Raymond Chandler on Mystery Writing
This link takes you to a witty, brilliant, totally on-point essay about mystery writing and the core of film noir. It got the link from my MOOC on film noir by TCM.
http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitprivate/scans/chandlerart.html
I want to write mysteries and have a set up, a character, and some stories (three of them) but I would take to heart what he says. Cozy mysteries, Murder She Baked (or Wrote), Hallmark Mysteries, etc. are fun escapism when one is tired and wants something to lull him or her to sleep, but definitely miss the whole point of the evil perpetrated.
Especially in the aftermath of the--what word suffices? cold-blooded murders only begins to describe what that demented young man, who is not from Charleston, did--I don't think murder is worthy of being written about in a cozy way.
http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitprivate/scans/chandlerart.html
I want to write mysteries and have a set up, a character, and some stories (three of them) but I would take to heart what he says. Cozy mysteries, Murder She Baked (or Wrote), Hallmark Mysteries, etc. are fun escapism when one is tired and wants something to lull him or her to sleep, but definitely miss the whole point of the evil perpetrated.
Especially in the aftermath of the--what word suffices? cold-blooded murders only begins to describe what that demented young man, who is not from Charleston, did--I don't think murder is worthy of being written about in a cozy way.
Comments