tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post2784698687395689856..comments2024-03-18T04:40:38.214-05:00Comments on Murderous Musings: Why Is It Always Murder?Chester Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07155257451021065218noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-50833099054490339492008-07-29T22:06:00.000-05:002008-07-29T22:06:00.000-05:00When I was in grad school for my Psych masters, I ...When I was in grad school for my Psych masters, I had an argument with one of my professors who insisted that it was impossible to write from a POV other than one's own, thus labeling all mystery writers as violent individuals who would murder, maim or steal, etc., in real life. She evidently didn't get the concept of imagination or creativity. Sort of like theory #3 in the article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-2327145766089840922008-07-24T08:29:00.000-05:002008-07-24T08:29:00.000-05:00I agree, Ben. I suppose it would be possible to wr...I agree, Ben. I suppose it would be possible to write a riveting mystery about the stolen bug collection, but only if there is something exceptionally improtant about THAT bug collection. Maybe one of the bugs is a rare beetle that can be used to make a drug that will cure the mysterious illness plaguing our hero's mother. <BR/><BR/>Or maybe, if we were writing a literary piece, the owner of the bug collection had promised it to his estranged son, and he sees delivering the collection as his last chance to forge a relationship between them. But the driving question of THAT book would not be, "Who stole the bug collection?" but "Will the protagonist find a way to mend fences and reestablish a relationship with his son?"Jaden Terrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11113218513166921429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-42446897981646382122008-07-23T23:48:00.000-05:002008-07-23T23:48:00.000-05:00Good question,Beth. Perhaps it's simple: We like t...Good question,Beth. Perhaps it's simple: We like to solve puzzles, but we like to solve <I>interesting</I> puzzles, not boring ones. Who would read a mystery about a stolen bug collection unless there was something high stakes about it? Or how about a mystery focused on who painted over the speed limit sign? Unless somebody gets killed as a result of it, or we are focusing on the journey to discovery of who painted over the sign -- yawn -- we don't much care. There's the thrill of the hunt, we're seeking. If there's no thrill, why aren't I playing Solitaire? :<)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01368973223808495975noreply@blogger.com