I've lost the plot - or never even had one!

[confusedaboutetiquette]

I have been mulling a detective novel for some time. I have a pretty unique, though recognisable setting, a cast of fantastic characters, a red herring or two and episodes of plot. But no actual full-blown plot!

I read lots of detective (and other fiction), and have had a career in non fiction writing/ journalism, and am very disappointed in myself. HOW do i start writing this thing? I don't want these characters to die a death before they even hit the page!

It might help to read a book about structure and use what you already have to fill in the blanks. I find Save The Cat Writes A Novel helpful. It has lots of ideas for story beats that you can use to plot.

I start writing from that.

I know the characters, where they start and where they finish and write about a chapter a day.
I mull over the chapter during the day then write in the evening and gradually I know what's happening. If I have a stuck day, I write a filler chapter which gives me clues as to what they're thinking/wanting to do next.

I always find myself surprised by realising in a later chapter how something earlier fitted in to preshadow it. I didn't think of that when I first wrote it.
Occasionally I have to go back and change little things that I realise later (eg one time I realised a character didn't like dogs, due to something that happen in his childhood, and had to then change any interaction he had with dogs) but it's relatively rare.

So start writing.

Think about what your characters want. What are their goals, their dreams, both long and short term?

Ideally they'll have plausible goals which will conflict - one character can't get what she wants without depriving another one of what he wants. This will give you lots of opportunities for story. There's drama, if they argue face to face ... manipulation as they try to enlist other characters on their side ... lies and concealment... drastic steps that they feel they've been driven to ... re-enactment of the roles they played when younger (the bully, the victim, the suck-up etc) ... the unexpected breaking out of those roles and patterns ... and a million other things

Read the first few chapters of an Agatha Christie or a Jilly Cooper, and then stop and look at how each is using her characters' wants and needs to sow the seeds of action.

Do you mean you're writing a detective novel but you haven't created the case yet?

Not quite that bad @Huckleberries . I'd describe it as episodes in a case - a body in a particular location, and a series of characters who could have motive. But it's not even close to connecting in my head.

I’m writing a detective novel too, although with two rather lacklustre protagonists so you’re ahead of me there! Plotting has been an absolute sod.

I tried mind maps but didn’t find it helpful. A lot of the ‘how to’ books are less than helpful for detective fiction. Even though Save the cat was interesting, I struggled to apply it. So what I have done is decide on who the murderer is, and then work out exactly how they did it. I have a timeline for what they did, when, and where. I’ve added the motives for the other suspects, and given them their positions on the timeline. As I go along, I’m trying to identify the plot holes, hoping that these will become the clues. I’m about 50k words in and I’m regarding this as very much the first draft. In a subsequent draft, I’ll use Save the Cat beats to add depth to my detective.but it seems like this draft is all about working out the story.

Patricia Highsmith wrote a book called Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction which you might find useful. Most of the general fiction books don’t apply, as you’ve probably found!

I'm wrestling with writing and it's good to read your thread and feel encouraged in the endeavour.

I am picturing you contemplating all these disparate bits and I'm assuming you have a detective who will at some point wrestle with the clues, hunches and experience in much the same way.

Please ignore this suggestion if it's of no help. Can you write the personal journal entry - not for the narrative but for background - that your detective might write while they are trying to make sense of what they know so far? You sound as if you could be in the right frustrated but determined mindset.

All the best ✍️

@confusedaboutetiquette I'm pretty much at the opposite way round to you. I know who, how, where, when, why and by whom the murder(s) happened, and... very little else. Perhaps we should swap!

I feel a bit encouraged reading your answers, kind posters.
@MargaretThursday your approach is especially encouraging.
I'm going to invest in the Patricia Highsmith, so thank you @FriNightBlues
Mainly though I'm going to stop making excuses and push forward. I may need a research trip at some point, which will involve asking an organisation for a look around, but I feel I need more on the page first to justify this.