Monday, May 11, 2009

Writing update...

Okay, I finally figured out who did it -- who killed who, and who the killer is at the end of the story. Or rather, one of the characters just accidentally told me who killed the first victim by being *far* too interested in how to kill someone. The second and third victims fall out of the murder of the first victim even though their killers are different people altogether. So now I just need to sit down and finish writing the damned thing...

-- Badtux the Fiction Penguin

6 comments:

  1. What's easier for you writing computer code , or books ? Comming from one who can do neither .
    a curious w3ski

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  2. Computer code, by far. First of all, you get paid much more money to write computer code so it's easier to motivate yourself as vs. fiction, where the average fiction writer averages less than $10K/year in income from his writing. Second of all, computers are excrutiatingly logical and you can predict 100% how a computer will react to your writing. Human beings, on the other hand, are quite illogical and it can take some work to manipulate their emotions so that they get the experience you're trying to give them, and there's no guarantee of success. On the other hand, fiction done well does things that no amount of computer code will ever do, such as create three-dimensional fully-fledged human beings out of nothing but ink and paper...

    That said, it's easier to write fiction BADLY than it is to write computer code, because bad fiction need have no logic to its plot (or plot at all, actually) and doesn't need to communicate with or get a reaction from the reader. On the other hand, at that point you're basically writing for your hand, and there's easier ways to masturbate.

    - Badtux the Writer Penguin

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  3. Actually, the person accused of killing the first victim was only gathering facts for a murder mystery he's writing. It's time to take a hard look at other characters who may have had the means, motive, and opportunity to commit the crime. Pay attention to alibis; often, they don't stand up.

    It's much easier to read a murder mystery than it is to write one (I've read about 300 of them over the last four-and-a-half years, and written none). So, hey, let me know when it's published.

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  4. No, the *other* person accused of murdering the first person was actually trying to cover up for *another* person he thought murdered the first person, and the Sheriff suspects both of them and actually arrests both of them at one point or another (but not the real murderer, who he never suspects and never catches). And at the end of the novel, we have a denoument where the first murderer is revealed... and then ushered into new hands in order to Live Unhappily Ever After. If you keep an eye open you may find some clues as to who the real murderer is dropped amongst all the red herrings. But if things are done right, you should not know who really dunnit until the next-to-the-last chapter, when I reveal enough clues that you (but not the Sheriff, who doesn't have all those clues) should be able to figure it out. At least, if I do things right. Which is the hard part :).

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  5. Now I'm REALLY confused, but more interested than ever. So, hey, let me know when it's published.

    Oh, and if you'll send me an Advance Review Copy, I'll be happy to write a review of your book to post on my Web site.

    ReplyDelete

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