Mystery Writers Leave Clues for Novices Plotting Whodunits

One mystery about mystery writing is where the creators of Sherlock Holmes and Sam Spade get their plots.

Sara Paretsky, author of five novels featuring the Chicago private investigator Vi Warshawski, including “Bloodshot,” says she has no problem.

She gets her plots from the Wall Street Journal and the Chicago Tribune.

“What I’m on the lookout for always is political or financial or industrial fraud on a scope or scale that might lead one to commit murder in order to prohibit this fraud from coming to light,” Paretsky said recently at the Mystery Writers of America annual convention.

The message from mystery writers this year is that industrial fraud is in vogue, along with environmental disaster.

Sex it Out

Sex, however, is out.

“People who want sex should read romances,” said Matthew Sartwell, an editor at New American Library. “Mysteries are going to more contemporary settings, dealing with the environment and health.”

Warren Murphy, looking at ease in a tweed jacket and knit tie, refrained from chewing his bushy mustache when he told a group of would-be mystery writers, “Plot is the simplest part of this business.”

Murphy, who has written more than 100 novels, including “Too Old a Cat,” upon which the television series “Murphy’s Law” is based, told the group: “God either made you a writer or God made you not a writer. But if you are a writer, then I or anyone else in this business could probably help you become a novelist.”

His two main pieces of advice: come up with a title, and summarize the novel in one sentence.

Map Out Plots

Unlike Paretsky, who confessed to having tossed out several false starts of 60 or 70 pages, Murphy warned writers to carefully map out their plots before putting pen to paper.

“I never throw out 60 pages,” he said. “I hate to write. And it would be a shame to waste that material.”

While the pair did not come to blows--she didn’t slip him any poison; he didn’t take out a knife--they agreed on little and revealed even less.

Nor did Donald Westlake, whose latest works are “Trust Me on This” and “Sacred Monster,” or Lawrence Block, the author of “Eight Million Ways to Die” and “When the Sacred Gin Mill Closes,” reveal his secret to creating characters.

‘An Intuitive Process’

“How do I do it?” said Block, who looks like an aging hippie. “It’s an intuitive process. I really don’t know,” said the creator of Matthew Scudder, a former alcoholic detective, and Bernie Rhodenbarr, a private eye and gentlemanly thief.

Looking like an unassuming English professor in his best navy blue blazer, Westlake revealed with a twinkle in his eyes that he could never write about someone being presented to the Queen of England, because he had never had that experience.

“But I can write about a man driven by a desperate need for money, because, once or twice, I’ve been driven by a desperate need for money.”

Priscilla Ridgeway, the group’s executive secretary, said the market for mysteries is booming.

“Mysteries are on a roll. Whether you’re talking spy or cozy (in the tradition of Agatha Christie), they’re hot. We get requests all the time for mystery cruises, mystery weekends. I’m holding out for the one up the Amazon.”

The mystery writers and their fans, an eccentric looking group complete with the occasional ascot, wide-brimmed hat and trench coat, were in town for the organization’s annual convention, called Edgar Allen Poe Week, which culminated in a black-tie gala for the 42nd annual bestowing of the Edgars, their version of the Academy Awards.

Best Mystery

The Edgar for best mystery of the year went to Stuart Kaminski’s “Cold Red Sunrise”; and Hillary Waugh was named a grandmaster of the mystery writers’ craft.

Waugh said he finds his plots everywhere. “You read a story and that gives you an idea. Or I see a newspaper headline and I think was what a great starting place.

“If you are really having a hard time, read true murder cases and get an idea from them. When all else fails, sit down or lie down and let your mind roam and find things coming to you from your own life.”

Block says he gets his ideas from just hanging out in the city, “listening to what people say. There are so many crazy things going on you can always find something.”