tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post7400756968225760884..comments2024-03-18T19:00:03.047-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Rules?Leigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-2450050642609714622016-03-01T11:23:48.245-05:002016-03-01T11:23:48.245-05:00Even in the technothrillers I love, it's possi...Even in the technothrillers I love, it's possible to handle the details adroitly, so that the reader has enough information to understand what's going on, but stays awake. I think different readers have different levels of tolerance for background, but in any case, whatever detail writers include--even the color and shape of a plate--has to have significance in the story, especially in a mystery! "Somehow" we forget that!Vicki Weisfeldhttp://www.vweisfeld.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-24070692141742315102016-03-01T04:41:05.192-05:002016-03-01T04:41:05.192-05:00One of my favorite rules: since we write crime fic...One of my favorite rules: since we write crime fiction I think it's important to include in a Universal Truth. If you can do that, I think your readers will follow you anywhere no matter how untrue you might write about death. An example of a Universal truth...if you are packing for a trip of five days you absolutely will only have three decent pair of undies or bras or Jocky shorts. You will have to shop before your trip or hand wash often. Including some Universal truth will allow you to kill Aunt Ida with a knitting needle and most readers won't blink an eye, knowing full well it would be almost to kill Aunt Ida with a knitting needle. But you gave the a Universal truth earlier so they'll happily go along with knitting needle story. Jan Grapehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13323910083703514953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-5782169452328211922016-03-01T01:12:20.067-05:002016-03-01T01:12:20.067-05:00Nice! Nice! Stephen Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05594368159220033291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-10940757547745631872016-02-29T13:34:53.496-05:002016-02-29T13:34:53.496-05:00Lovely stuff. I checked and Mr. Resnicow's fi...Lovely stuff. I checked and Mr. Resnicow's first name is Herbert.<br /><br />I have added "somehow" to my personal file of words to search for before sending a story ot the editor. Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-83142281276068574182016-02-29T10:31:39.056-05:002016-02-29T10:31:39.056-05:00Excellent tutorial, Susan.
One of your lines also...Excellent tutorial, Susan.<br /><br />One of your lines also reminded me of Nancy Drew, the titian-haired sleuth.<br /><br />>the adverb is a leech sucking the strength from a verb. (I love that last line!)<br /><br />I agree. Well said.<br /><br />I’d add that any word or word prefix with ‘some’ is fuzzy smithing. I hate it when I come across it in my own writing.<br /><br />God-in-the-box… A friend gave me a mystery/thriller by famous #1 New York Times bestselling author. It was humming okay and then before the halfway point, a psychic shows up. Damn, I despise charlatans in real life and I absolutely detest clairvoyants showing up in novels to solve mysteries by ‘second sight’.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-8143672850363768502016-02-29T10:17:15.543-05:002016-02-29T10:17:15.543-05:00I HATE RESEARCH DUMPS! I read a mystery a while b...I HATE RESEARCH DUMPS! I read a mystery a while back in which 1/3 of the book was a totally extraneous history lesson that was clearly there to pad the book and to show us something the author had been interested in. I wasn't.<br /><br />Also, the "As you know, Bob," can be a real clunker.<br /><br />Although I don't think you always have to kill people. Theft works. Kidnapping. Rape. Embezzlement. <br /><br />And as for God-in-the-box - an irritating solution with an ancient provenance. All the way back to Sophocles. Deux ex machina, anyone? <br /><br />Great article!Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-46671779448011244992016-02-29T08:21:11.432-05:002016-02-29T08:21:11.432-05:00The Turkey City group is from Austin, not Houston,...The Turkey City group is from Austin, not Houston, although I'm sure Houston would happy to take credit for it. I like their Lexicon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02350478005243505108noreply@blogger.com