eMysteries Toolkit

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. [Project Number: 2019-1-DE03-KA201-060127] 57 accompany them and work in favour of the story. There can be as many as the writer wants, but it is advisable that they have a clear function, otherwise they are eliminated. First of all, make a list of the side characters that will appear in your story according to the plot and mystery you want to tell. You can always add or remove them as the story progresses. Write down some details about each of the characters, so that you can create your own story. It is also important to establish relationships between the secondary characters, both professionally and personally, as well as to establish suspicious situations or confuse the reader with characters who seem guilty and are not. Some examples of secondary characters could be: ✓ The community of neighbours. ✓ The "Watson" (of your protagonist), that is, the best friend or confidant. ✓ Family members. ✓ A partner. ✓ Friends or acquaintances. Mystery There would be no protagonists if there were no mystery or victim in your story, as it is an essential part of mystery novels. If it's a victim, an object, a place, a rescue... whatever the main character has to discover, a complete profile, a past, a story has to be provided. The way in which the information is given is relevant, whether it is through flashback (a technique in which you go to a moment in the past to explain something) or through the narration of another character, opinions, discoveries, etc. A good mystery plot is one that hides one or more secrets. If the mystery is the crime of a person, there may be three types of victim: ✓ The one who becomes a victim by chance, that is, who has nothing to do with the antagonist (or does) and who suffers the crime because he has been touched. ✓ The one that everybody likes and that does not understand how she/he can be a victim. ✓ The one that everyone dislikes and that turns the antagonist into a person with whom one can empathize.