help with a mystery story

gimli7410 · 04-20-2003, 07:26 PM

anyone do mystery stories. what are some good red herrings (i thinnk that is hwat they are called) i have to write one for english.

Agalayth · 04-20-2003, 08:31 PM

If I remember correctly, a red herring is something that leads you off track from solving the mystery, right?

If so, a common red herring is having evidence of someone's "dark past" and trying to find out as much as they can about that person. Later you can say that that person is innocent. Another thing that was done in the Scream movies that I've seen is having the culprit trying to prove their innocence throughout the whole book, making you really believe they're innocent. At the end of the first Scream when I found out that Billy was indeed the killer, I was pretty shocked. It makes for a good ending.

Lief Erikson · 04-20-2003, 08:31 PM

I haven't written any mystery stories yet, but I definitely enjoy having mysteries in my plots. As I just recently proved in recent developments in the RPG Hytorax

.

Is your mystery supposed to be a short story?

Gwaimir Windgem · 04-20-2003, 09:20 PM

I intend to write a murder short story (along with a lot of other things

), but I doubt I'm clever enough for a mystery.

Lief Erikson · 04-20-2003, 09:23 PM

I'm sure you'd be great at them, Gwaimir

.

Lief Erikson · 04-20-2003, 09:29 PM

It really just takes organization, as coming up with any plot does. First comes motive and the way the villain's goal is to be carried out. Considering what type of a character the villain has might help. Background also is very useful for giving key clues as to who did it.

Though . . . it can be rather tough thinking of those. I'd imagine short story ones that are meant to be serious would be the harder ones. Because you don't have time to build suspense, get people attached to characters or anything like that. The whole sequence has to fit into just a very few scenes. So doing it in brief would probably be tough.

Arat-Falathion · 04-20-2003, 09:42 PM

This is an exellent idea! Getting the more experienced writers to share their knowledge and tips others who are interested in writing... really nice!!

Lief Erikson · 04-20-2003, 09:49 PM

Most everyone shares their opinions based upon experience or hearsay; I hope I won't be alone in that

. I haven't written any stories that belong in the genre "mystery" yet, as I said, but I'm trying to transfer my experience with making mystery plot lines in other fantasy works of mine.

Agalayth · 04-20-2003, 11:16 PM

When I was in fourth grade I wrote a mystery story for school, but that was about it. I've read many mysteries though. My favorite mystery might be the book Holes. I can imagine that the easiest way to write a mystery is to work backwards.

gimli7410 · 04-21-2003, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lief Erikson
I haven't written any mystery stories yet, but I definitely enjoy having mysteries in my plots. As I just recently proved in recent developments in the RPG Hytorax .

Is your mystery supposed to be a short story?

yea

Lief Erikson · 04-21-2003, 12:59 PM

Well, I probably wouldn't make it a drama, then. I just can't see a way to make a drama in that amount of space.

But then, there are a lot of people who've done more with mystery then me. There might be a way.

04-20-2003, 07:26 PM	#1
gimli7410 the dumb stoner canuck Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: canada Posts: 2,542	help with a mystery story anyone do mystery stories. what are some good red herrings (i thinnk that is hwat they are called) i have to write one for english. __________________ -"Down with the system"-Serj tankian of system of a down -“Humans have been on the earth for millions of years, yet we don’t believe man began thinking until he started building walls. And what good have these walls ever done us?”-Serj tankian of soad -"stupid people do stupid things"-Serj tankian of soad "Trying is the first step to failure" Homer Simpson "It isn't going to be easy"-jerseydevil "only the good die young" I AM CANADIAN If the people lead, the leaders will follow.

04-20-2003, 08:31 PM	#2
Agalayth Elven Warrior Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 215	If I remember correctly, a red herring is something that leads you off track from solving the mystery, right? If so, a common red herring is having evidence of someone's "dark past" and trying to find out as much as they can about that person. Later you can say that that person is innocent. Another thing that was done in the Scream movies that I've seen is having the culprit trying to prove their innocence throughout the whole book, making you really believe they're innocent. At the end of the first Scream when I found out that Billy was indeed the killer, I was pretty shocked. It makes for a good ending. __________________ Chickens at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Chickens in motion tend to cross the road.

04-20-2003, 09:20 PM	#4
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	I intend to write a murder short story (along with a lot of other things ), but I doubt I'm clever enough for a mystery. __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

04-20-2003, 09:42 PM	#7
Arat-Falathion A'mael Dalharen Eldarele Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Norway Posts: 707	This is an exellent idea! Getting the more experienced writers to share their knowledge and tips others who are interested in writing... really nice!! __________________ Atharon, where heroes are born. A constantly evolving forum rpg created by Lief Erikson, Falathion and its players.

04-20-2003, 11:16 PM	#9
Agalayth Elven Warrior Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 215	When I was in fourth grade I wrote a mystery story for school, but that was about it. I've read many mysteries though. My favorite mystery might be the book Holes. I can imagine that the easiest way to write a mystery is to work backwards. __________________ Chickens at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Chickens in motion tend to cross the road.

04-20-2003, 08:31 PM	#3
Lief Erikson Elf Lord Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Fountain Valley, CA Posts: 6,343	I haven't written any mystery stories yet, but I definitely enjoy having mysteries in my plots. As I just recently proved in recent developments in the RPG Hytorax . Is your mystery supposed to be a short story?

04-20-2003, 09:23 PM	#5
Lief Erikson Elf Lord Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Fountain Valley, CA Posts: 6,343	I'm sure you'd be great at them, Gwaimir .

04-20-2003, 09:29 PM	#6
Lief Erikson Elf Lord Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Fountain Valley, CA Posts: 6,343	It really just takes organization, as coming up with any plot does. First comes motive and the way the villain's goal is to be carried out. Considering what type of a character the villain has might help. Background also is very useful for giving key clues as to who did it. Though . . . it can be rather tough thinking of those. I'd imagine short story ones that are meant to be serious would be the harder ones. Because you don't have time to build suspense, get people attached to characters or anything like that. The whole sequence has to fit into just a very few scenes. So doing it in brief would probably be tough.

04-20-2003, 09:49 PM	#8
Lief Erikson Elf Lord Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Fountain Valley, CA Posts: 6,343	Most everyone shares their opinions based upon experience or hearsay; I hope I won't be alone in that . I haven't written any stories that belong in the genre "mystery" yet, as I said, but I'm trying to transfer my experience with making mystery plot lines in other fantasy works of mine.

04-21-2003, 12:59 PM	#11
Lief Erikson Elf Lord Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Fountain Valley, CA Posts: 6,343	Well, I probably wouldn't make it a drama, then. I just can't see a way to make a drama in that amount of space. But then, there are a lot of people who've done more with mystery then me. There might be a way.

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