The Great MacGuffin Hunt

Thursday · Aug 28, 2011

So I have a mystery that's in back burner status (characters conceived, initial act of the plot mapped out, a few unconnected passages written). But I have a pretty sizable problem in that I'm missing a MacGuffin.

In other words I have a pretty good hook to start things on, I have characters who I think are interesting and I have a few moments that I think are going to be very effective. I just don't have a why. I need a dark secret.

Ironically enough I have an early work of detective fiction where I've scrapped everything but the why. Unfortunately, it just doesn't quite fit the circumstances of this story.

Anyone ever have a similar problem? How'd you get around it?

alleycat · Aug 28, 2011

This doesn't sound like too big of a problem.

Since it is a MacGuffin (or McGuffin; I've seen it spelled both ways), just about any secret that important to one or more characters might work (a character committed a murder some time in the past, a character is already married, a character isn't really who he says he is, a character is an escaped convict, a character is wanted for a crime overseas, a character blackmailed someone in the past, etc.).

Thursday · Aug 28, 2011

I feel like it needs to be something a bit bigger though.

The hook of my novel is basically the two main characters are journalists at a newspaper. In the opening scene a man commits suicide on the grounds of the paper, in an effort to draw attention to the MacGuffin. I figure the question of why he didn't just "Deep Throat" it can be answered with the usual intimidation/black mail from the powers that be. But the dark secret at the center of the conspiracy has to be something big enough that he'd sacrifice his life for it.

alleycat · Aug 28, 2011

Just brainstorming with you . . .

The man who committed suicide worked for the government or a big corporation (just don't make it a drug company, or Area 51). He worked on, or learned of, some secret project. He has tried to blow the whistle, but all traces of evidence has disappeared and the people in charge have stonewalled any further investigation.

The man who committed suicide lost his entire family in a bizarre murder. He believe he knows who masterminded the murders, and for what reason, but the police has basically closed the case and written it off to some deranged serial killer. He hopes his death will cause the newspaper to finally take an interest in what he told them.

Thursday · Aug 28, 2011

Hmmm... that second one could actually be very useful. Yo see I've been thinking of it from the angle that the man killed himself to protect his family. But if it's a suicide because he's already lost everything, well that's a darker and less well tread development.

The only loose end that would leave for me is at that point, as he's already lost everything why not spill the beans in a more straightforward manner. Though I think I might see a way around that...

Anyway thanks.

alleycat · Aug 28, 2011

For something like this, once you have a germ of an idea, it often works to mentally play around with it for a while in the back of your mind. Take a walk or something and just let it roll around back there. Occasionally you will get a flash of inspiration when you least expect it.

gothicangel · Aug 28, 2011

I always thought a MacGuffins was a bad thing. :Shrug:

Thursday · Aug 28, 2011

Not necessarily. It's a neutral term for the thing that sets the plot in motion. Hitchcock came up with it.

It's also a trap for hunting Lions in the Scottish Highlands.

heyjude · Aug 28, 2011

Aw. I thought this thread was about McGyver. Oh well. :tongue

Welcome, Thursday! Good to have you. No useful input from me, sadly.

alleycat · Aug 28, 2011

I saw McGyver save a nuclear powerplant from a meltdown one time by using the frame of a revolver as a wrench.

;-)

heyjude · Aug 28, 2011

HE STOLE MY PLOT IDEA???

TheIT · Aug 29, 2011

Didn't Macgyver also get rid of radiation using a spray can?

Thursday, consider that you might need to get to know your character better. Think specific, not general. Your MacGuffin needs to be a big enough reason for this particular character to choose to end his life. Why? What could be so important that this person would take such a drastic action? Who was he? Was he a professional, a janitor, someone involved in the dark secret, or someone who just stumbled across it? Was he already targeted for death so he decided to make his death count by bringing the truth to light? I assume your reporter characters are going to dig into this character's background, so you might need this research anyway.

Also consider that you might not need to know the answer before you start writing. Maybe you'll figure it out along with your characters as you're writing your story. For one of my NaNoWriMo attempts, my characters knew that Something Important had been stolen, but they (and I) didn't know exactly what it was even after 50K words. I was starting to narrow in on an answer by the end of the challenge.

Good luck!

Namatu · Aug 29, 2011

heyjude said:
HE STOLE MY PLOT IDEA???

Calm down. Click here. It'll be okay.

Thursday, TheIT has good suggestions on getting to know what your character would die for. That will lead you to, I'm guessing, a very few Important Issues that will lead you to the appropriate MacGuffin.

heyjude · Aug 29, 2011

Namatu said:
Calm down. Click here. It'll be okay.

::facepalm::

pfinucan · Aug 29, 2011

What if it really is a device to catch lions in the Scottish Highlands, but don't reveal that to the end. Nobody would see that coming...

The Great MacGuffin Hunt

Thursday

alleycat

Still around

Thursday

alleycat

Still around

Thursday

alleycat

Still around

gothicangel

Toughen up.

Thursday

heyjude

Making my own sunshine

alleycat

Still around

heyjude

Making my own sunshine

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

Namatu

Lost in mental space.

heyjude

Making my own sunshine

pfinucan

Are we done yet?