Question about mystery in a story (hope it isn't too late to ask). My protagonist, Will, is 14 when the story opens and we follow him until his mid-twenties. He refers now and again to "the camping trip," his big secret that he refuses to discuss, even with his therapist. During the course of the novel, it becomes clear that something happened during a camping trip when Will was ten.
Near the end of the book, in crisis, he tells the story to his wife, a dramatic cathartic moment and inflection point for the story, helping Will begin to recover from his guilt and his shame.
Is this a reasonable use of mystery in a non-genre novel?
This is a really good question, Jesse. I'll actually be taking questions at the end of the challenge for longer answers on the podcast starting in February. If you're interested in asking it again on the podcast to talk about in greater detail, let me know. But shortly: This is a good mystery, but it also takes place in the past. Basically, the reader is just waiting for him to tell us what happened, which could be frustrating as it could happen at any point in the book. So I think you need a forward mystery as well, something that you've set up some expectation for or some question about some occurrence in the future that the reader is reading for and that your character has to take steps toward as well.
I would be happy to ask it again. February? Does that mean there will be a part 2? Excellent.
I will review the podcast on Mystery and try to apply it in the way you suggest. I see this as tied up with establishing the stakes at the very beginning. Does that make any sense?
Question about mystery in a story (hope it isn't too late to ask). My protagonist, Will, is 14 when the story opens and we follow him until his mid-twenties. He refers now and again to "the camping trip," his big secret that he refuses to discuss, even with his therapist. During the course of the novel, it becomes clear that something happened during a camping trip when Will was ten.
Near the end of the book, in crisis, he tells the story to his wife, a dramatic cathartic moment and inflection point for the story, helping Will begin to recover from his guilt and his shame.
Is this a reasonable use of mystery in a non-genre novel?
This is a really good question, Jesse. I'll actually be taking questions at the end of the challenge for longer answers on the podcast starting in February. If you're interested in asking it again on the podcast to talk about in greater detail, let me know. But shortly: This is a good mystery, but it also takes place in the past. Basically, the reader is just waiting for him to tell us what happened, which could be frustrating as it could happen at any point in the book. So I think you need a forward mystery as well, something that you've set up some expectation for or some question about some occurrence in the future that the reader is reading for and that your character has to take steps toward as well.
I would be happy to ask it again. February? Does that mean there will be a part 2? Excellent.
I will review the podcast on Mystery and try to apply it in the way you suggest. I see this as tied up with establishing the stakes at the very beginning. Does that make any sense?
Also today's discussion on the Dramatic Question should help