I’ve recently been to a couple of parties where things got lively with alcohol.
This was unusual for me.
First of all, I’m rarely invited to grown-up parties. My good friends know I don’t really enjoy them and they thoughtfully spare me.
Secondly, the parties I do attend are usually child-centered and the drinking is either non-existent or very light (since everyone is driving their children back home again.)
But these parties were different. One was a house party where everyone was staying put. The other was a party that primarily consisted of neighbors, who could walk to their houses. So, there was no driving.
I do definitely enjoy my wine and beer, but I was happier to be the slow sipper at these events. It’s nice to be the most sober person at a party. And then observe the antics.
I thought that alcohol has a very interesting effect on different people and I wondered how to apply these effects to my characters, if I chose to put them in a situation where people needed to misbehave (and, naturally, a murder needed to happen.)
Quiet people can become loud. And rather obnoxious. A good opportunity for someone to get insulted or silly rivalries to start.
Loud people can become quiet and sleepy. And be successfully taken out of the action of the scene so that other plot devices can be put into motion.
Although I knew no one but the hostess for a Halloween party, it didn’t matter as the evening went on. The reserve that had been present at the beginning of the party quickly disappeared and people came right up to chat with me about the most unusual things.
Occasionally people get belligerent. Excellent for adding conflict to a scene.
People get flirty. For a mystery writer, this kind of a situation, taken a bit further, could result in murder.
People get sloppy. I saw several spills and someone who missed his chair. Nice distraction if you’re a mystery writer and need to have everyone’s attention focused somewhere else.
People talk too much. And they’re indiscrete. Secret spilling time.
If you disapprove of alcohol in general or as a matter of principle, you could use a drunken scene as a statement or a warning (without, naturally, getting very preachy about it.)
If you need your character to act out of character or make a huge mistake, alcohol might provide you with the opportunity.
If you need a scene with a good deal of conflict or unveiled secrets, consider a well-oiled party.
As for me? I got lots of material. :)
It really is useful to watch people, in any situation. It is fascinating how many different character ideas you can form just walking around the shops for an hour. Thanks for a really interesting post and some great character advice.
Usually I’m not up at this hour but I had to jot something. So I will jot here, too.
There was a panel at Bouchercon about alcohol and the characters who loved it. Obviously, it plays a big role in many mysteries. For a writer, the suspension of inhibition is a good thing indeed. The unpredictability of a person under the influence can only give more opportunities for conflict.
Okay, I’ve used too many big words in this post. Back to bed with my multisyllabic self.
Elizabeth – You’re right. A party where there’s lots of drinking can give the writer lots of leeway for any number of things happening (romance, anger, a fight where we find out who the major suspect in a murder’s going to be, or even the murder itself). I haven’t yet used parties where people got drunk, but I have used drinking scenes to loosen people’s tongues. In one case, I use drinking to make the murder victim more believably vulnerable and add to the suspense. It’s a useful plot device and I’m glad you brought it up.
Alcohol not only changes your characters, but it can be used to kill them. And just think of the different ways it can do that – cause an accident, cause someone to fly off the handle and commit murder and even be used as the murder weapon.
What is it about that little bit of liquid that causes us to change so and in so many different ways?
Brings to mind those awful college parties. I wasn’t a beer drinker, and watching a bunch of guys having “fun” was … BORING (ah, to have been a writer then …). The guys would say, “if you’d drink, you’d have fun too.” Acting like an idiot didn’t seem like fun.
I’ve used a hung-over hero to develop the h/h relationship.
I have fun deciding what my characters will drink. And of course, I have to sample it to make sure they’ll like it.
I don’t drink alcohol anymore, but when I did- it definitely lessened my inhibitions. Characters might find they have courage to say something they wouldn’t normally say or act in a way they wouldn’t normally act. And then there is alchoholism that could be a story in itself.
People tend to change a lot when they drink, yes. I’ve seen it in real life, and I’ve used it briefly in my writing, but usually more as comic relief than as a plot device. I like your perspective on that!
Also, don’t know if I ever said this, but I really like how you manage to take any and every situation from your life and turn it into a writing blog :)
Just thinking as I write…Could make for a great red herring! People naturally associate sin/catastrophe with alcohol (with a little scene-setting from the writer). This could work in the plot nicely to divert attention.
Interesting idea. I drank in college but don’t drink at all now. I enjoy the taste, but find even a glass of wine makes me tipsy, which I DON’T enjoy. I’m old at 29!
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
Oh yes! I’m like you–the sober one in the situation. I love watching drunk people and taking notes on human behavior for future stories!
Have a great weekend!
I learn so much from reading your posts. You keep giving me great tips on how to make my characters more human. Thanks.
I am not a big drinker and never was. My parents didn’t have alcohol in the house when I was growing up, aside from the very few times my dad would drink a beer and watch football. Even in college I would sip and always be the sober friend, the one driving people home or holding people’s hair back. It is really interesting to see how alcohol changes people, though, and definitely good material for writing :)
Can I just live inside your head for just one day. I love how you see the world and then translate that into writing. Delightful.
Karen
It is fun to stay sober and watch the antics, isn’t it? Most of my social gatherings involve our church, so definitely no alcohol there!)
I use it in my books for uninhibited behavior, sleepiness, playfulness, romance, and bottom line, reality. (Anyone who thinks kids in college don’t ever drink isn’t living in reality!)
Alcohol does play a part in my WIP; it’s a 1930s England country house party after all! People were very fond of their cocktails; it’s just the way it was.
I have no problem incorporating drinking into my story but I have no wish to sound judgmental about the drinking (or the smoking; it’s 1935, remember). I can tell when an author is writing about something they disapprove of, their condemnation leaps off the page.
Elspeth
Not being a drinker myself, it can be both amusing and uncomfortable to be in that kind of atmosphere. It’s fun for a while to watch and listen to people, but after an hour of so of this, I find myself getting bored with it.
I love how you take these situations you find yourself in and apply them to the myriad of possibilities for characters and storylines.
The person who ends up solving the crime, or garnering clues is most probably the sober person at the party, just waiting for that proverbial slip.
Alcohol hasn’t played out much in my books – I think I saw too much of it when I was young and in my early relationships so now although my characters might like a nice drink – no one gets too drunk. It is present though and I could use it a bit more. I really hate drunks though.
One of my characters is an alcholic. He was introduced at a young age my his alcholic father.
Thanks for the post, it has my wheels turning!
Oh, I loved this post!
I don´t often go to this kind of parties either so it was so fun to see you listing all these different types of behaviour.
Very inspiring, and I shall try to remember it later.
I’m nowhere near the drinker I used to be, but I have a WEALTH of direct experience info on alcoholic influenced gatherings. One thing – and you covered it – is the loss of hearing the more you drink. A good realistic scene to write would be like maybe a poker game is happening with everyone drinking vodka, and the protagonist is in the room at the beginning, leaves, comes back two hours later and everyone is talking 5X as loud to each other as if it’s normal. True to life!
Marvin D Wilson
Interesting post, Elizabeth. If we’re ever at a party together, I’m going to drink straight club soda. I don’t want to turn up in one of your mysteries… LOL
Cassandra–That is SO true. You never know what people are going to do next.
Glen–I’d have enjoyed going to that panel. I like the idea of suspending inhibition in characters and pushing them in directions they wouldn’t ordinarily take.
Diane–Oh yes, college kids are definitely drinking. I’d say you’d almost HAVE to include it in a book set at a college, to make it realistic.
Crystal–That’s true. The sleuth could be the one making notes and listening in on everyone’s conversations.
Jan–Oh, me too. So annoying. Might provide a good victim in a book.
Margot–That’s very interesting. I didn’t think of using it that way. So we could have a victim that no one usually likes. They could reveal a softer side when they drink…opening up about things they don’t ordinarily talk about.
Canyon–Very good point. So many accidents or tragedies could happen to our characters when alcohol is involved.
Terry–Sampling is very important! :)
I think you and I must have gone to the same college parties.
JW–True…they could bring up problems with a person that have been simmering inside for ages.
Cruella–Lots of opportunity for comedy! And thanks for the compliment. :)
Michele–Good point! Always good to find a spot for a red herring. And drinking makes me sleepy, too.
Marvin–Wonder why that is?! It would make a great opportunity for someone to spill someone else’s secrets–in a louder voice than he thinks he’s using.
Kristen–And we get LOTS of material. :)
Okay, spill it! What secrets did you find out at this party? I hope you wrote them down so you can use them (names changed) in a future book.
Helen
Straight From Hel
All good comments.
I wonder how the consumption of alcohol affects the writing of blog entries?
I’m always struck by how LOUD everyone gets when they’re drinking heavily, the chatter becomes an out and out yellfest as everyone raises their voices to be heard over the din. I come from a HUGE Irish family, (my dad was the oldest of 15), they’re always clamoring to be heard anyway, add booze to the mix and chaos often ensues.
The English often feature alcohol in their stories, they’re quite fond of gin and T, thank you very much.
You’ve listed a lot of great scenarios here. I’ve used alcohol in my plots before but you’ve given me some other good ideas. Thanks.
Super post! I’ll definitely have to use a couple of these in upcoming stories :)
What a timely post for me! No, not gonna get drunk, BUT, I do have to work with a MC who needs to whip his drinking problem. I wrote it in, set it up, then, got caught up in telling the story and neglected to bring his problem to resolution. So, now I gotta go back and sprinkle in some of the resolution dust and see if I can solve this problem without major surgery. Your post is helpful. Yep, printed it out. Thanks, Elizabeth.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
Great observations.
I’m a people watcher too (and eavesdropper at bars/coffee shops), and it gives me some great ideas or dialogue.
Funny you mention it. My NaNo project has a herione who has bribed a bartender to PRETEND to pour her gin & tonics regularly, and really serve her straight tonic with lime because she wants her wits about her, but to have no one else observing her advantage. She wants to be a fixture, or a regular, so people let their guard down and she can observe without them noticing.
I’ve written both the light and dark side of alcohol, because I’ve lived both sides. I think it is particularly useful for family conflict because usually one person sees it as a problem, where another doesn’t.
I love the way you looked at this from a writer’s perspective. Thanks for sharing.
Carol–Thanks so much! I really appreciate it. Good luck with your writing.
Helen–Bwahaha! I’ll never tell! Well…maybe I will. It will all be nicely fictionalized. Names changed to protect the guilty…er, innocent. :)
Julie–Oh, the Holding Hair Back friend. You were a GOOD friend, then! And obviously really patient.
Karen–And what a twisted head it is! :)
Elizabeth–Ohhh they get loud. So loud! We’ve got some Irish blood too…I know what you mean.
Elspeth–Every time I see a movie from the 1930s, it’s SO funny–all they’re doing is smoking and drinking! Even at work! It’s amazing those folks lived as long as they did.
I know what you mean about sounding judgmental. I’ve read a couple of books lately with a blatant environmentalist message. I GET it, but….it’s not the reason I bought the book.
Tamika–That hereditary alcoholism would be hard to shake. It would definitely provide some good conflict for a novel.
Jane–Glad it helped. I haven’t used it much either, but I’m thinking about a party scene for my next WIP. I think it might be a good way to get the plot really going.
Dorte–I guess if the party-goers find I took TOO many notes, than these may be my last parties I’m invited to for a while. :)
Patricia–Ha! Since I probably won’t be invited to any parties any time soon, you’ll be safe! I’m probably blacklisted from invite lists now.
Galen–Sounds like a great WIP! I’m looking forward to that one. I have a hard time remembering bits to resolve, too…I have to go back and check all my subplots.
Carolyn–You know, if people knew how many writers were listening in to their conversations, we’d all be banned as a group from public places! :) I do the same thing…
Alan–I think we’d include random and irrelevant flights of fancy. Not that I’d know about that, of course.
Hart–That’s a great idea! She’s acting almost like an undercover cop…developing trust but staying clean. Narc-like.
I think alcohol would generate amazing conflict in so many ways in a novel.
Jemi–Thanks! Hope it helps.
Great post! These types of characters add the right amount of spice to any story.
Chary–You could make it as spicy as you needed…just a little or a lot!
Tara–Thanks!