Have a story but don't know how to lay it out!

Hi:

I imagine you've read a lot of mysteries, so you probably know more about the structure than you think. Take another read of your favorite thriller. Then, when you're ready grab a chair, fire up your computer, and just think sequentially and write. Get it down as best you can in a first draft, and then go back later and revise.

I just finished Steven King's "On Writing," and I can't recommend it enough. The first half is bio, and he devotes the remainder to the art of writing. Pick up a copy.

I'm sure you'll do just fine.

Success to you.

Hi Carimel, welcome!

There are a few different options that I am familiar with.

You can start with an outline, which might be helpful since you already know where your story is going. Start with the rough basics, beginning, middle & end and fill in there.

Do you know how you want to write? First person, etc.?
Try a few scenes a couple different ways to see what you're most comfortable with.

You can also get some different softwear, Dramatica, Dreamwriter... they will help you structure your story, but involve you learning a new kind of lingo. I got one of these and ulitmately didn't use it to the end, but it really helped me create my characters.
Through this I learned that every scene has SET UP, REVELATION (new information), CONFLICT & AFTERMATH [their terms], in that order. Others have variations that you might find simpler.

You'll get a lot of good advice on here. Good luck!

Cella

Carimel said:

I have a story that is been in my head but I do not know how to lay it out.

Click to expand...

Double spaced with one-inch margins in Courier 10, one side of the paper, and with a running head giving your name, the title, and the page number.

Write until you reach "The End," then revise.

First...B-R-E-A-T-H-E!

After you're done breathing, write the story. Don't worry about adjectives, verb tense, or anything else at this point. Just write it. Get it out of you! You will have plenty of time to figure out what's wrong with it when it's time to hop into editing. For now, just focus on writing. Do the best you can with what comes out of you. You know how to write a sentence, right? Of course you do. You did a wonderful job in your post.

Task #1...D.O.N.E.

If you haven't really mapped the whole story out, construct a loose outline to get you started, but remember to give yourself the freedom to allow the characters to tell the story.

Don't think man, just write! Someone actually said this to me. Didn't make much sense when I was using my need to read a gazillion How To Write books, first, to avoid writing. But now, it makes all the sense in the world.

Get down what you can, and when you're ready for some help, there is a Share Your Work section here where the wonderful folks here will give you constructive criticism--and if you ask them to be brutal, they'll do that too.

*Check out Uncle Jim's thread. The tips and tricks you'll find there are wonderful*

Good luck!

Mysteries tend to follow a similar structure:
#1 Crime is comitted, usually a murder
#2 Main character investigates
#3 Detective, police officer or smart cookie reveals what really happened.

Along the way you need some false clues, give the characters motives for doing the crime so readers can suspect the wrong ones.

I suggest you start by making a list of what events you want to happen and put them in the right order before you start to write the story itself.

in addition to what Stijn said... read. You're writing a mystery, right? And I suppose to like to read mystery. Then read a bunch of mystery novels with an analytical eye. Study from the best, and see how they lay out the story: the structure, the character and plot development, the pacing, etc. Instead of just reading it from front to cover and then toss the book away, pay attention and critically analyze everything.

After you've done analysis on a few, I think you'll have a much better idea of how to get yours started.

Just write.

If you've read mysteries (as opposed to skimming through them) and can spell and string words together to make clear sentences you're already halfway there.

There's no magic tip that will replace your imagination and enthusiasm.

I'm a planner by nature, so I write the heck out of some outlines before beginning. This may or may not be your cup of tea, but it has been helpful to me.

First I started with a basic outline (synopsis), then I broke it up into chapters (this is what will happen in each), then I did a character analysis of each characters' personality traits, age, physical characteristics, etc. And then went from there.

The few times I've had writers block I've been able to go back to my outline and said "OH DUH! That's what my MC wanted to do this chapter!" and pulled right out of the funk.

Good luck Above all, remember to ENJOY YOURSELF WHILE WRITING IT!!!

James D. Macdonald said:

Double spaced with one-inch margins in Courier 10, one side of the paper, and with a running head giving your name, the title, and the page number.

Write until you reach "The End," then revise.

Click to expand...

Ha ha! That's a good one.

Dr. M,
are you certain of that Courier 10 font? A successful novelist I know advised me to use Times New Roman 12.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
John

James D. Macdonald said:

Double spaced with one-inch margins in Courier 10, one side of the paper, and with a running head giving your name, the title, and the page number.

Write until you reach "The End," then revise.

Click to expand...