Monday, November 30, 2015

The History




 I’ve been commenting on the fact that I’m packing and moving to another state. The process has surprisingly made me think about things that relate to writing mysteries.

I’ve run across things that I’d forgotten about. Things that make up my history; things that made me. I can look at something and remember where it came from and how it became a part of me. That is, how it’s effect on me created who I am. I guess I’m kind of talking in circles, but let me explain how it relates to mysteries.

When we create a storyline for a mystery, each part has to have some kind of history. What led the perpetrator to the point of committing a crime? What caused the victim to be in a certain place at a certain time? Was there a witness? Why was the witness there? What was everyone’s motivation?

All good questions. They deserve answers. Yes, sometimes situations are truly based on coincidence, but more often there’s an underlying story.

What about the protagonist? He or she needs a history, too. These characters don’t just pop up out of thin air. Nor do we.

If you want the characters in a story to be believable, they need a background, even if it forms over a number of stories.

Sandi (of the Sandi Webster Mysteries) was a teenager when her father made some disastrous decisions – and then he died. She went from being a happy-go-lucky teen to a proponent of doing the right thing overnight. She didn’t have time for friends or boyfriends and her life changed drastically. What got her through a rough situation? A new found maturity and a sense of humor. Years later, her life is turned around again when she opens an investigative firm and takes on a partner named Pete.

Chris and Pamela Cross (of the Bogey Man Mysteries) met by chance. Chris was a mailman and Pamela was a waitress, each wanting changes in their lives. Chris is a Humphrey Bogart lookalike, which has a huge bearing on where they go on their journey. Pamela was widowed young and has a son she’s raising by herself. They have histories that come together to create two amateur sleuths and an entirely new lifestyle.

There are a few things in my own history that have inspired stories, although those things have taken twists and turns and become something other than what real life handed me. Has anyone read Bubba’s Ghost? The story is based on something that happened to me, involving a drunken bum who harassed me and my young daughter. I’m talking about a total stranger, not someone who knew me. I happened to live in the wrong house at the wrong time, and I knew it would make a good story. The characters in the story are not me and my daughter, but fictional characters who handled things differently than I did.

History. Even a drunken bum needs a background, which I provided in the story, although it’s fiction.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_8?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=marja+mcgraw&sprefix=marja+mc%2Caps%2C219

Not all stories are based on true life situations, and yet our characters still need to have come from somewhere where things happened to shape them and their lives. Old Murders Never Die was one of those stories and it is complete fiction. The crimes in the story happened in the late 1800s and the victims’ stories were lost over time. Enter Sandi, who discovers an abandoned ghost town and a mystery that she can’t let go of without solving it. The town and the characters have an unexpected history.

Is there some small thing that’s happened to you in real life that would be fodder for a mystery? I’m not just directing this at writers, but also at readers. We each have a unique background. We have stories we can tell in a book or when we sit and talk to a friend. Some are funny – some are not. However, a story is a story and I, for one, love to hear them.

I especially enjoy the humorous stories. Then, again, I enjoy telling them and making people laugh. The other day one of the dogs… Never mind. I’ll save that for another post.

Until next time, clean out one of your cupboards and see if you find something that triggers a memory that helped turn you into who you are.

CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com

15 comments:

  1. Even if you don't reveal the character's history, you need to know what it is. Good post, Marja!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Agreed. Sometimes an author tries to load the manuscript with too much information. It then feels stilted and awkward. But the author must know the backstory.

      Delete
    2. Sometimes the character's history grows out of the story and how the character handles things. A little history at a time can go a long way. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete
  2. These back stories make characters so much richer. Good post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Susan. One dimensional characters can make a story boring. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete
  3. I've been entangled in back stories in the WIPs I'm currently writing and rewriting. I haven't changed the back stories but feel I need to clarify them. Thanks, Marja, this post gave me something to think about.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad to help, Pat. Sometimes clarification makes a big difference. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete
  4. I agree. The author must know the characters' backstories, but they do not need to be included within the book. The important parts should be revealed in the context of the story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, Lorna. Many times we can give the character a backstory by what happens in the story. As a reader, I want to know something about the character that will make him/her more personal. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete
  5. It's hard to know just how much backstory to put into your novels, without making them boring..That's where a good editor comes in. Or a good critique group. They'll always tell you just how much is enough. Now,your backstories are just right.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Evelyn. As I recall, you never went too far either. I figure, keep it short and sweet. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete
  6. I can't imagine caring about a central character let alone understanding one without motivation and a backstory. It goes without saying that today is not just another day. What makes it so different and compelling? What is the life that's been altered so? And what is it about character flaws, shortcomings and strong suits that will come into play and lead us on?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, Shelly. One of the things that make a character real to me is his/her flaws. We all have them, and I'm glad you mentioned them. Our characters should have flaws, too. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete
  7. Good advice, Marja. I try to spoon in bits of backstory in dialogue. In an interview with Sue Grafton, she said that she keeps a journal for each book so that she can refer back to what her characters haae done or said in previous books, A good practice for those of us who write series novels.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Also good advice, Jean. I'll have to start a journal so I'm not always referring back to older books. Thank you so much for stopping in!

      Delete