Thank you, mysteries, for what you taught me

by Kris Neri with the Femmes Fatales

I have loved mysteries since Nancy Drew first led me into what has proven to be a long life of crime.

I was a mystery reader long before I became a mystery writer. And given my love of the genre, when I turned to writing, it was inevitable that I would write mysteries.

For me, as both a reader and a writer, my visceral connection with the mystery relates to the element of justice. Life isn’t always fair, we all know, but in the mystery, justice is almost always served in some way. 

Mysteries also provide such a fun ride of readers. The stories twist and turn; the endings are often total surprises. At the completion, we look back and marvel at the subtlety of clues we should have caught, but didn’t. 

What isn’t always acknowledged by some critics is that crime novels are what storytelling feats. Those twists aren’t pulled out of the air. They’re the result of the layering of story elements so artfully that readers think they know what really happened at various points, only to find the truth of what actually happened to be quite different.

The seeding in of clues also requires great thought, especially making them so slight and subtle, the reader slides right past them. I wish I could say I think of all of mine in advance, but only some come to me that way. New ones are always occurring to me that I either go back and tuck in, or make a note to myself to include in a subsequent draft. I also keep thinking of new ways to distract the reader from the clues already seeded in.

Structuring a crime novel also requires great effort. Introduce the murder too late and you risk losing the reader. Introduce it too early and the reader might not have bonded with the characters yet, so she might not care enough about their struggles.

There’s a steep learning curve involved; I see that with all the new-to-the-mystery writers in my writing classes, and of course, it’s a path I’ve trod myself.

But once a writer thoroughly understands how to plot a mystery novel, the crime structure provides the perfect spine on which to drape a story.

When my writing students complain about the difficulty grasping all the nuances and conventions of the genre, I always tell the the investment in learning is worth it. Because if you can write a mystery, you can write anything. 

I proved that to myself when I started writing paranormals. Once again, the crime genre, whether it employs a natural or supernatural storyline, provides the perfect spine on which to drape a magical storyline.

And now, I’m proving it again. My new WIP, currently called HOPSCOTCH LIFE, is my first general fiction/women’s fiction novel. It features a quirky woman desperately trying to be beige, who doesn’t know she already glows in a rainbow of colors. When her life falls apart, through no fault of her own, she has no idea that the adventure she begins will change the rest of her life.

I’ve always believed writers should write what they read. I read everything, mysteries, thrillers, paranormals, and book club-type books. I’m one of those people who’ll read the back of a cereal box if that’s the only collection of words available.

And once again I’m demonstrating to myself that if you can write a mystery, you can write anything.

This time there’s no crime to provide girders to the storyline, but there are some surprises that hit the characters hard, and they function much like crimes do in crime novels. 

Sure, the style of storytelling is different, but the elements that I hope will payout profoundly in the climax have to be seeded in just like clues.

So, thank you, mystery genre, for giving me the best writing education possible, not to mention thousands of hours of writing and reading pleasures.

How about you, writers — have you made the same discoveries about writing mysteries? Readers, do you read in other fictional categories? Do different kinds of novels unfold the same way for you?

Comments

[LynDee Walker]

Great post, Kris! I read in many genres, though mystery and thriller are my favorites. But I agree—when I read a great book, no matter the genre, there always seems to be an element of "mystery" about something that propels the story. Whether is a character's self-discovery or a romance in trouble, I keep reading because I want to know the answer to some central question the writer has set.

[Sally Schmidt]

I read many genres and agree, to hold my interest something has to unfold, has to be discovered, whether there is a murder or mystery or not. Otherwise, it's like reading a journal. Interesting but not quite the same. I think romances and cozies are often not given credit for following this structure.

[Mark]

I think there is a lot of truth in this. But then I might be biased since I’m such a mystery fan.

[krisneri]

Me too, LynDee. Sometimes I think genres are the same underneath, just wearing different clothes.

[krisneri]

Sally, I agree about romances and cozies sometimes not being given enough credit. I've learned there's terrific writing in every genre and sub-genre.

[krisneri]

Me too, Mark. :)

[Elaine Viets]

I read many genres, and love good women's fiction, Kris. Your WIP sounds right up my alley.

[krisneri]

Thanks, Elaine.

[Cindy]

"crime novels are what storytelling feats."

Is this a typo? This doesn't make sense. Did you mean fetes (celebrates)? Feats are accomplishments, which completed crime novels certainly are, but it's a noun, not a verb.