Very nicely done on the reveal.

Now that I've finally realised what genre this is (yes, I'm a little slow), it makes a whole lot more sense.

Onwards!

-- Pete

Doffs cap in appreciation.

Very nicely done on the reveal.

 

Now that I've finally realised what genre this is (yes, I'm a little slow), it makes a whole lot more sense.

 

Onwards!

 

-- Pete

I think, in a story like this, that's part of the mystery.

Very nicely done on the reveal.

 

Now that I've finally realised what genre this is (yes, I'm a little slow), it makes a whole lot more sense.

 

Onwards!

 

I think, in a story like this, that's part of the mystery.

It can't be too much of a mystery, though. At some point relatively early on it has to be clear what general genres are involved, or I risk having a reader back off with a big "ewww!" after investing a lot into the story. I know I've had that happen once or twice when someone's sprung something unexpected halfway through a story I otherwise really liked and just killed things for me.

So, yeah, romance/supernatural thriller. Which I expect everyone's figured out already.

Very nicely done on the reveal.

 

Now that I've finally realised what genre this is (yes, I'm a little slow), it makes a whole lot more sense.

 

Onwards!

 

I think, in a story like this, that's part of the mystery.

It can't be too much of a mystery, though. At some point relatively early on it has to be clear what general genres are involved, or I risk having a reader back off with a big "ewww!" after investing a lot into the story. I know I've had that happen once or twice when someone's sprung something unexpected halfway through a story I otherwise really liked and just killed things for me.

 

So, yeah, romance/supernatural thriller. Which I expect everyone's figured out already.

Well, you've got to be fair, whatever the mystery is. You have to have enough clues from the beginning to make the reader respond with, "Yeah, of course! that's what it was -- I almost got that on my own."

I think you've been fair, here. There's enough clues. Well, there's too many. But they're beginning to cancel out, like a good logic puzzle, where things get eliminated as you go.

Well, you've got to be fair, whatever the mystery is. You have to have enough clues from the beginning to make the reader respond with, "Yeah, of course! that's what it was -- I almost got that on my own."

 

I think you've been fair, here. There's enough clues. Well, there's too many. But they're beginning to cancel out, like a good logic puzzle, where things get eliminated as you go.

I decided to go with the "throw it all at the wall and see what sticks" scheme for this story. I'm trying enough new stuff that I didn't want to try and keep a single thread of mystery going through it.

It's been interesting keeping things straight, though. All the characters know what's going on, they just all disagree. (Gotta love that "certainty without correctness" thing...) And it turns out that they were all wrong to one degree or another, too -- even Chris. That surprised me, but it worked, so I'm going with it.

One of the things I'm going to have to do when I'm done with this first draft is see what of the things I was trying in it didn't work, and decide whether it needs chopping out or fixing up. (Stylistically, I mean. I'm pretty happy with the basic plot elements. They need elaboration and reordering, but that's normal for rough first drafts)