Speaker 1: 0:50

And the key thing to remember here is that any information that you do choose to withhold from readers should be carefully constructed and intentional. Readers need to understand the shape of what's missing while feeling completely grounded in your story and the bigger context. So, again, you're not hiding that bigger context or the foundation of kind of where that mystery comes from. You're just strategically placing gaps within a clear context or a clear foundation. Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilbo and I'm here to help you write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming, so each week, I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you. So pick up a pen and let's get started. Have you ever written what you thought was a brilliantly mysterious scene, only to have readers say that they were completely lost, with no idea what was going on? Or maybe you've struggled with knowing how much information to reveal and when? Either way, you are not alone and this episode is going to give you some clarity Now, just to be clear, we are talking about how to write novels that hook readers through curiosity, not confusion, and this episode isn't just for authors who are writing mystery novels.

Speaker 1: 2:13

Every genre uses elements of mystery and curiosity. For example, romance writers will need to make readers curious about whether their characters will get together or not, and they might be unsure of when to reveal the hero's tragic backstory or whatever it is. Fantasy authors need to ground readers in their world and their magic system while deciding how much world building to explain up front or when they should reveal their villain's true identity. Thriller writers need to create suspense about who can be trusted, while choosing what clues to share and when. So, no matter what you write, you're constantly making decisions about how to keep your readers curious, wanting to read on further, and what to reveal to your readers when.

Speaker 1: 2:53

And there's a problem I see constantly showing up in the manuscripts of new and even experienced writers, and that is that many writers think creating mystery means withholding information. They mistake creating confusion for creating curiosity, and here's what I want you to understand these writers aren't being mysterious, they are just being vague. So in today's episode, I'm going to talk through the difference between the two and give you a simple three-part framework for creating the kind of curiosity that keeps readers engaged instead of frustrated or confused. So let's dive right in, starting with the difference between being mysterious and being vague. Being mysterious means you've given readers a clear foundation, so they understand the situation, they understand the characters and they understand what's at stake. But there's some kind of crucial information or piece of information that's missing that would make everything click into place. All right, so we understand the foundation or the general context of what the story is about. There's just a piece of information that's missing. Now, on the flip side, being vague means leaving readers fumbling around in the dark, leaving them unsure of the basic story context or the basic story elements, hoping they'll be so drawn into your story because they have no idea what's going on. And spoiler alert, that never works. So think of it like this a good mystery is like a great movie trailer. You see enough to understand the story, the characters and what's at stake, but there are key moments that make you think man, I have to see how this plays out. It's not like you're watching a trailer that's so confusing that you have no idea what the movie's about. Okay, so let me demonstrate what I mean by this with an example, and I'm going to first read you the version that I made up that reflects a lot of the manuscripts I see in real life. Then I'm going to read you what the actual text of this book says. All right, so here's an example of what it looks like to be vague instead of mysterious.

Speaker 1: 4:45

Harry picked up a piece of paper under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet. Harry read the article and the information made his hair stand on end. Could it be? Harry asked Hagrid about the article, but Hagrid didn't meet his eyes. Something was definitely up. So I'm curious if you can see the problem there as a reader or a listener. In this case, you have zero context for what's happening, right? Why did Harry's hair stand on end? Why is he asking Hagrid about the article? Why is Hagrid not meeting his eyes? What isn't adding up, right? We have zero context, and when this happens, our readers feel cheated, not curious, okay. So really important to know the difference. Now let's take a look at what it says in the actual novel. Here's what it says Harry picked up a piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a cutting from the Daily Prophet.

Speaker 1: 5:35

Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely believed to be the work of dark wizards or witches. Unknown Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied that same day, but we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what's good for you, said a Gringotts spokes goblin. This afternoon Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date Hagrid. Harry said that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday. It might have been happening while we were there. There was no doubt about it. Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes. This time. He grunted and offered him another raw cake.

Speaker 1: 6:19

The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied earlier. That same day Hagrid had emptied vault 713, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for? As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes. They'd been too polite to refuse. Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?

Speaker 1: 6:50

So, as you can see, as readers we're given a lot more specific information. Right, we understand the significance of the article because we know Harry and Hagrid visited that same vault on that same day. So in this example, we are curious, just like Harry is curious. Right, we share in the mystery of what happened and what were the thieves after that day. So the difference here is that the author is giving us the foundation of what's going on and then creating curiosity out of that foundation. And this is really important to note, because our brains are wired to seek patterns and complete pictures. So when we enter a story, we immediately start building a mental map when are we? When are we? Who are these people? What do they want? What's at stake? And without sufficient context, our brains can't engage with the mystery because we're too busy trying to figure out basic orientation. So, now that we're on the same page about being mysterious and being vague, here is my three-part framework for creating curiosity in your reader.

Speaker 1: 7:46

The first thing you need to do is give readers the essential context. So before you can make readers curious about the missing piece of the puzzle, whatever that is, they need to understand the overall picture or the bigger scope of the story. This means establishing things like your story world, your characters and the basic conflict or situation clearly. So your job is not to hide everything. Instead, it's to ground readers in the essential context so that they can focus on the mystery that matters. As an example, consider how the book Gone Girl opens Amy is one of the protagonists and she is missing. Nick is the husband. He's the other protagonist and the police are investigating what happened. So we're not confused about the genre, the setting, the timeline or the basic situation. The author has given us all of the big picture context immediately and therefore we're able to focus on the real question, which is what really happened to Amy. So, again, the key is to provide enough context so that readers can properly focus on the mystery and the story instead of scrambling to understand where they are or what's happening.

Speaker 1: 8:50

And the key thing to remember here is that any information that you do choose to withhold from readers should be carefully constructed and intentional. Readers need to understand the shape of what's missing, while feeling completely grounded in your story and the bigger context. So again, you're not hiding that bigger context or the foundation of kind of where that mystery comes from. You're just strategically placing gaps within a clear context or a clear foundation. All right, and then the second thing you need to do is make the mystery matter to your character. So good mysteries in fiction aren't academic puzzles. They need to be deeply personal to your protagonist and the missing information must be crucial to something your character desperately wants Survival, love, justice, truth, redemption, whatever it is. And the reason this is so important is because when the mystery matters to your character, it's automatically going to matter to your readers and that just makes it easier for you to write a story that your readers can easily connect with.

Speaker 1: 9:49

So, as an example, consider a book like the Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. He doesn't leave us in the dark about the basic world building or about the protagonist's identity. We understand that Kvothe is a legendary figure who's telling his own story, and we grasp the magic system basics and we know that something really terrible happened to his family and that that terrible thing involved a group called the Chandrian. So the question or kind of the mystery at the heart of this story is what really happened to the Chandrian. Like they real? Where did they go, and how did young Kvothe's quest for answers shape him into the legend that we meet on page one? So, again, in this scenario, kvothe is very concerned with what happened to the Chandrian, whether or not they still exist and things like that, and so the mystery works because it's so rooted in his perspective, in his motivation, and there are clear stakes around the mystery. The more he digs into it, the more he's putting his own life and the life of others at risk. So everything is clear, it's on the table, and there's no arbitrary secrecy for the sake of withholding information and hoping it piques the reader's curiosity.

Speaker 1: 10:54

All right. So something you can ask yourself is what does my character want more than anything? And then, what crucial information do they need in order to get it or to be successful? Then you'll want to think about what's preventing them from easily obtaining that information. And when you can answer these questions, you're on your way to creating a story that will actually evoke natural curiosity in your readers. All right, so that's the second thing. We want to make the mystery matter to your character. And then the third thing is you want to strategically deliver information that answers questions and raises new ones, and this is where the magic happens. So, instead of just withholding information, you want to focus on delivering revelations that satisfy the reader's curiosity while also opening up new avenues of intrigue. And the key thing to focus on is making sure every new bit of information or every revelation counts as an example.

Speaker 1: 11:47

Think about the book the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. We know that McHale is investigating a decades-old appearance. Each discovery he makes provides answers yes, harriet was in the parade photos. No, she didn't leave the island willingly, and things like that. But it also raises new questions, right, so who was she meeting? Why did someone want her gone? And each revelation that he has and that we, the readers, have as we follow this journey, each revelation moves the story forward while deepening the mystery. And this approach works really well, because readers feel like they're making progress, right, they're learning new things, but the mystery becomes more intriguing with each reveal, not less.

Speaker 1: 12:25

All right, so that's the third thing you really want to pay attention to, maybe the most important one. You want to deliver information that answers questions and also raises new ones. All right. So now, how do you know if you're being mysterious instead of vague? You might understand these three things I just talked through, but you're like how do you know if you're being mysterious instead of vague? You might understand these three things I just talked through, but you're like how do I know if this is actually working? Well, the main question to ask yourself is can readers follow your story while remaining curious about the outcome? If they're struggling with the first part, if they can't follow what's happening in the story, then they're never going to be able to engage with the second part. But if they can follow your story and still feel compelled to keep reading, then you've struck the right balance, all right. So there you have it how to create curiosity that hooks readers instead of creating confusion that frustrates them. Now let me do a quick recap, because I know we went through a lot.

Speaker 1: 13:14

Key point number one is that being mysterious and being vague are two different things. Being mysterious means giving readers a clear foundation so they understand the situation and the characters, but leaving some crucial information missing. Being vague means leaving readers fumbling around in the dark unsure of basic story elements or basic context. Key point number two is that you'll want to apply the three-part framework we talked about. So you want to give readers the essential context so they can sink into your story and then focus on what matters most. You want to make the missing piece of information crucial to what your character desperately wants, and you want to strategically deliver information or revelations that answer one question while raising new ones.

Speaker 1: 13:56

Key point number three is to remember that this idea applies to every genre. So, whether you're writing romance, fantasy, thrillers or any other type of fiction, you're constantly making decisions about what to reveal and when, and the goal is to always create curiosity, not confusion. And, above all, remember that the goal is not to trick your readers. Instead, the goal is to create a partnership with them. So your job is to guide them through a compelling journey where they have enough information to stay oriented, while maintaining enough questions to keep them turning the page. And I think it's no secret that the most powerful stories aren't the ones that leave us confused, right, they're the ones that leave us compelled and wanting more. They provide clear context that allows that deep emotional investment and then create curiosity around the outcomes that truly matter. And when you master this balance, you will transform your writing from something that puzzles readers into something that captivates them. You'll create stories that readers can't put down, not because they're confused, but because they're completely absorbed in your characters and the outcomes they desperately care about.

Speaker 1: 15:02

All right, so that's it for this episode of the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast. Head over to savannagilbocom forward slash podcast for the complete show notes, including the resources I mentioned today, as well as bonus materials to help you implement what you've learned. And if you're ready to get more personalized guidance for your specific writing stage whether you're just starting out, stuck somewhere in the middle of a draft, drowning in revisions, or getting ready to publish, take my free 30-second quiz at savannahgilbocom forward slash quiz. You'll get a customized podcast playlist that'll meet you right where you're at and help you get to your next big milestone. Last but not least, make sure to follow this podcast in your podcast player of choice, because I'll be back next week with another episode full of actionable tips, tools and strategies to help you become a better writer. Until then, happy writing.