Dark & Twisty

I just finished reading How to Write Killer Fiction by Wheat.  Wow!  I usually never say that about a writing book or style manual but this book really made me think.  She throroughly discussed the differences in mystery and thriller styles but also the differences in the way they are written.

I realized while reading this book exactly what kind of writer I am and have been.  I also realized via this book and the reboot of my thesis novel what type I need to be. I have always been what Wheat calls a "blankpager".  I never write out an outline before I start to write.  I mostly outline in my head and keep it there.  The problem is as I've gotten older (I have a magic date birthday coming up soon.) and become more stressed with my two jobs, I can't hold as much in my memory without letting some things slip.  I don't like to admit this because I keep everything in my head from appointments to phone numbers, email address to birthdates and other important facts and figures.  This has hurt me greatly.  I believe the best evidence for this was my original thesis project.  I had an outline in my head that actually had a central plot, but somewhere in the mix of psychology notes and stastics, and phone numbers for half the mental health centers in Alabama, it got lost.  If I had been an "outliner", i wouldn't have lost this as readily.

I'll admit that one of the reasons I have avoid outlines is that I felt it hindered my creative ability to be flexible in my story.  I'll see or hear something and say "that would be great."  As I read, this book I realized that a outline can be made to incoporate changes.  I also learned this outling for my new thesis novel.  I wrote at times a specific outline even adding in dialog for that section but also some generalities like "put something creepy here."  I think, and whether or not this was Wheat's intention, that an outline can just keep you focused on the central plot and makes sure you have it running through the story.

Another thing she discussed was the arc system.  By nature, I'm a short story writer.  I like the small bite-sized story.  For one thing, I don't get bored with it.  Novel writing gets boring about midway and then picks up toward the end, but  you have to push through that boredom.  The arc system seems to  me a wonderful way to keep things in perspective.  They make it so you write small sections of story with that central theme running through them.  I had done this my outlining process and not even realized that what I was doing.

Writing is an amazing job/hobby/academic pursuit/coping skill/art/enjoyment/guilty pleasure.  You can learn so much you didn't know tot make it more enjoyable, but you can also realize that you've been doing stuff you didn't even know had a name.

Although I write mostly horror and occasional absurdist fiction (a new interest of mine), I drew alot out of this mystery and thriller book.  I think that everyone should read it. But it may be my belief that you can learn much about writing from anyting about it.  I have journalism books that I learn about writing from.  I've sat through Romance writing worshops and writing for the Christian market (and let's be frank, Hillybilly rape ain't big in that market.) and I always bring something away with me.

How to Write Killer Fiction can teach you how to write killer fiction but not just stories about killing, fiction that will slay the reader.