Here are two tools I’m trying that keep me engaged as a reader.
And for a documentation about writing the ultimate heist novel. Get the full blog series here: charleskunken.com/hollywoodheistbacklot
Image: Robert Galbraith, Mulholland Books https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silkworm
Before talking about The Silkworm, I wan to mention author Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club). Listening to him speak clarified this concept of mystery for me. He said writers should be consistently opening questions in reader's minds that need to be answered. His insight is that this holds at the micro-level of the sentence and paragraph as well as the chapter, sequence, and full length of the book.
It has to be said that there's a real balance that must be struck. I hate cheap cliff hangers. Super annoying. Good writers make the journey it's own reward.
Here's one of my attempts at creating a fair mystery in Hollywood Heist:
Empty busses pulled off the curb along Sixth. Jenny glanced up the block and quickly drew back. Someone she wasn’t looking for stood in front of a town car. Before she could avoid his gaze he uncrossed his hands and began to approach. Jenny cursed Mac as she thought of Jada’s guidance on 'new friends'. The clean shaven man in a black suit removed his flat cap and clutched it in both hands.
“Miss Whitford?”
“Get lost, Larry,” she said under her breath.
I'm trying let the reader wonder who she sees in line 1, then in line 3 reveal it was Larry. It isn't crazy exciting as an excerpt but I'm hoping it gives a little drive within the flow of the chapter.
Now, to The Silkworm. In addition to DeMille, who I speak about often, another one of my current stylistic influences is Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling (yes, Harry Potter). Her first project after the whole wizarding thing was a detective series about a one-legged gumshoe, Cormoran Strike. She started it under the pen name in secret but soon enough folks found out it was her. Now it's TV series, obvi.
Anyways, one thing she does really great is momentum. Here's an example from The Silkworm:
"All right if I take these and try them, then?" Strike asked, scooping the keys into his hand.
"If y'want," said Leonora, but she added defiantly, "He won't be there."
Strike pocketed his haul, turned down Leonora's afterthought offer of tea or coffee and returned to the cold rain.
What I like about line 3 is that you're left imagining the conversation they just had about coffee while Strike is already out walking down the street in the rain. As the reader you have to rush through this coffee exchange going on in your head so you can scramble out of the house and run to catch up with Strike.
On the other extreme with say, a bad writer, you'd probably find yourself waiting at the door tapping your watch while Strike was still walking around the house looking at the wallpaper, and the drapes, and pictures, and linens, and...you get the point.
That's one of the things that's kind of cool about reading versus TV—the active experience you have to contribute. I think more people watch TV than read because there are so many bad books and after a long day it's much less taxing to watch a bad show.
A couple fun facts to wrap up:
Chuck Palahniuk wrote the only thing I've ever read that made me have to stop and sit down on the carpet multiple times to catch my breath. It was a short story he used to read on tour which apparently caused more than like 70 people to faint (he stopped counting). That's the only reason I read it, I just had to see. I don't recommend it. You can easily google around and find what it was if you're so compelled. It's dirty, that's why it makes people faint. I don't endorse it, but it's out there.
We chose Ciara's name (our second daughter) after coming across it in the first Cormoran Strike novel: Ciara Porter in 'Cuckoo's Calling'.
I've begun the process of casting for the movie version of Hollywood Heist. (And you thought making a cover was putting the cart before the horse.) I'm still finalizing a few roles and I'll make sure to share the crew in an upcoming post.
That's all from here, folks. Happy Friday,
Have some thoughts? Feel free to drop a comment or hit me up: charlie@charleskunken.com
Other Posts In The Hollywood Heist Series
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