tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post4788908626750226039..comments2024-01-12T11:26:35.176-05:00Comments on Working Stiffs: Western Mysteries and the Texas Book FestivalWorking Stiffshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03270595837074553752noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-51031500829096711872011-11-02T12:41:38.376-04:002011-11-02T12:41:38.376-04:00I totally favor the British traditional mystery wi...I totally favor the British traditional mystery with a puzzle and clues that the reader follows to try and solve the case with the protagonist. Good writing demands that the why be in all 'the showing, not telling' of the story.<br />Both are important and separating one from the other wouldn't be very interesting to me.<br />PatgPatghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01046665022709722606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-87047692132144325722011-11-02T09:30:10.699-04:002011-11-02T09:30:10.699-04:00There was a bit of talk about 'why done it'...There was a bit of talk about 'why done it' at Bouchercon too. And yes, obviously we all don't just want to know whodunit, but why they did, but I think there's a qualitative difference in the approach that needs mentioning. A whodunit is more of a puzzle type traditional mystery, Agatha Christie style. Who did it and why. <br /><br />A 'why done it' is more psychological, since it isn't just about the killer's reason for committing murder; it's about what brought him/her to that point. I heard several writers at B'con saying that that's what propelled their writing: figuring out what brought someone to the point of seeing murder as their only way out.<br /><br />So nothing against 'why done it' - I think we can all deepen our manuscripts by giving the murderer a real motive and that motive some real thought, but I also think some genres are more conducive to 'why done it' than others.Jennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01442754671445893599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-56245722337174043152011-11-02T08:52:04.689-04:002011-11-02T08:52:04.689-04:00Just realized I used "absolutely" twice ...Just realized I used "absolutely" twice in that last post. Ah, well, get all those adverbs out of my system now, before I start working on my revisions.Annettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755947919433555176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-52119560890028299732011-11-02T08:50:54.902-04:002011-11-02T08:50:54.902-04:00C.L., I absolutely LOVE Craig Johnson. I was fortu...C.L., I absolutely LOVE Craig Johnson. I was fortunate enough to meet him this summer when he came to Mystery Lovers Bookshop, and he is absolutely the best storyteller. I could sit and listen to him for hours. I'm currently in the middle of a Walt Longmire marathon, just waiting for the next book to arrive in today's mail from Mystery Lovers.<br /><br />The "why done it" has me thinking, too.Annettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02755947919433555176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-45233927419429164982011-11-02T07:25:42.009-04:002011-11-02T07:25:42.009-04:00Craig Johnson had the best comment about Why Done ...Craig Johnson had the best comment about Why Done It - he said, "Nobody cares who did. Everybody wants to know why they did it."<br /><br />And Craig is funny as hell. He said in the last sheriff's election his fictional character Walt Longmire received 13 votes. So Craig went and apologized to the real sheriff because, "In our neck of the woods, 13 votes matters."C.L. Phillipshttp://www.clphillips.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33226151.post-65497199774349341492011-11-02T07:18:07.554-04:002011-11-02T07:18:07.554-04:00Sigh. Blogger is acting up again. It lost my comme...Sigh. Blogger is acting up again. It lost my comment.<br /><br />I think this is what I wrote: I like the idea of "why done it" instead of "who done it." There are usually several characters who could have done it, but only one with the best motive. I'll have to keep this in mind.Joyce Tremelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00498392016497131719noreply@blogger.com