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.
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.
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Even if you don't reveal the character's history, you need to know what it is. Good post, Marja!
ReplyDelete
DeleteAgreed. 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.
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!
DeleteThese back stories make characters so much richer. Good post.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. One dimensional characters can make a story boring. Thank you so much for stopping in!
DeleteI'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.
ReplyDeleteGlad to help, Pat. Sometimes clarification makes a big difference. Thank you so much for stopping in!
DeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteI 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!
DeleteIt'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.
ReplyDeleteThank 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!
DeleteI 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?
ReplyDeleteYou'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!
DeleteGood 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.
ReplyDeleteAlso 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!
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