I give away too much info too soon. How do I create mystery?

Fugitive Energy

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JK Rowling, impressed me with her sublime use of mystery. How do I incorporate mystery and suspense into my own plot? What are some techniques to delay plot nuggets?
 

frimble3

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What's your story about? What 'nuggets' are you working with? Trying to find the killer among a group of suspects is different from finding out what evil scheme Mr. Big is hiding. Or, indeed, how to stop him.
 
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GailD

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I once saw a post from an AW'er who explained the art of writing suspense so succinctly. I'll tell you what he/she said...
















































later.
 

Fugitive Energy

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What's your story about? What 'nuggets' are you working with? Trying to find the killer among a group of suspects is different from finding out what evil scheme Mr. Big is hiding. Or, indeed, how to stop him.


The main nation is built from the imaginings of a previous civilization that suffered some sort of cataclysm. The unfortunate nation disappeared silently overnight. The nation in question was successful and was experiencing its Golden Age, yet it vanished mysteriously without a trace. This plunged the remainder of civilization into the dark ages for thousands of years.

When the story opens, the world is devolving into chaos. The former successful nation is believed to be a myth in some quarters, and a figment of fevered imaginations in others. The prior successful nation was progressive and technological, but, today little technology exists. The plot turns on the fact that the former civilization was the ideal. It was a golden age that the entire world needs to return to.

The mystery of the story is that the lost civilization is slowly revealed, layer by layer. And, today, remnants of tech are continuously found and studied for the purposes of improving daily life. I give away too much information upfront, rather than letting the reader enjoy a slow reveal, with mystery, foreshadowings and tie-backs.

P.S. I am writing a fantasy series with central elements of mystery. Like, who are the Night People? And, where did the Mole People go?
 
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MaeZe

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That story sounds rich with possibilities. You answered your own question: "The mystery of the story is that the lost civilization is slowly revealed, layer by layer."

Make an outline of little discoveries, how they are found, how they begin to chip away at the dystopia or solve immediate problems.

When someone finds something do they hide it? Do they discard it not knowing what it is then come back to it later in a eureka moment? Do they plan to do evil with it?

You could sit down and brainstorm the ideas then start assembling the story.
 

Fugitive Energy

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That story sounds rich with possibilities. You answered your own question: "The mystery of the story is that the lost civilization is slowly revealed, layer by layer."

Make an outline of little discoveries, how they are found, how they begin to chip away at the dystopia or solve immediate problems.

When someone finds something do they hide it? Do they discard it not knowing what it is then come back to it later in a eureka moment? Do they plan to do evil with it?

You could sit down and brainstorm the ideas then start assembling the story.

Thank you. I will try the outline of discoveries.
 

frimble3

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I think it might be more useful, from a suggestion angle, to tell us who's story it is. (Unless it's a multi-POV, with people from all areas coming together?) Is it a 'regular joe', hearing about the discoveries and how they eventually affect his life? Is it a historian, putting the pieces together, an explorer finding new stuff, or a researcher, trying to figure out how things work? Or, for that matter, a politician or government functionary, wanting to use the new information to it's greatest advantage, for himself, or the populace.
 

Fugitive Energy

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I think it might be more useful, from a suggestion angle, to tell us who's story it is. (Unless it's a multi-POV, with people from all areas coming together?) Is it a 'regular joe', hearing about the discoveries and how they eventually affect his life? Is it a historian, putting the pieces together, an explorer finding new stuff, or a researcher, trying to figure out how things work? Or, for that matter, a politician or government functionary, wanting to use the new information to it's greatest advantage, for himself, or the populace.

So, the MC is a trusted righthand man to the king. A man of moral makeup who wants to do right by the kingdom and it's subjects first. So, when he finds new technology he evaluates whether to keep it or destroy it, in behalf of the good of the population if the technology is dangerous. He is always careful to keep his dangerous findings a secret from his master by making certain that there are no witnesses.

There are more points-of-view because of additional sub-plots. Also, it is an epic fantasy series.
 
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cbenoi1

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How do I incorporate mystery and suspense into my own plot? What are some techniques to delay plot nuggets?
Truby explains this better than I could. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKpMtrC16v4
The nugget in the technique starts at 2:20, but it's a good thing to watch it all - it's only 8 mins or so.

In essence, the 'Mystery' is a series of what he calls 'corruptions' that grow up in size. Ex: the detective starts off with some dark lady's husband having an affair, then he finds out about the hubby's shady business dealings, then about a drug deal, then someone gone missing, then stumbles onto the mafia, etc. bigger, Bigger, BIGGER. Truby says the key to writing this is to go backwards. Start with the BIG corruption, then go back in time and weave a thread that goes back to the smallest corruption - the hubby having an affair. And how does one cover a corruption with a smaller corruption?

*Secrets.*

A door access code. A locked file cabinet. A floor plan showing an empty space with no visible access. A cryptic message left on a voice message recorder. A meeting place that's off limits to everybody but a few. A regular habit that's broken once a week. Something said that doesn't belong.

Hope this helps.

-cb
 

frimble3

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"He is always careful to keep his dangerous findings a secret from his master by making certain that there are no witnesses."
This sounds like it could lead to lots of things. "Making certain there are no witnesses" - maybe he just gets them to leave town, maybe he pays them hush-money, but, in the end, if the secret is dangerous enough, how far will he go?
 

Fugitive Energy

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"He is always careful to keep his dangerous findings a secret from his master by making certain that there are no witnesses."
This sounds like it could lead to lots of things. "Making certain there are no witnesses" - maybe he just gets them to leave town, maybe he pays them hush-money, but, in the end, if the secret is dangerous enough, how far will he go?

Thank you, for supplying these different insights. You got the essence of my question.
 

Fugitive Energy

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Truby explains this better than I could. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKpMtrC16v4
The nugget in the technique starts at 2:20, but it's a good thing to watch it all - it's only 8 mins or so.

In essence, the 'Mystery' is a series of what he calls 'corruptions' that grow up in size. Ex: the detective starts off with some dark lady's husband having an affair, then he finds out about the hubby's shady business dealings, then about a drug deal, then someone gone missing, then stumbles onto the mafia, etc. bigger, Bigger, BIGGER. Truby says the key to writing this is to go backwards. Start with the BIG corruption, then go back in time and weave a thread that goes back to the smallest corruption - the hubby having an affair. And how does one cover a corruption with a smaller corruption?

*Secrets.*

A door access code. A locked file cabinet. A floor plan showing an empty space with no visible access. A cryptic message left on a voice message recorder. A meeting place that's off limits to everybody but a few. A regular habit that's broken once a week. Something said that doesn't belong.

Hope this helps.

-cb


Cbenoi1, your answer was very helpful. Can you think of anything else that you might want to add?
 

cbenoi1

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Cbenoi1, your answer was very helpful. Can you think of anything else that you might want to add?
Detective stories have often this in common:


  • There is usually some sort of a black widow character to the story. It's role is to fake helping the Hero, send him/her on the wrong track by way of seduction, misdirection, bumbling around, or other subterfuges. Ex: Brigid in The Maltese Falcon, Irene in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Ginger in Swordfish, Miranda in Die Another Day.
  • It's never about WHO done it. It's always about WHY done it, and the why leads to the who. Ex: The Maltese Falcon, all the Columbo episodes, Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
  • The actions taken by the Detective highlights his/her big weakness, which the Opponents use against him/her. Ex: Vertigo, The Silence of the Lambs, Fargo, The Da Vinci Code, Sea Of Love.
  • The crime is personal to the Detective which makes him/her the best character to find the culprit. Ex: Reacher (One Shot / Never Go Back), Seven, LA Confidential, Vertigo, The Maltese Falcon.
  • The Detective has special abilities that matches that of the Opposition. Ex: Sherlock Holnes: A Game Of Shadows, The Da Vinci Code, Reacher, Fargo, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Monk (TV series).

Hope this helps.

-cb
 
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