Lost, Twin Peaks, and stories that actually satisfy

Dec 08, 2023 3:32 pm

Loving Mysteries, Hating Cliffhangers

Any story is made more interesting by what you leave out, but leaving too much out is a cheapshot. Finding the right balance can be tricky. On one end of the spectrum, you have a 4000 word prologue where someone tells the story of the whole world so that you understand why the kingdoms are warring, which most readers are going to skip. On the other end of the spectrum, you have stories that just keep throwing new mysteries at you but leave things unresolved. It keeps people reading (or watching) but I think it's a cheapshot.

The best situation is when things remain just enough of a mystery to keep you going but by the end all the loose ends are tied up. Most stories are essentially mysteries. The mystery may not be as cut-and-dried as "who killed Mr. Body in the conservatory with the candlestick?" but there's always something that keeps you going to find out more. It's certainly at the core of a "heist" plot. You see the characters making preparations, but you don't know exactly what they're planning.

Wizard's Bunker

What do glow-in-the-dark paintball pellets, a backpack sprayer, sterno cans, and climbing gear have to do with the mission? (Wide)

Did you enjoy this book? I'd love your ratings and reviews.

The other thing to keep in mind when writing a mystery of any sort is that some readers are incredibly astute and will always figure things out no matter how much you try to hide them. Others want a little more assistance. So I can't entirely rely on the mystery to keep people's interest and have to include other things like romantic tension or emotional arcs, which I included in Wizard's Bunker.

In my work in progress, I have three separate myseries for three separate characters. They each go to visit new and interesting people who tell them little factoids leading closer to the end. Not gonna lie, right now, a lot of the dialogue looks like this:

[placeholder for facts]

But that's why it's a "work in progress" and not a "coming soon"

This week's question: Do you love "endless mystery, no resolution" stories like Twin Peaks and Lost? Or do they just frustrate you?

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