Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: Use Mystery Regardless of Genre

Every work of fiction I’ve enjoyed reading regardless of genre has had a mystery of some sort that pulled me through the story. I read very few pure mystery novels, but some mystery pulls me from page to page and chapter to chapter whether it is involving a character, action, or plot. Mystery drives me to turn pages. Mystery in writing helps me develop plots, characters, and situations.

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: Mystery Can Take Many Forms

Mystery in writing can take many forms. The key is to get the reader to ask the question, “What’s next?”

Mystery might be presented in the form of creating an outlandish character. The outlandish character doesn’t always have to be the hero, but the character must create a question in the reader’s mind. And that question is: “What is he going to do next?”

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: An Example:

Mason Bricklin, the main character in my book, Mason Bricklin, picks a fight with his older brothers. Of course, he loses the fight, but he demonstrates two characteristics that are crucial to the story. The following is a short excerpt:

“Okay! I give up!” I yelled.

Dell let me up. He laughed and turned toward Larson.

Whop! I hit him in the back of the head as hard as I could and ran away.

I knew Dell was faster than me. I had to do something to escape his wrath. I ran to Dad’s drilling rig, which was only fifteen feet away, and started up the derrick. Dell grabbed my pant leg and tried to pull me off the ladder. He pulled as I kicked my leg to free myself. My pant leg tore at the knee. My pant leg remained in Dell’s hand while I scurried up the side of the derrick.

I climbed to the derrick board and scanned the countryside. I couldn’t believe I had climbed the derrick. I was terrified of heights.

I looked around. The view was incredible.

“Come down here you little puke!” yelled Dell.

‘Yeah, sure, ‘I thought. ‘I’ll come right down and be your punching bag. Does he think I’m crazy? I’m waiting until Dad shows up before I go down.’

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: Unpredictable Characters

The above excerpt demonstrates two traits: the willingness to fight losing battles, and the ability to think fast under trying circumstances. Traits that are necessary for the story…but it also reveals a character that is unpredictable. A character that might make the reader ask, “What’s he going to do next.”

Another mystery that can be presented is how the hero overcomes insurmountable odds. In real life nothing always goes right. We all have setbacks in life. We all have flaws…character flaws. Use setbacks in situations or flaws in your main character to create problems he has to overcome to be triumphant in the end.

Put a question in the reader’s mind. Your characters don’t have to win every battle to win the war. Present a mystery to your reader.

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: Introducing a Pure Mystery

A writer can introduce a pure mystery in a sub-plot that must be solved before the hero can overcome his challenges and win the day. The mystery doesn’t have to carry the plot, but it must move the plot forward to the finale.

In my second book in the Mason Bricklin series, Slobber-knocker: How I Got the Spit Knocked Out of Me, (which is due to be released in late 2011 or early 2012), a mystery has to be solved before Mason Bricklin can face his final challenge.

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: Tie Up Loose Ends

Tie up loose ends. Whatever mystery is introduced into the story must be solved to give the reader a complete reading experience. Don’t leave them hanging. Let them know how the character overcomes setbacks and character flaws or solves a mystery. There is no feeling for the reader like being drawn into a story and being left empty. Leave your reader satisfied with his reading experience.

Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner: Conclusion

Finally, when a writer gets a reader hooked on mystery in his writing…the reader will be addicted to the story, and the writer may have gained a fan.

Copyright 2011 J-me

Let me know what you think about “Mystery in Writing – Creating a Page Turner.”