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Joined: 3/13/2014
Posts: 26
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I'm curious to know what people think the difference between Mystery and Thriller. I think there are elements of both in the other. I have a manuscript in Thriller which could also be Mystery (I think). It's about a kidnapping so there is some detective work in it but the main plot deals with what the victims are going through as well.
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Hi @hmjmdeleon,
I did some research on this very subject last fall because I wasn't sure what the difference was, either. Here's what I came up with after doing some reading in both genres and talking to colleagues.
Curious to hear other members' thoughts as well!
Lucy Silag
Book Country Community and Engagement Manager
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Joined: 3/13/2014
Posts: 26
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thanks, I'll check that out
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Lucy's post, with the link, is especially good. For me, the short version is this: a mystery involves a crime that has already happened. A thriller involves a crime that will soon happen. Either catch the bad guys (mystery) or stop the bad guys (thriller.) They're both fun to write! With a kidnapping, you could frame it as a mystery (the victim had been kidnapped and is now either released or deceased and you need to find the bad guys; or you could bend it toward thriller, as in the kidnapping has happened, but the bad guys are intent on doing something else (hurt the victim, steal the money, etc.) Sometimes I just let the story write itself and then see what I have. --edited by D J Lutz on 5/1/2014, 5:39 AM--
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Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356
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Why thank you, DJ!
Your description is excellent! You said in 3 sentences what took me ~1000 words to sum up! 
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D J Lutz wrote:Lucy's post, with the link, is especially good. For me, the short version is this: a mystery involves a crime that has already happened. A thriller involves a crime that will soon happen. Either catch the bad guys (mystery) or stop the bad guys (thriller.) They're both fun to write! With a kidnapping, you could frame it as a mystery (the victim had been kidnapped and is now either released or deceased and you need to find the bad guys; or you could bend it toward thriller, as in the kidnapping has happened, but the bad guys are intent on doing something else (hurt the victim, steal the money, etc.) Sometimes I just let the story write itself and then see what I have.
DJ, your last line - let the story write itself and then see what I have - sums up my entire 'system' in one concise sentence! Worry about genre/placement, etc when the story is set on the page, or screen, is great advice for most, if not all, writers.
--edited by Thomtom on 8/28/2015, 9:40 AM--
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