 Mystery: July 03, 2019 Issue [#9633] |
This week: I’ll never tell Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon  
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Quote for the week:
"Got a secret
Can you keep it?
Swear this one you'll save
Better lock it, in your pocket
Taking this one to the grave
If I show you then I know you
Won't tell what I said
'Cause two can keep a secret
If one of them is dead?"
~from "Secret" by the Pierces |
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Can you keep a secret? Successful mystery writing involves knowing how to keep a secret and when to give it away.
When you plan a mystery story, remember that it involves different types and levels of secrets.
The solution to the main puzzle or problem of the story is the major secret you will have to keep throughout most of the story. In a short mystery story or one for kids, the main secret might be the only one. Many mystery novels involve a complex web of interwoven secrets. In order to solve the main puzzle, your characters will have to solve many smaller puzzles and fit the solutions together. For example, a secret from a character's past might be the missing motive that will lead your investigators to the perpetrator of a crime.
As you write your story, remember which characters know all the secrets and which are "in the dark." If your story involves a crime, the perpetrator might be the only character who knows all the secrets. Other characters may know as well, and might keep silent for various reasons. In some cases, characters might only know part of a secret, leading them to an incomplete or false solution.
If your characters deliberately keep secrets from each other, make sure they have understandable reasons, especially if they are lying to the police. A person would need a pretty powerful reason to withhold information that might result in their being falsely accused of a crime or obstruction of justice.
A big secret might actually be a red herring. A character might look extremely guilty for reasons that have nothing to do with the main puzzle or crime. For example, a character might lie about his whereabouts at the time of a crime because he is trying to hide an illicit love affair. Some characters might even confess to a crime they did not commit to protect someone they love.
Knowing when and how to reveal a secret is just as important as keeping it. Don't reveal all your secrets too soon. Mystery readers want a chance to guess the solution, but they don't want it to be too easy. A mystery writer needs to achieve the delicate balance of keeping the solution of the story secret until the right moment, while at the same time giving the readers all the information they need to solve it themselves. If your story is made up of several connected smaller secrets, you might want to reveal the answers to some of them along the way, rather than leaving them all for the end. That will make the investigation more realistic, since real life investigators seldom solve a complex case all at once. One answered question leads to another and another and...
Depending on your story, you might not want to reveal all the secrets at the end. Some of the best stories end with a little bit of mystery left unsolved at the end, especially if the author has sequels in mind. Remember that some readers want everything tied up in a neat bow at the end, while others like a little bit of leftover secrecy. Consequently, you may not be able to please all readers with your conclusion, so just do what you think is best for your story.
Something to try: Write a mystery story in which everyone has a secret.
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