  Mystery
This week: Mystery As A Flexible Genre Edited by: Jeff  
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"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
- Carl Sagan
Random Mystery Trivia of the Week: Before she was a bestselling mystery novelist, Lisa Gardner (Live To Tell, Alone, The Survivors Club, Hide, Gone) was also a well known romance novelist, writing under the pseudonym Alicia Scott. |
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MYSTERY AS A FLEXIBLE GENRE
One of the best things about the mystery genre is that it doesn't always have to be at the forefront ... and you can find it almost anywhere. Unlike other genres like Western, Romance/Erotica, or Science Fiction - where the genre elements are prevalent and in-your-face - the Mystery genre enjoys a more subtle and flexible usage that writers can use to their advantage.
The truth is, when it comes to writing a work, conflict and drama are musts. Very few people are interested in stories whether either nothing happens, or there is no obstacle that must be overcome. In most cases, people are looking to solve some element of mystery to the proceedings ... if not whodunit, then how; if not how, then why; and so on. In most stories, at least one of the "who, what, when, where, why, how" elements is a question that needs to be answered ... and therefore, you have - in essence - a mystery that needs to be solved in your story.
Unlike other genres, however, mystery genre elements can be as few or many as you want, and as prominent or disguised as necessary. If you're writing an actual mystery novel, clearly you want those genre elements to come across loud and clear. But if you're writing a period romance, those mystery genre elements might fly under the radar and only come up occasionally, when the narrative needs them. Compare that to, say, an action/adventure novel where if something action-y and adventure-y isn't happening every so often, you're going to have a pretty disappointed audience!
And this flexibility is what makes the mystery genre such a great one to know, and know well ... because while not every story is necessarily a mystery, elements of mystery can be found in nearly every story. For proof of this dynamic, just look at the items on WdC. There are an awful lot of items that use "Mystery" as the second or third genre choice following a radically different primary genre ... but very few items that list Mystery as the primary genre, and a radically different genre as the second or third genre choice.
Mystery isn't just a genre, or a section in the fiction department of a bookstore. It's a set of tools and devices that you can use in your writing. It's a collection of genre elements that you can incorporation into any other genres you write, to make your stories more compelling, more engaging, and - well - more mysterious. Give yourself permission to think of your knowledge of mystery conventions are part of your skill set as a writer, and use it to enhance your writing, whether you write horror, fantasy, romance, or anything else.
When you're writing for a genre, you have to honor those genre conventions, and mystery is no exception. But mystery can fit into other genres far more easily than other genres can fit into a mystery. 
Until next time,
- Jeff |
This week, I would encourage you to check out the following mystery items:
| |  | Checkmate (E)
A chat between two men soon becomes sinister as ulterior motives come into play.
#1708849 by CB Lingo  |
There was a brief pause as both men pondered their next move. Richard lifted his hands from the glass of wine and folded them around the bottom of his chin, a grin growing across his face as he looked at Walter's weathered face. "I'll make you a deal," he spoke as he pointed down to the jewelery box. "If you take that broach, crush it in your hands and admit it was a cheap, worthless trinket from a pathetic old fool, I'll down this glass of wine."
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1707747 by Not Available. |
I covered my eyes attempting to get a quick glance at the stranger,” I’m sorry, I work at the craft shop. I, uh, was called down; I am Sam Oliver, the shop girl.” The stranger didn’t lower the flash-light and nor did he answer me. “Sir, if you could please put that light away from my eyes that would be brilliant.”
Ten years earlier, Marianne had been sat in the fine gardens at her Aunt Hortense’s majestic house in the countryside when Hortense had to go inside to welcome her friend Lady Beswick into the house. Marianne had been left alone in the garden with a snoring Great-Uncle, and had wandered off to walk down by the lake. She had been fifteen years old, a willowy, plain thing in a second-hand brown dress of her rich cousin’s with mediocrity in her brow and dun skin, into which a slim nose and dull blue eyes were set. As she neared the water’s edge, her battered leather boot hit slippery mud, and she fell down the soft incline into the water.
"Class dismissed!", The teacher called out over the roar of chairs and desks colliding. The students all obnoxiously banded together to hurry out the door. Daniel, the lonely boy in the back, just waited for them to move. After they did move, he slowly made his way out. "Wait!", His teacher called out. Don't be late again tomorrow!", Daniel smiled, and moved out the door, knowing that he would be late. He was always late.
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1706265 by Not Available. |
Dominique Rogers, wasn't the smartest or the prettiest, but she was no fool either. Something was troubling her as she made her way across the snow covered grounds of her institute of higher learning. A dread gnawed at her very soul, a itch that she just couldn't scratch. She mumbled to herself like a madwoman, hoping no one saw her self dialogue.
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In response to my last newsletter on Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine:
Joy  writes: "Thank you for an informative newsletter, SoCal. I knew of Ellery Queen. I just didn't know it was older than me, as not many things are. And thanks for featuring my story. "
 You're welcome!
BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  writes: "Well, mysteries are mysteries, but the greatest mystery is life."
Very, very true!
Tornado Dodger  writes: "Great advice Jeff. I love EQMM, have read it ever since I was a child. I'm not about to divulge exactly how long that is but you get the point! Congrats on your new F/T editor position - I got the Noticing Newbies position. It's a great feeling isn't it?  Hugs, Brooke"
Thanks, Brooke! Congratulations to you as well! 
DB Cooper writes: "Ellery Queen only publishes short shorts in responce to a prompt. This infuriates me because really short stories attract a huge following!"
Thanks for the information, DB. In my research for this article, I was led to believe that the Department of First Stories accepts all unsolicited submissions for consideration, regardless of whether they're written for a prompt... although only through their Department of First Stories. (And the choice of what they publish is still at the mercy of what fits the needs of their magazine.) I appreciate you sharing your experience with us!
StephBee  writes: "Ellery queen Mystery Magazine sounds great! Thanks so much for bringing it here! I had never heard of it before. "
Glad I could bring it to your attention! It really is a great publication.
writes: "Hi! As a "newbie" and maybe in ten yeasrs from now, I'll be forever pleased... and honored by having one (in 10) of my short stories (The Eye Doctor) selected in the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine - Editor's Pick! Thank you! I am still smilling... and, completely tickled pink!
Christina Daltro"
Congratulations on being published!   |
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Mystery: September 29, 2010 Issue [#3989]
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