tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post7216591701131313603..comments2024-03-28T05:34:42.670-05:00Comments on MAKE MINE MYSTERY: What Happens When Your Villain is Smarter than You?Morgan Mandelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-24973649471738263032015-08-17T09:57:27.740-05:002015-08-17T09:57:27.740-05:00It's not always easy to keep up with our chara...It's not always easy to keep up with our characters. They seem to be one step ahead of us.Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-58178227748416642722015-08-06T12:09:02.442-05:002015-08-06T12:09:02.442-05:00I'm with you, Janis: a pantser who outlines no...I'm with you, Janis: a pantser who outlines nonfiction but can't for the life of me outline a novel because my characters won't stand for it. I enjoy tuning in each morning to witness what they're up to that day. And the killer usually eludes me until the very end.Jean Henry Meadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146960738692672013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-70756681928856425632015-08-05T11:39:54.411-05:002015-08-05T11:39:54.411-05:00So funny. I'm not a pantser; I'm a plotter...So funny. I'm not a pantser; I'm a plotter, a planner, and an outliner. Oh, and a pre-writer. But... once I start writing, the characters (who I feel I already know) take over and all my planning gets thrown out the window. I'm on book #3 now (haven't launched book one yet, but that's another story). In the first two books I knew exactly who was the murderer and in both cases this changed by the end of the book! So I know the guilty party in book #3, but as I'm only about a quarter of the way through, still not sure that this character is going to end up as the villain. Won't know till I get there, and getting there is so much fun. I can so relate with you, Janis. Only thing is I have to learn to launch already. Doing that is the true mystery for me!Denise Rodgershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04217591716446646510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-40309031644207216802015-08-05T10:00:37.530-05:002015-08-05T10:00:37.530-05:00Very interesting post Janis. Love the last part.....Very interesting post Janis. Love the last part...and no, we won't tell him!Book Readershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05163162264332724310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-85625827774978529652015-08-05T09:17:45.582-05:002015-08-05T09:17:45.582-05:00Great post, Janis. Like you, I don't outline--...Great post, Janis. Like you, I don't outline--takes all the fun out of the writing. I rarely know who dun it until I'm about two-thirds or even three-quarters of the way through so I can also be surprised by who the villain is. Give several characters opportunity and motive, then pick one. Writing is a lot of hard work, so I figure it should amusae me. And that way, hopefully it will also amuse the reader. Glad you found a way to catch your villain!Jan Christensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02027877440748580764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-73808346602768012212015-08-05T08:58:51.686-05:002015-08-05T08:58:51.686-05:00I always write a rough outline or synopsis before ...I always write a rough outline or synopsis before I start writing, but like you I can't always adhere to it. Makes for interesting writing!Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-55334936391140771372015-08-05T08:39:48.996-05:002015-08-05T08:39:48.996-05:00I love the way characters take over--sometimes mak...I love the way characters take over--sometimes making you do more work than you intended. Great post!Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04179984154939161530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-67528941873992795342015-08-05T08:13:35.470-05:002015-08-05T08:13:35.470-05:00Interesting post, Susan. In my own writing, I alwa...Interesting post, Susan. In my own writing, I always know when things are going well because my characters constantly surprise me. Your husband might be right about "possession"!Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03318669399845377640noreply@blogger.com