I’ve gotten to that point in my manuscript where it’s time to include some secrets.
I love secrets in books. They work really well for mysteries—in fact, it’s fun for all of the suspects to have a secret they’re trying to protect.
Then the reader and sleuth are aware the suspect is throwing up some roadblocks. They’re just not sure why it’s happening. Are they covering up the murder they committed? Or are they just trying to conceal a personal secret from the investigators?
Secrets are great for a variety of genres and, to me, are really fun to create and include.
Who has a secret?
Protagonist—Has a secret that affects him…usually negatively. Ordinarily, this is a secret that’s an integral part of his past that’s hampering his future. Positive secrets? I haven’t seen so many of those. Maybe a few storylines involving characters who are secretly wealthy (won the lottery, whatever) and keep it under cover so friends won’t treat them differently.
Someone close to the protagonist has a secret that affects their relationship with the main character. This can propel the protagonist through the plot.
The antagonist has a game-changing secret. Darth Vadarish.
There’s an external secret—a historical mystery, a secret from the past (like the book The Photograph, etc.) that the protagonist is trying to uncover.
What are secrets good for?
Internal conflict. The protagonist at war with himself over a secret in his past that’s holding him back.
Interesting subplot. This could be a minor secret that’s something fun, revealed at the end of the book.
Cool plot twist. You mean he’s not dead?
Roadblocks (conflict) for the main character. Other characters present obstacles for the protagonist as he’s trying to reach his goals.
Does your character have a secret? Does he know someone who does?
Great post.
I’m also looking at secrets at the moment because I’m trying to decide which characters in my story are in on the secret and which aren’t and it is sending my mind a little bit around the bend.
I like secrets in stories, particularly when some characters know and others don’t and it is interesting watching how the interract before and after the reveal.
Thanks for an excellent post.
Secrets. We all have them, I suppose so our characters need them as well. Some characters have some secrets. But, I need to look into this.
Thanks for making me think so early on this snowy (again) MO Monday morning.
Elizabeth – One I find so fascinating about secrets is that in crime fiction, the sleuth has to sort out which secrets are relevant for the story, and which ones are just “side issues.” After all, we all keep secrets, and it’s not easy to tell which character is keeping the main secret…
OK, Elizabeth. Would the fact that my current manuscript has a working title of “Deadly Secrets” have anything to do with this constant synchronicity. Everyone in that book has a secret!
I love playing with secrets! It’s so much fun! My newest WIP just found out two “whammies”! :0)
Secrets are one of my favorite plot “devices.” Everyone has them, everyone spills them. It’s a great way to reveal surprising stuff because it’s kind of “expected” that people keep a lot of important (incriminating, embarrassing, unpleasant) information to themselves.
They’re also great red herrings…
And, oh, yeah! My MC has a big secret! But it’s not a secret from the readers, just from everyone else.
Secrets are great, but one of those details that can be tricky to weave into the story. Do you write them in as you go along, or go back and drop them in later?
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
Ohhh, I love secrets! I like the secrets that characters keep from one another–but just as much, I love the secrets that we keep from the reader, too. The best books have both, I think.
This is so far ahead of where I am, but I so love reading how you approach writing, Elizabeth. And thanks so much for your loving comments on my blog.
Karen
I feel like my story is based on secrets, the painful kind that linger and infect.
My MC is bent on uncovering all the lies that have robbed her of the love that every child should be shrouded with.
A few secrets. Most have to do with how the character feels about a past situation in his or her life.
Once I got to thinking about it, I’ve numerous secrets in my book. And they are key in my character’s motivation.
Oh my yes – they all do and some of them I don’t even know yet. I don’t think it is playing fair when the characters keep secrets from the writer but then – they never asked me to be born did they?
Where would mysteries be without secrets? They wouldn’t be mysterious, that’s for sure. What I love are what each character decides constitutes a secret; some are obvious, some, not so much.
I’ve never tried pulling off the ‘wait, he’s NOT dead?’ secret; that one scares me.
Cassandra–Good point…how the secret will affect their relationship both before and after.
Teresa–Y’all have really been hit with the snow! It’s been a crazy winter, hasn’t it? I can’t believe our gas bill…it’s just gotten so cold here.
Margot–It’s just another way to put in some red herrings, isn’t it?
Diane–I like those. Gives the character some depth.
Terry–With a title like that, you’d better deliver on the promise of secrets! Yeah, we’re evil twins again. But I didn’t mention Power Point in my blog today!
Alex-I bet I’ll love your book, then. The more secrets, the better as far as I’m concerned.
Kristen–Your protagonist’s head has got to be spinning!
Jan–Ha! No, they didn’t ask to be born…and they’ll give us all kinds of trouble. :)
Secrets are also a wonderful way for a writer to explore character and build depth. In my first Coffeehouse Mystery, the NYPD detective assigned to my protag’s case (Mike Quinn) is extremely engimatic. Mike carries a secret about his past (which he keeps from my protagonist and the reader) until book #8. Once the reader knows Mike’s secret, the entire series can be read again with new eyes–i.e. a new understanding of Mike’s motivations and attitudes.
~Cleo
Yep, several secrets in fact. My protag is hiding her past, covering up something she’s doing, and trying to uncover what happened to her many years ago.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Secrets are important. Everyone has them except for my mother-in-law who has probably told me all of hers by now.
Anyways, most people lie because of secrets and that get in the way of smooth investigations.
Great post.
Also, currently, I’m reading a cozy mystery but I think I will get on your next. Have it waiting on my kindle. Can I post a review of it on my blog? And how honest would you like me to be? Only good, or can I mention bad if I find something? You can email me a response to annellealtman@gmail.com
ann
Alan–And that’s a good point–we’re not stretching the reader’s belief at all…they know how THEY want to hold on to their own embarrassing little secrets, so it’s perfectly plausible that the characters would want to do the same.
Cleo–Now THAT’S keeping a secret! Doing the reveal in book 8? Wow. Mike knows how to hold on to his secrets! I like the idea that you can go back and reread the series and see things in a different light once you know the secret–that’s a brilliant idea.
Helen–A cover up! I love cover ups. Too fun.
Ann–Always good to hamper those criminal investigations or else the books end too quickly!
Sure, I’d love a review–good, bad, or indifferent. No problem if you don’t like the book; I can take it. No one’s books are the right fit for every reader, naturally.
Michele–They do make wonderful red herrings!
I do half and half–half I write in as I go, half I stick in during a revision.
My characters tend to hide secrets of their past, but as we all know, secrets have a way of becoming known at the most inopportune time. I like the idea of a plot twist secret. I may have to give that one a try.
I love reading plots with secrets, but I’m not sure I particularly like writing them… the big reveal was my default plot device for so long that I need to go cold turkey for a while.
Then there’s the challenge of going back and getting across all the information that the reader needs for the secret to make them say ‘Oh!’…
Yes, my protag in book two does have secret. He finds 4 million in drug money and gambles that no one knows he has it. Turns out he’s right.
Best Wishes Galen.
Imagineering Fiction Blog
LOVE secrets. Love finding them out eventually when reading, and enjoy the heck out of having secrets in my plots that my characters are not revealing.
Marvin D Wilson
Carolina–Secrets from the reader ARE fun, aren’t they? I can’t use them in mysteries quite as much because I have to make sure the reader knows as much as the sleuth does. But I love it when the narrator is lying to the reader (to conceal his secret.) Those are rare, but interesting, books.
Karen–Thanks! And you’re so welcome…I hope things start looking up for you soon. I’ve been thinking about you.
Jane–Oh, the secret that’s spilled at a bad time! Those are fun, too. Our poor characters!
Tamika–One of those secrets that kind of eats the character up…but makes for some really good stories and conflict.
Galen–Now THAT’S an awesome secret!
Marvin–I think it’s just one of those things that’s really fun to write.
Elspeth–And then there’s the “Wait–she’s dead?!?” secret, too. Sort of like Norman Bates’ mom. :)
Secrets? Yes I have four characters with secrets, I hope they work on my reader.
No real secrets for my character. He discovers some, but doesn’t have any of his own.
I enjoyed this and will keep it in mind for the next novel.
I like how you broke this down, there are many different kinds of secrets, so true.
My whole WIP is wrapped around a virtual snakepit of secrets. I have never written anything so dense before. I’m having the time of my life.
Lynis–That’s a lot of secrets! Sounds like fun.
Carolyn–Hope it helps! :)
Elizabeth–A snakepit of secrets! I like that idea.
Hampshire Flyer–You’re right…there’s a little bit of work. I guess it depends on when you put the secret in. Writing it in as you go is probably easiest…writing it later means you have to work backwards with it. Still, though, not too bad–I’m so familiar with my WIP by then that I know it backwards and forwards!
My characters have secrets. I have to walk round the green with them in hopes of discovering them.
Shelia–They’re characters that like to hold onto their secrets…even from you!
To kill or not to kill the antagonist? I have no problem killing them off as I like to create new characters all the time. More people to kill. That’s my philosophy.
Stephen Tremp
This is a good story and if you enjoyed it you might want to take a look at a book “Family Secrets or Lies” by Debbie Steever. It is based on a real story that took place in a small community.