Overview for writing a mystery...
1) INTERVIEW: - the victim, the witness(es), the first
person/officer on the scene – Purpose: to develop a theory of what allegedly
happened.
a) Ask your POV character about:
Problem / Conflict
Scene Goal (what they hope to accomplish)
Purpose (Action he/she plans to take to achieve
the goal)
Who else is in the scene and are they “with” him/her
or “against” him/her?
b) Ask your other characters if they are “with” the POV character or
“against” the POV character and why or why not.
2) EXAMINE THE SCENE: - to ascertain if the
theory can be upheld – watch for:
-
Point of entry – the previous failures, setbacks or discovery that propelled the
character into this scene.
-
Point of Exit – the failure or discovery in
this scene that propels the character into the next scene.
3) PHOTOGRAPH: - to capture overall and specific items of evidence.
Setting:
- Where are they? When is it?
What’s
the climate, lighting, etc?
Note all physical items in the scene-are they clues or
red herrings?
4) SKETCH – ACTION
Choreograph what happens. Who was where, when?Who did what? How?
5) PROCESS: Evaluate, record, collect physical and
testimonial evidence for further analysis
-
What did we
learn? How does this impact the plot?
The character? The setting?
-
What is the
result of the scene? What step must the
POV take next? What is the new goal?
-
How does this
propel the story and the characters into the next scene?
- Are all the necessary clues and set-up information included?
- Are all the necessary clues and set-up information included?
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS