Linda Hall
A few days ago my husband and I watched a movie that, although a few years old, I had not heard of before. (My head must be in the sand - or maybe I’ve just been bent over my desk writing for too long!) The movie was AUGUST RUSH which came recommended by my son - who plays percussion, guitar, basically anything, and our daughter-in-law - who is a classically trained pianist, but whose newest great love is the cello.
I adored the movie. I was enraptured by the music and the story. But, in the first five minutes most people have it figured out. It’s not like SIXTH SENSE or other of those movies with surprise endings, that no one can figure out until the bitter end. No, this one was easy to figure out.
And yet, and yet, I couldn’t stop watching it.
As a writer of romantic suspense and mystery this intrigued me. I’m always trying to make sure the reader can’t ‘figure out’ the story within five mintues of opening my book, but just maybe if the story is beautiful enough, and has enough compelling elements, a reader will be drawn in regardless.
Or maybe it's the ‘how’ - how are these three people going to come together in the end?
I really don't know the ramifications for a mystery novel. It just got me thinking.
2 comments:
Interesting thought... I always love the surprise at the end, but come to think of it, I have also enjoyed movies (and stories) that are more about the journey or the characters - ones like you referred to where you know how it will turn out but you want to keep on enjoying it anyway.Its something for us writers to consider. We don't always have to stick to the formula.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'd not heard of it either.
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