Melodie,
Ah, I see that Alice Munro's stories are suspense genre then. The stories of her character discovering the dead bodies and her unusual reactions. And also the story "Tricks" was done so well in that suspense manner.
I like how you structure your plots. How do you structure each scene within that framework? In my current WIP I'm using the Reaction/Motivation unit technique with a Scene basically Goal/Conflict/Disaster and the next (Sequel) chapter in the form of Reaction/Dilemma/Decision. It keeps me digging more deeply into the potential conflicts for each character, and I can write toward a kind of cliffhanger at end of the chapter. Do you recommend this structure?
Ah, I see that Alice Munro's stories are suspense genre then. The stories of her character discovering the dead bodies and her unusual reactions. And also the story "Tricks" was done so well in that suspense manner.
I like how you structure your plots. How do you structure each scene within that framework? In my current WIP I'm using the Reaction/Motivation unit technique with a Scene basically Goal/Conflict/Disaster and the next (Sequel) chapter in the form of Reaction/Dilemma/Decision. It keeps me digging more deeply into the potential conflicts for each character, and I can write toward a kind of cliffhanger at end of the chapter. Do you recommend this structure?
I think you have touched on something very important, Maia. In a mystery, you need at least three or four suspects. Their motivations MUST be believable. If someone is killed, why would that suspect be motivated to kill them? What could possibly be worth the risk? You need three suspects at least that we as readers would nod our heads and say, yes, that motivation is believable. This is the number one fault with new writers. Their production of motivation is weak.
Your structure would also help a mystery author address the motivation of every character.