I Have a Plan

I figure that as A Theatrical Murder made it to #6 in the Amazon UK cozy-crime chart, today is as good a time as any to look at my methods.

I’ve always made the point that I’m a pantster not a plotter. At the absolute most, I scribble out one page of a rough outline and then begin writing.

When I start on a new novel, I know the opening, I know the ending, I even think I know whodunit. Trouble is, the characters often take over during the course of writing.

Nowhere was this more irritating that in A Theatrical Murder. Although short, it was all but finished coming up to the New Year. Then suddenly, the characters took over and the character who I thought dunit, didn’t. It was someone else and for a completely different reason.

This last minute change caused me a delay of three months (albeit compounded by ill-health) and I feel it was this which led Lesley Cookman, creator of the excellent Libby Sarjeant series, to comment on the book, ‘So obvious when you realise the twist. It even fooled me and I’m a theatrical.’ Sorry, Lesley, but there’s a certain tingle factor in putting one over on a fellow scribe.

I said a few days ago that I’m taking the Sanford 3rd Age Club Mysteries back to basics, beginning with the next title, Trial by Fire. As a part of this reinvention, I’ve written a more detailed plan than normal.

WHAT? I HAVE A PLAN?

It’s taken two or three days to get it together, and emails have been bouncing back and forth between myself and editor/advisor/good friend Maureen Vincent-Northam, but the plan runs to four pages.

Oh. Is that all?

It’s still minimal, but it’s still an advance on a series of rough notes scribbled on the back of a Tesco bill.

With the plan in front of me, I can theoretically get down to work, and given my output, I could probably get the first, rough draft together in less than a month.

Theoretically.

In practice, you watch some rotten sod I haven’t even invented yet, turn up and commit the crime and for a different reason.

Writing mysteries? Who’d have it?

***Trial by Fire, STAC Mystery #14 will be with you before the end of the summer. Keep tuning in for more news.