Like many writers, detective story writers sometimes feel the need to break genre conventions and create something unique. Following this urge is great, but you shouldn't let it take you too far. Evaluate the advice you receive against your own opinions, and find a path that allows you to insert everything you love about the mystery fiction and season the story with your own style.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Outlining the Plot
Step 1. Try to work in reverse
Most detective stories start with crime, and this technique can also be useful for the author. Briefly describe an exciting or mysterious crime scene: jewels disappearing from inside a locked safe, a fortune teller found dead in a canoe, or the secretary of the British prime minister who is caught carrying a bomb inside number 10 of Downing Street. Ask yourself the following questions, and use the answers to sketch out the plot:
- What could have led to committing the crime in that particular place?
- What motivation could lead someone to commit the crime or frame someone else?
- What kind of person could commit the crime based on this motivation?
Step 2. Choose a setting
"Write what you know" is a good formula, especially if you want a confidence boost to complete a project. A detective story set in a historical era or in a place you've never visited requires that you document yourself on the manner of speaking, customs and fashions required by the setting. But, if this is what you are interested in, proceed in this direction.
A gritty and dark setting adds atmosphere, and works well with stories that take place in the world of organized crime. On the other hand, setting a story in an ordinary and idyllic city provides thrills of another kind, and suggests that the horror can also be found in the reader's normal life
Step 3. Determine who will be the protagonist
Sure, the crude noir detective or investigative genius is always a viable alternative, but find different ideas or surprising features that make your character unique. Some writers suggest discarding the first two ideas that come to mind a priori, assuming they will also be the first the reader will think about. The third, fourth or fifth idea will lead you to create a protagonist who introduces a new style to the genre.
Make the crime personal for the protagonist to amplify the emotional involvement. It could be connected to the protagonist's mysterious past, or it could be a close friend or family member in danger, the fate of the city, the country or even the world
Step 4. Create the antagonists and suspects
If you're writing a short story, you can get by with only one antagonist, but adding a suspect to lead you on a red herring will add to the drama of the story. Generally, there are at least four suspects in a mystery novel, but perhaps you prefer to reserve a plot that includes eight of them for a future attempt.
Some authors prefer to know exactly what happened before they started writing. Others make sure any suspicion is linked to the crime through some evidence or motivation, and then decide who is innocent and who guilty over the course of the story
Step 5. Constantly take inspiration
Perhaps the question most often asked of writers is where do they find inspiration. There is no miracle formula, but the more you pay attention to what is happening and take notes, the more material you will have to work on. Carry a small notebook or electronic notepad to keep in your pocket and on your bedside table so you can jot down any sudden ideas and dialogues you happen to hear. Read a lot and also pay attention to ideas regarding scenes and characters that you find in non-fiction books and other unlikely sources.
Part 2 of 2: Writing History
Step 1. Establish the gender
Crime or crime scene discovery almost always occurs in the first chapter, but it's a cliché that can still be effective. That way, you can instantly set the tone of the story, whether it's focused on the occult, violence, sentiment, suspense, or emotion. If your detective story is a whodunit or deductive thriller, the unusual nature of the crime or the clues sown throughout the scene will start to spin the gears in the reader's head.
If you want to write what happened before the crime was committed, you can go back in time in the second chapter, adding a subtitle, for example "A week ago"
Step 2. Choose a perspective
Many mystery fiction authors choose to tell the story through a point of view that hides as much information about the mystery as possible without confusing the reader. This can be the protagonist's first-person perspective or a third-person perspective following the protagonist's actions closely. Before moving on to another character's thoughts, think carefully: doing it successfully is possible, but it is a technique that often adds unnecessary complexity.
Step 3. Document when necessary
Most detective stories are written for a popular audience, not for FBI agents or seasoned criminals. To enjoy the story, readers don't need absolute realism, but the main plot elements should be pretty compelling. You can find a huge amount of information on the internet or in a library, but for highly specialized topics, you may need to ask someone who works in the field or in a specialized discussion forum.
Step 4. Don't leave the path
If a scene is unrelated to the crime or the investigation, ask yourself why it is there. Romantic digressions, side storylines, and long, casual conversations can always find their place, but they should never steal the show from the main storyline and characters. This rule applies especially to short stories, which cannot afford to waste any words.
Step 5. Use twists with caution
If you fall in love with a good surprise, go ahead and enter this surprising revelation… and stop here. A second twist in the same story makes the reader feel cheated, especially if it's nearly impossible to predict in advance. Even the most unlikely twist should be anticipated by some clue sown earlier in the book, so as not to happen as if by magic.
This recommendation proves to be of particular importance to the larger revelation ("who did it?"), And the wrong choice can ruin a novel for many readers. The culprit should always be within the circle of suspects, or demonstrate ambiguous enough behavior for an intelligent reader to guess their identity
Step 6. Conclude the story on a dramatic note
Have you ever read the culminating final scene of a book, then turn the page and discover a ten-page conversation involving a secondary character? Whatever other goal your story proposes to achieve, the centerpiece of a detective novel is the criminal investigation. When the culprit comes to a bad end, write an intense final paragraph and reach out the end.
Advice
- Give yourself some time. You can plan ahead or write quickly and make corrections later. Both methods require a lot of time and the willingness to make major changes.
- Enlist a few people to edit your story and give you their opinions. After finishing the text, pull yourself together and show your work to strangers. Their advice will be stricter but more honest than that of your friends.
