And Then There Were None: Chapters 4-5; Murder Most Foul: How to Write a Mystery

We will read chapter 4 & 5 in class. Finally, we’ll take a look at the Ghastlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey. When we’re done, we will go to the lab to complete the following:

Using your character design from last class, choose one of your characters to be murdered. Decide how the character died, and who of your other characters murdered him/her.

Some types of murder for writers to use:

• suicide (self-inflicted, usually by one of the methods below...)
• an overdose of drugs
• poison
• bludgeoning/concussion
• stabbing/impaling/cutting
• shooting
• hanging
• choking/asphyxiation/smothering
• running someone over (usually with a machine, like a car or a train...)
• crushing someone with a heavy object
• burying one alive
• chopping
• assassination
• exposure/starvation/hypothermia
• immolation (catching on fire, or being choked by smoke...)
• bomb/blown to bits
• drowning
• falling from a great height, usually by being pushed
• devoured by dangerous animal(s)
• electrocution

Usually, a person resorts to murder when there is no other choice. Murder is often the end result of other crimes.

Writing mysteries require a writer to consider all the possible angles of a scene. Your reader will want to trust that you know the who, what, where, when, how, and why (motive) of the crime. Take a look at this video for some good advice.

Once you decide on these details, use a flow chart graphic to work backward from the crime. You will need to know the solution to the crime before you start writing.

Create a list of clues--separate this list into obvious clues and less obvious. The ones that come to mind first are probably obvious. If you think of it, so will your reader. Your job is to throw a reader off the track by creating or choosing more obscure or difficult clues. Consider what the clues are that lead to the murder. How might the murder lead back to the murderer? This will be your solution.

Once you have a good idea of some clues to leave for your readers, add motives for the other characters you have written into your story. Make sure you have some other suspects. Throw in at least one red herring or false clue for each character or suspect.

It's okay to leave some questions unanswered. It will be the job of your detective or the person solving the crime to come up with these answers to help the reader bridge the logic gap between a clue, a motive, and the real killer. What's at stake for the real murderer? Who stands to gain by the death of your victim? Keep these questions in mind as you plan your story.

Then, using the scene started last class (or by writing a new one--see the previous post), build your mystery draft. You might start with the ending, then write the story to that point, or start at the beginning and use your list of clues/motives/suspects to work in your details. See if you can craft an effective, well-written mystery.

This assignment will be due next Thursday, June 1. Use the time in the lab to plan and write your draft.

HOMEWORK: Complete And Then There Were None (you have Monday off, remember!) Read at your own pace, but try to finish by next Friday (June 2). The more you read, the easier it will be to write your own detective/mystery story draft. Use the reading as a model (particularly about effective mystery writing, building plot, and developing characters & scenes).