Thursday, October 14, 2010

Oct. 14

I'm reading a research text on the mystery genre for my Masters program. I am pleased and surprised to see that I included components in my book that are in all the "best" mysteries. I did it without knowing I was doing it. I tend to do that a lot in my writing. I stumble upon stories as I write. Only after they are finished do I find that yes, there were actually gypsies in that part of England at that time. Or two dead bodies are better than one in a mystery. Some people are able to understand these elements and strategically place them in stories. Meanwhile, I'm winging it and discover only later I managed to do something the "right" way.
I don't try to change this. Why? Because I have no talent for strategy. The perfect example of this is scrabble. The words, well, I know I can come up with those, but seeing the placement on the board where I'll get double and triple points- lost on me. sigh. It's one of those things you must accept and move on. But it is cool to discover when you do something right.
Do you write strategically?

3 comments:

  1. I usually don't come up with a strategy until I'm about halfway through the book.

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  2. Nope. I'm not a strategic writer or a planner. I sit and write and at the end I start the really hard work of sorting it out into some sort of workable order.
    Judy

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