Writing Mysteries / Story Structure / Pacing and balancing
The Mystery of Mysteries
Writing a mystery is, by design, a puzzle. But can you write a micro-mystery? Here is the structure I propose. Will you take the challenge?
Writing a mystery novel is a challenge, for sure. But writing a micro-mystery, and episode of say 1000–2000 words. Impossible, right? Mysteries are most often layers of red-herrings, interviews, and misdirection. That takes time and words. I have read a ton of 2 minute and 5 minute mysteries and I have to say they usually aren’t super interesting.
Why? Because, rather than being character driven, they center on one obscure fact. For example…
I got the call. I had been dead asleep. Some guy robbed a series of stores on Black Friday and got away with a lot of cash. I arrived at the scene. A car dealership, brand new Mercedes as far as the eye could see.
“We saw him pull in here. But we lost him. He was driving a Mercedes,” the sergeant said. “You want us to call the dealer and get the keys? Start searching?”
“No, that’s not necessary,” I said, walking down the row and knocking on the trunk of one car. “Get out, or I’ll shoot a few holes into the trunk. Your choice.”
