilantes:
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  writes: "Of course, it is possible that, in a fantasy/sci-fi story that the vigilante has special abilities."
Indeed!
Quick-Quill  writes: "Another thought provoker. I'm writing a 1930's crime story. This newsletter has me thinking. My poor detective is normal. He suspects his fellow detective to be on the take. In need to come up with something to make the guy more interesting. What resources can I give him to fight Organized crime. He has to unmask a bootlegger with mob connections who is also a murderer. The revelation seems to easy. More work ahead."
Good luck with the additional work!
Circuit Rider  writes: "I don't know the criteria you use for picking 'Editor's Pick', but thanks for the exposure."
You're very welcome!
Elfin Dragon-finally published  writes: "Being a vigilante brings to mind a couple of B-flicks which focuses on just these types of heroes. Movies like "Mystery Men" and "Kick Ass" which let regular folk like us in on the act of being a super hero."
Vigilante movies are one of my favorite genres!
DB Cooper writes: "When X-Files the grassy knoll subplot it made me sick. It was REALLY hard to picture those 'nerds' working with the FBI."
I haven't watched the X-Files in ages!
HWinB.C. writes: "Thank you very much, Jeff for featuring "Annie's Mystery Rose". I always appreciate the editor's support for the writers here!"
You're very welcome!
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