How to Write a Pastiche that Sparkle$!
I’ve read, like, so many Sherlock Holmes pastiches since becoming part of the Baker Street Babes, and I’ve even written some. That’s why I feel like I’m totes ready to tell YOU how to write a pastiche that will sparkle like a vampire in the sunshine and prance like millions of tiny unicorns.
1) Include TONS of historical people. It’s called playing The Game. Who wants to read a pastiche where Holmes interacts in-depth with one historical person or situation? Subtlety is boring. Namecheck at least ten real-life characters, or you don’t deserve to call yourself a pastiche artist.
2) Make it ALL about the romance. It doesn’t really matter which characters you pick. I mean, people picking up a Sherlock Holmes mystery really wish they were reading a Harlequin Romance Novel. Give it to them!
3) Use EVERY trope. Sherlock Holmes smokes a pipe, wears a deerstalker, says “elementary,” and takes drugs for a reason! Talk about these things on every page, so people know without a doubt that they’re reading a real, live, Holmes story!
4) Make it PARANORMAL, baby! I’m not talking about tastefully atmospheric forays into Victorian spiritualism. Remember what we said above? Subtlety is for loooosers! Give us so some werewolves, a clairvoyant robot, and maybe a patronus or two! Make it worth our time.
5) Make sure all the speech is VICTORIAN. People back then didn’t talk like us. They said things like, “tut tut,” and “old boy,” all the time. If you get lazy and start making Holmes and Watson sound like real, actual people, you’ve failed!
If you follow these 5 totes wicked tips, you can’t go wrong as a pastiche writer. Just remember, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle already hates all of us anyway, no reason to stop fueling the afterlife rage.
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(Book 2) The Detective, The Woman and The Winking Tree: A Novel of Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores and e-bookstores worldwide including in the USA Amazon,Barnes and Noble and Classic Specialities - and in all electronic formats including Amazon Kindle , iTunes(iPad/iPhone) and Kobo.
(Book 1) The Detective and the Woman: A Novel of Sherlock Holmes is available from all good bookstores and e-bookstores worldwide including in the USA Amazon,Barnes and Noble and Classic Specialities - and in all electronic formats including Amazon Kindle , iTunes(iPad/iPhone) and Kobo.
