I'm writing the first book in a series and I'm stuck. I know who committed the murder and why, but I have no idea how they did it. I've read tons of mystery novels and I watch a lot of true crime shows, but I can't think of an interesting method of murder. The main character knows that the murderer is a masked man, but he doesn't know who is underneath the mask or where this person is. How do you plan the murder in a mystery novel?
I'd suggest picking up a few writer's guides to crime investigation, because those list a bunch of types of crimes that just don't make it in stories. It also can provide some much needed realism, because mystery novels and "true" crime shows can get things really wrong.
Start listing your murderer's preferences. Do they not want blood? Then strangulation or poison come to mind (alcohol can be a poisoning tool). How much do they know about what it takes to get away with a crime? That determines how much evidence they leave behind. Will there be a fight, or will it be quiet?
Figure out the murderer. How would they commit the crime? You can have a million ideas, but if they character doesn't like those ideas or doesn't fit those ideas, it just won't work.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo
Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
^ Listing is great fun. If you go with your first idea it will likely be the first idea of your reader too and that will make it predictable.
The great thing about plots is that it's very rare that we plot in chronological order. Normally we go back and forth until our heels bruise and our fingers blister until we finally get it right. You might decide on a weapon, then a place to murder, then change the weapon, and end up with some interesting combinations.
I'd suggest making a list of ways that they might kill someone. e.g
1) Stab 2) Strangle 3) Drowning
Then for each of those list five more ideas. 1) A) Knife B) Chopstick C) Tent peg 3) A) Swimming pool B) Toilet C) Glass of water
The more interesting or unusual, the better. Stretch your brain to try and wrap the peculiar combinations around each other until you come up with one you like.
And then let me know what you decide =D I love mystery novels, but I couldn't write one for the life of me.
Gender:
Points: 306
Reviews: 5