June 10, 2025 • 16 mins
Master the art of creating irresistible, page-turning curiosity without confusing or frustrating your readers.
Have you ever written what you thought was a brilliantly mysterious scene, only to have readers say they were completely lost? Or maybe you've struggled with knowing how much information to reveal and when?
Here's what most writers don't realize: there's a fine line between being mysterious and being vague. And the writers who master evoking curiosity without being vague or confusing are the ones who create truly compelling fiction.
In this episode, you'll hear me talk about things like:
- [02:35] Why most writers mistake withholding information for creating mystery—and the simple test to tell if you're being mysterious or just vague
- [03:20] The movie trailer analogy that'll completely change how you think about revealing information to readers
- [6:55] How to give readers the essential context they need to stay grounded in your story without giving everything away
- [8:25] Why the missing information must matter deeply to your protagonist—and how to tie your mysteries to what characters desperately want
- [10:30] How to deliver information that keeps readers engaged and wanting more (without just withholding everything)
- [11:50] The one question that determines whether you're creating compelling mystery or confusing noise, plus how to apply this across every genre
Whether you're writing romance, fantasy, thrillers, or any other type of fiction, this episode will help you create the kind of curiosity and tension that keeps readers glued to the page instead of accidentally driving them away.
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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:
- Want my entire step-by-step process for brainstorming, outlining, and writing your first draft? Click here to learn more about my Notes to Novel program.
👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And the key thing to remember here is that any
information that you do chooseto withhold from readers should
be carefully constructed andintentional.
Readers need to understand theshape of what's missing while
feeling completely grounded inyour story and the bigger
context.
So, again, you're not hidingthat bigger context or the
foundation of kind of where thatmystery comes from.
(00:20):
You're just strategicallyplacing gaps within a clear
context or a clear foundation.
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming, so each week,I'll bring you a brand new
(00:41):
episode with simple, actionableand step-by-step strategies that
you can implement in yourwriting right away.
So whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
Have you ever written what youthought was a brilliantly
mysterious scene, only to havereaders say that they were
(01:02):
completely lost, with no ideawhat was going on?
Or maybe you've struggled withknowing how much information to
reveal and when?
Either way, you are not aloneand this episode is going to
give you some clarity Now, justto be clear, we are talking
about how to write novels thathook readers through curiosity,
not confusion, and this episodeisn't just for authors who are
writing mystery novels.
(01:23):
Every genre uses elements ofmystery and curiosity.
For example, romance writerswill need to make readers
curious about whether theircharacters will get together or
not, and they might be unsure ofwhen to reveal the hero's
tragic backstory or whatever itis.
Fantasy authors need to groundreaders in their world and their
magic system while deciding howmuch world building to explain
(01:44):
up front or when they shouldreveal their villain's true
identity.
Thriller writers need to createsuspense about who can be
trusted, while choosing whatclues to share and when.
So, no matter what you write,you're constantly making
decisions about how to keep yourreaders curious, wanting to
read on further, and what toreveal to your readers when.
And there's a problem I seeconstantly showing up in the
(02:05):
manuscripts of new and evenexperienced writers, and that is
that many writers thinkcreating mystery means
withholding information.
They mistake creating confusionfor creating curiosity, and
here's what I want you tounderstand these writers aren't
being mysterious, they are justbeing vague.
So in today's episode, I'mgoing to talk through the
(02:26):
difference between the two andgive you a simple three-part
framework for creating the kindof curiosity that keeps readers
engaged instead of frustrated orconfused.
So let's dive right in,starting with the difference
between being mysterious andbeing vague.
Being mysterious means you'vegiven readers a clear foundation
, so they understand thesituation, they understand the
(02:47):
characters and they understandwhat's at stake.
But there's some kind ofcrucial information or piece of
information that's missing thatwould make everything click into
place.
All right, so we understand thefoundation or the general
context of what the story isabout.
There's just a piece ofinformation that's missing.
Now, on the flip side, beingvague means leaving readers
(03:11):
fumbling around in the dark,leaving them unsure of the basic
story context or the basicstory elements, hoping they'll
be so drawn into your storybecause they have no idea what's
going on.
And spoiler alert, that neverworks.
So think of it like this a goodmystery is like a great movie
trailer.
You see enough to understandthe story, the characters and
what's at stake, but there arekey moments that make you think
man, I have to see how thisplays out.
(03:31):
It's not like you're watching atrailer that's so confusing
that you have no idea what themovie's about.
Okay, so let me demonstratewhat I mean by this with an
example, and I'm going to firstread you the version that I made
up that reflects a lot of themanuscripts I see in real life.
Then I'm going to read you whatthe actual text of this book
says.
All right, so here's an exampleof what it looks like to be
(03:52):
vague instead of mysterious.
Harry picked up a piece of paperunder the tea cozy.
It was a cutting from the DailyProphet.
Harry read the article and theinformation made his hair stand
on end.
Could it be?
Harry asked Hagrid about thearticle, but Hagrid didn't meet
his eyes.
Something was definitely up.
So I'm curious if you can seethe problem there as a reader or
(04:14):
a listener.
In this case, you have zerocontext for what's happening,
right?
Why did Harry's hair stand onend?
Why is he asking Hagrid aboutthe article?
Why is Hagrid not meeting hiseyes?
What isn't adding up, right?
We have zero context, and whenthis happens, our readers feel
cheated, not curious, okay.
So really important to know thedifference.
Now let's take a look at whatit says in the actual novel.
(04:37):
Here's what it says Harrypicked up a piece of paper that
was lying on the table under thetea cozy.
It was a cutting from the DailyProphet.
Investigations continue into thebreak-in at Gringotts on 31
July, widely believed to be thework of dark wizards or witches.
Unknown Gringotts goblins todayinsisted that nothing had been
taken.
The vault that was searched hadin fact been emptied that same
(04:59):
day, but we're not telling youwhat was in there, so keep your
noses out if you know what'sgood for you, said a Gringotts
spokes goblin.
This afternoon Harry rememberedRon telling him on the train
that someone had tried to robGringotts, but Ron hadn't
mentioned the date Hagrid.
Harry said that Gringottsbreak-in happened on my birthday
.
It might have been happeningwhile we were there.
There was no doubt about it.
Hagrid definitely didn't meetHarry's eyes.
(05:21):
This time.
He grunted and offered himanother raw cake.
The vault that was searched hadin fact been emptied earlier.
That same day Hagrid hademptied vault 713, if you could
call it emptying, taking outthat grubby little package.
Had that been what the thieveswere looking for?
As Harry and Ron walked back tothe castle for dinner, their
pockets weighed down with rockcakes.
(05:41):
They'd been too polite torefuse.
Harry thought that none of thelessons he'd had so far had
given him as much to think aboutas tea with Hagrid.
Had Hagrid collected thatpackage just in time?
Where was it now?
And did Hagrid know somethingabout Snape that he didn't want
to tell Harry?
So, as you can see, as readerswe're given a lot more specific
information.
Right, we understand thesignificance of the article
(06:03):
because we know Harry and Hagridvisited that same vault on that
same day.
So in this example, we arecurious, just like Harry is
curious.
Right, we share in the mysteryof what happened and what were
the thieves after that day.
So the difference here is thatthe author is giving us the
foundation of what's going onand then creating curiosity out
(06:24):
of that foundation.
And this is really important tonote, because our brains are
wired to seek patterns andcomplete pictures.
So when we enter a story, weimmediately start building a
mental map when are we?
When are we?
Who are these people?
What do they want?
What's at stake?
And without sufficient context,our brains can't engage with
the mystery because we're toobusy trying to figure out basic
(06:47):
orientation.
So, now that we're on the samepage about being mysterious and
being vague, here is mythree-part framework for
creating curiosity in yourreader.
The first thing you need to dois give readers the essential
context.
So before you can make readerscurious about the missing piece
of the puzzle, whatever that is,they need to understand the
overall picture or the biggerscope of the story.
(07:09):
This means establishing thingslike your story world, your
characters and the basicconflict or situation clearly.
So your job is not to hideeverything.
Instead, it's to ground readersin the essential context so
that they can focus on themystery that matters.
As an example, consider how thebook Gone Girl opens Amy is one
(07:29):
of the protagonists and she ismissing.
Nick is the husband.
He's the other protagonist andthe police are investigating
what happened.
So we're not confused about thegenre, the setting, the
timeline or the basic situation.
The author has given us all ofthe big picture context
immediately and therefore we'reable to focus on the real
question, which is what reallyhappened to Amy.
(07:49):
So, again, the key is toprovide enough context so that
readers can properly focus onthe mystery and the story
instead of scrambling tounderstand where they are or
what's happening.
And the key thing to rememberhere is that any information
that you do choose to withholdfrom readers should be carefully
constructed and intentional.
Readers need to understand theshape of what's missing, while
(08:11):
feeling completely grounded inyour story and the bigger
context.
So again, you're not hidingthat bigger context or the
foundation of kind of where thatmystery comes from.
You're just strategicallyplacing gaps within a clear
context or a clear foundation.
All right, and then the secondthing you need to do is make the
mystery matter to yourcharacter.
So good mysteries in fictionaren't academic puzzles.
(08:35):
They need to be deeply personalto your protagonist and the
missing information must becrucial to something your
character desperately wantsSurvival, love, justice, truth,
redemption, whatever it is.
And the reason this is soimportant is because when the
mystery matters to yourcharacter, it's automatically
going to matter to your readersand that just makes it easier
(08:55):
for you to write a story thatyour readers can easily connect
with.
So, as an example, consider abook like the Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss.
He doesn't leave us in the darkabout the basic world building
or about the protagonist'sidentity.
We understand that Kvothe is alegendary figure who's telling
his own story, and we grasp themagic system basics and we know
(09:16):
that something really terriblehappened to his family and that
that terrible thing involved agroup called the Chandrian.
So the question or kind of themystery at the heart of this
story is what really happened tothe Chandrian.
Like they real?
Where did they go, and how didyoung Kvothe's quest for answers
shape him into the legend thatwe meet on page one?
So, again, in this scenario,kvothe is very concerned with
(09:38):
what happened to the Chandrian,whether or not they still exist
and things like that, and so themystery works because it's so
rooted in his perspective, inhis motivation, and there are
clear stakes around the mystery.
The more he digs into it, themore he's putting his own life
and the life of others at risk.
So everything is clear, it's onthe table, and there's no
arbitrary secrecy for the sakeof withholding information and
(10:02):
hoping it piques the reader'scuriosity.
All right.
So something you can askyourself is what does my
character want more thananything?
And then, what crucialinformation do they need in
order to get it or to besuccessful?
Then you'll want to think aboutwhat's preventing them from
easily obtaining thatinformation.
And when you can answer thesequestions, you're on your way to
creating a story that willactually evoke natural curiosity
(10:24):
in your readers.
All right, so that's the secondthing.
We want to make the mysterymatter to your character.
And then the third thing is youwant to strategically deliver
information that answersquestions and raises new ones,
and this is where the magichappens.
So, instead of just withholdinginformation, you want to focus
on delivering revelations thatsatisfy the reader's curiosity
(10:46):
while also opening up newavenues of intrigue.
And the key thing to focus onis making sure every new bit of
information or every revelationcounts as an example.
Think about the book the Girlwith the Dragon Tattoo.
We know that McHale isinvestigating a decades-old
appearance.
Each discovery he makesprovides answers yes, harriet
(11:07):
was in the parade photos.
No, she didn't leave the islandwillingly, and things like that
.
But it also raises newquestions, right, so who was she
meeting?
Why did someone want her gone?
And each revelation that he hasand that we, the readers, have
as we follow this journey, eachrevelation moves the story
forward while deepening themystery.
And this approach works reallywell, because readers feel like
(11:28):
they're making progress, right,they're learning new things, but
the mystery becomes moreintriguing with each reveal, not
less.
All right, so that's the thirdthing you really want to pay
attention to, maybe the mostimportant one.
You want to deliver informationthat answers questions and also
raises new ones.
All right.
So now, how do you know ifyou're being mysterious instead
of vague?
(11:48):
You might understand thesethree things I just talked
through, but you're like how doyou know if you're being
mysterious instead of vague?
You might understand thesethree things I just talked
through, but you're like how doI know if this is actually
working?
Well, the main question to askyourself is can readers follow
your story while remainingcurious about the outcome?
If they're struggling with thefirst part, if they can't follow
what's happening in the story,then they're never going to be
able to engage with the secondpart.
But if they can follow yourstory and still feel compelled
(12:10):
to keep reading, then you'vestruck the right balance, all
right.
So there you have it how tocreate curiosity that hooks
readers instead of creatingconfusion that frustrates them.
Now let me do a quick recap,because I know we went through a
lot.
Key point number one is thatbeing mysterious and being vague
are two different things.
Being mysterious means givingreaders a clear foundation so
(12:32):
they understand the situationand the characters, but leaving
some crucial information missing.
Being vague means leavingreaders fumbling around in the
dark unsure of basic storyelements or basic context.
Key point number two is thatyou'll want to apply the
three-part framework we talkedabout.
So you want to give readers theessential context so they can
sink into your story and thenfocus on what matters most.
(12:54):
You want to make the missingpiece of information crucial to
what your character desperatelywants, and you want to
strategically deliverinformation or revelations that
answer one question whileraising new ones.
Key point number three is toremember that this idea applies
to every genre.
So, whether you're writingromance, fantasy, thrillers or
any other type of fiction,you're constantly making
(13:15):
decisions about what to revealand when, and the goal is to
always create curiosity, notconfusion.
And, above all, remember thatthe goal is not to trick your
readers.
Instead, the goal is to createa partnership with them.
So your job is to guide themthrough a compelling journey
where they have enoughinformation to stay oriented,
while maintaining enoughquestions to keep them turning
(13:37):
the page.
And I think it's no secret thatthe most powerful stories
aren't the ones that leave usconfused, right, they're the
ones that leave us compelled andwanting more.
They provide clear context thatallows that deep emotional
investment and then createcuriosity around the outcomes
that truly matter.
And when you master thisbalance, you will transform your
writing from something thatpuzzles readers into something
(14:00):
that captivates them.
You'll create stories thatreaders can't put down, not
because they're confused, butbecause they're completely
absorbed in your characters andthe outcomes they desperately
care about.
All right, so that's it for thisepisode of the Fiction Writing
Made Easy podcast.
Head over to savannagilbocomforward slash podcast for the
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
(14:23):
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
learned.
And if you're ready to get morepersonalized guidance for your
specific writing stage whetheryou're just starting out, stuck
somewhere in the middle of adraft, drowning in revisions, or
getting ready to publish, takemy free 30-second quiz at
savannahgilbocom forward slashquiz.
You'll get a customized podcastplaylist that'll meet you right
(14:45):
where you're at and help youget to your next big milestone.
Last but not least, make sureto follow this podcast in your
podcast player of choice,because I'll be back next week
with another episode full ofactionable tips, tools and
strategies to help you become abetter writer.
Until then, happy writing.
And the key thing to remember here is that any
information that you do chooseto withhold from readers should
be carefully constructed andintentional.
Readers need to understand theshape of what's missing while
feeling completely grounded inyour story and the bigger
context.
So, again, you're not hidingthat bigger context or the
foundation of kind of where thatmystery comes from.
(00:20):
You're just strategicallyplacing gaps within a clear
context or a clear foundation.
Welcome to the Fiction WritingMade Easy podcast.
My name is Savannah Gilbo andI'm here to help you write a
story that works.
I want to prove to you thatwriting a novel doesn't have to
be overwhelming, so each week,I'll bring you a brand new
(00:41):
episode with simple, actionableand step-by-step strategies that
you can implement in yourwriting right away.
So whether you're brand new towriting or more of a seasoned
author looking to improve yourcraft, this podcast is for you.
So pick up a pen and let's getstarted.
Have you ever written what youthought was a brilliantly
mysterious scene, only to havereaders say that they were
(01:02):
completely lost, with no ideawhat was going on?
Or maybe you've struggled withknowing how much information to
reveal and when?
Either way, you are not aloneand this episode is going to
give you some clarity Now, justto be clear, we are talking
about how to write novels thathook readers through curiosity,
not confusion, and this episodeisn't just for authors who are
writing mystery novels.
(01:23):
Every genre uses elements ofmystery and curiosity.
For example, romance writerswill need to make readers
curious about whether theircharacters will get together or
not, and they might be unsure ofwhen to reveal the hero's
tragic backstory or whatever itis.
Fantasy authors need to groundreaders in their world and their
magic system while deciding howmuch world building to explain
(01:44):
up front or when they shouldreveal their villain's true
identity.
Thriller writers need to createsuspense about who can be
trusted, while choosing whatclues to share and when.
So, no matter what you write,you're constantly making
decisions about how to keep yourreaders curious, wanting to
read on further, and what toreveal to your readers when.
And there's a problem I seeconstantly showing up in the
(02:05):
manuscripts of new and evenexperienced writers, and that is
that many writers thinkcreating mystery means
withholding information.
They mistake creating confusionfor creating curiosity, and
here's what I want you tounderstand these writers aren't
being mysterious, they are justbeing vague.
So in today's episode, I'mgoing to talk through the
(02:26):
difference between the two andgive you a simple three-part
framework for creating the kindof curiosity that keeps readers
engaged instead of frustrated orconfused.
So let's dive right in,starting with the difference
between being mysterious andbeing vague.
Being mysterious means you'vegiven readers a clear foundation
, so they understand thesituation, they understand the
(02:47):
characters and they understandwhat's at stake.
But there's some kind ofcrucial information or piece of
information that's missing thatwould make everything click into
place.
All right, so we understand thefoundation or the general
context of what the story isabout.
There's just a piece ofinformation that's missing.
Now, on the flip side, beingvague means leaving readers
(03:11):
fumbling around in the dark,leaving them unsure of the basic
story context or the basicstory elements, hoping they'll
be so drawn into your storybecause they have no idea what's
going on.
And spoiler alert, that neverworks.
So think of it like this a goodmystery is like a great movie
trailer.
You see enough to understandthe story, the characters and
what's at stake, but there arekey moments that make you think
man, I have to see how thisplays out.
(03:31):
It's not like you're watching atrailer that's so confusing
that you have no idea what themovie's about.
Okay, so let me demonstratewhat I mean by this with an
example, and I'm going to firstread you the version that I made
up that reflects a lot of themanuscripts I see in real life.
Then I'm going to read you whatthe actual text of this book
says.
All right, so here's an exampleof what it looks like to be
(03:52):
vague instead of mysterious.
Harry picked up a piece of paperunder the tea cozy.
It was a cutting from the DailyProphet.
Harry read the article and theinformation made his hair stand
on end.
Could it be?
Harry asked Hagrid about thearticle, but Hagrid didn't meet
his eyes.
Something was definitely up.
So I'm curious if you can seethe problem there as a reader or
(04:14):
a listener.
In this case, you have zerocontext for what's happening,
right?
Why did Harry's hair stand onend?
Why is he asking Hagrid aboutthe article?
Why is Hagrid not meeting hiseyes?
What isn't adding up, right?
We have zero context, and whenthis happens, our readers feel
cheated, not curious, okay.
So really important to know thedifference.
Now let's take a look at whatit says in the actual novel.
(04:37):
Here's what it says Harrypicked up a piece of paper that
was lying on the table under thetea cozy.
It was a cutting from the DailyProphet.
Investigations continue into thebreak-in at Gringotts on 31
July, widely believed to be thework of dark wizards or witches.
Unknown Gringotts goblins todayinsisted that nothing had been
taken.
The vault that was searched hadin fact been emptied that same
(04:59):
day, but we're not telling youwhat was in there, so keep your
noses out if you know what'sgood for you, said a Gringotts
spokes goblin.
This afternoon Harry rememberedRon telling him on the train
that someone had tried to robGringotts, but Ron hadn't
mentioned the date Hagrid.
Harry said that Gringottsbreak-in happened on my birthday
.
It might have been happeningwhile we were there.
There was no doubt about it.
Hagrid definitely didn't meetHarry's eyes.
(05:21):
This time.
He grunted and offered himanother raw cake.
The vault that was searched hadin fact been emptied earlier.
That same day Hagrid hademptied vault 713, if you could
call it emptying, taking outthat grubby little package.
Had that been what the thieveswere looking for?
As Harry and Ron walked back tothe castle for dinner, their
pockets weighed down with rockcakes.
(05:41):
They'd been too polite torefuse.
Harry thought that none of thelessons he'd had so far had
given him as much to think aboutas tea with Hagrid.
Had Hagrid collected thatpackage just in time?
Where was it now?
And did Hagrid know somethingabout Snape that he didn't want
to tell Harry?
So, as you can see, as readerswe're given a lot more specific
information.
Right, we understand thesignificance of the article
(06:03):
because we know Harry and Hagridvisited that same vault on that
same day.
So in this example, we arecurious, just like Harry is
curious.
Right, we share in the mysteryof what happened and what were
the thieves after that day.
So the difference here is thatthe author is giving us the
foundation of what's going onand then creating curiosity out
(06:24):
of that foundation.
And this is really important tonote, because our brains are
wired to seek patterns andcomplete pictures.
So when we enter a story, weimmediately start building a
mental map when are we?
When are we?
Who are these people?
What do they want?
What's at stake?
And without sufficient context,our brains can't engage with
the mystery because we're toobusy trying to figure out basic
(06:47):
orientation.
So, now that we're on the samepage about being mysterious and
being vague, here is mythree-part framework for
creating curiosity in yourreader.
The first thing you need to dois give readers the essential
context.
So before you can make readerscurious about the missing piece
of the puzzle, whatever that is,they need to understand the
overall picture or the biggerscope of the story.
(07:09):
This means establishing thingslike your story world, your
characters and the basicconflict or situation clearly.
So your job is not to hideeverything.
Instead, it's to ground readersin the essential context so
that they can focus on themystery that matters.
As an example, consider how thebook Gone Girl opens Amy is one
(07:29):
of the protagonists and she ismissing.
Nick is the husband.
He's the other protagonist andthe police are investigating
what happened.
So we're not confused about thegenre, the setting, the
timeline or the basic situation.
The author has given us all ofthe big picture context
immediately and therefore we'reable to focus on the real
question, which is what reallyhappened to Amy.
(07:49):
So, again, the key is toprovide enough context so that
readers can properly focus onthe mystery and the story
instead of scrambling tounderstand where they are or
what's happening.
And the key thing to rememberhere is that any information
that you do choose to withholdfrom readers should be carefully
constructed and intentional.
Readers need to understand theshape of what's missing, while
(08:11):
feeling completely grounded inyour story and the bigger
context.
So again, you're not hidingthat bigger context or the
foundation of kind of where thatmystery comes from.
You're just strategicallyplacing gaps within a clear
context or a clear foundation.
All right, and then the secondthing you need to do is make the
mystery matter to yourcharacter.
So good mysteries in fictionaren't academic puzzles.
(08:35):
They need to be deeply personalto your protagonist and the
missing information must becrucial to something your
character desperately wantsSurvival, love, justice, truth,
redemption, whatever it is.
And the reason this is soimportant is because when the
mystery matters to yourcharacter, it's automatically
going to matter to your readersand that just makes it easier
(08:55):
for you to write a story thatyour readers can easily connect
with.
So, as an example, consider abook like the Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss.
He doesn't leave us in the darkabout the basic world building
or about the protagonist'sidentity.
We understand that Kvothe is alegendary figure who's telling
his own story, and we grasp themagic system basics and we know
(09:16):
that something really terriblehappened to his family and that
that terrible thing involved agroup called the Chandrian.
So the question or kind of themystery at the heart of this
story is what really happened tothe Chandrian.
Like they real?
Where did they go, and how didyoung Kvothe's quest for answers
shape him into the legend thatwe meet on page one?
So, again, in this scenario,kvothe is very concerned with
(09:38):
what happened to the Chandrian,whether or not they still exist
and things like that, and so themystery works because it's so
rooted in his perspective, inhis motivation, and there are
clear stakes around the mystery.
The more he digs into it, themore he's putting his own life
and the life of others at risk.
So everything is clear, it's onthe table, and there's no
arbitrary secrecy for the sakeof withholding information and
(10:02):
hoping it piques the reader'scuriosity.
All right.
So something you can askyourself is what does my
character want more thananything?
And then, what crucialinformation do they need in
order to get it or to besuccessful?
Then you'll want to think aboutwhat's preventing them from
easily obtaining thatinformation.
And when you can answer thesequestions, you're on your way to
creating a story that willactually evoke natural curiosity
(10:24):
in your readers.
All right, so that's the secondthing.
We want to make the mysterymatter to your character.
And then the third thing is youwant to strategically deliver
information that answersquestions and raises new ones,
and this is where the magichappens.
So, instead of just withholdinginformation, you want to focus
on delivering revelations thatsatisfy the reader's curiosity
(10:46):
while also opening up newavenues of intrigue.
And the key thing to focus onis making sure every new bit of
information or every revelationcounts as an example.
Think about the book the Girlwith the Dragon Tattoo.
We know that McHale isinvestigating a decades-old
appearance.
Each discovery he makesprovides answers yes, harriet
(11:07):
was in the parade photos.
No, she didn't leave the islandwillingly, and things like that
.
But it also raises newquestions, right, so who was she
meeting?
Why did someone want her gone?
And each revelation that he hasand that we, the readers, have
as we follow this journey, eachrevelation moves the story
forward while deepening themystery.
And this approach works reallywell, because readers feel like
(11:28):
they're making progress, right,they're learning new things, but
the mystery becomes moreintriguing with each reveal, not
less.
All right, so that's the thirdthing you really want to pay
attention to, maybe the mostimportant one.
You want to deliver informationthat answers questions and also
raises new ones.
All right.
So now, how do you know ifyou're being mysterious instead
of vague?
(11:48):
You might understand thesethree things I just talked
through, but you're like how doyou know if you're being
mysterious instead of vague?
You might understand thesethree things I just talked
through, but you're like how doI know if this is actually
working?
Well, the main question to askyourself is can readers follow
your story while remainingcurious about the outcome?
If they're struggling with thefirst part, if they can't follow
what's happening in the story,then they're never going to be
able to engage with the secondpart.
But if they can follow yourstory and still feel compelled
(12:10):
to keep reading, then you'vestruck the right balance, all
right.
So there you have it how tocreate curiosity that hooks
readers instead of creatingconfusion that frustrates them.
Now let me do a quick recap,because I know we went through a
lot.
Key point number one is thatbeing mysterious and being vague
are two different things.
Being mysterious means givingreaders a clear foundation so
(12:32):
they understand the situationand the characters, but leaving
some crucial information missing.
Being vague means leavingreaders fumbling around in the
dark unsure of basic storyelements or basic context.
Key point number two is thatyou'll want to apply the
three-part framework we talkedabout.
So you want to give readers theessential context so they can
sink into your story and thenfocus on what matters most.
(12:54):
You want to make the missingpiece of information crucial to
what your character desperatelywants, and you want to
strategically deliverinformation or revelations that
answer one question whileraising new ones.
Key point number three is toremember that this idea applies
to every genre.
So, whether you're writingromance, fantasy, thrillers or
any other type of fiction,you're constantly making
(13:15):
decisions about what to revealand when, and the goal is to
always create curiosity, notconfusion.
And, above all, remember thatthe goal is not to trick your
readers.
Instead, the goal is to createa partnership with them.
So your job is to guide themthrough a compelling journey
where they have enoughinformation to stay oriented,
while maintaining enoughquestions to keep them turning
(13:37):
the page.
And I think it's no secret thatthe most powerful stories
aren't the ones that leave usconfused, right, they're the
ones that leave us compelled andwanting more.
They provide clear context thatallows that deep emotional
investment and then createcuriosity around the outcomes
that truly matter.
And when you master thisbalance, you will transform your
writing from something thatpuzzles readers into something
(14:00):
that captivates them.
You'll create stories thatreaders can't put down, not
because they're confused, butbecause they're completely
absorbed in your characters andthe outcomes they desperately
care about.
All right, so that's it for thisepisode of the Fiction Writing
Made Easy podcast.
Head over to savannagilbocomforward slash podcast for the
complete show notes, includingthe resources I mentioned today,
(14:23):
as well as bonus materials tohelp you implement what you've
learned.
And if you're ready to get morepersonalized guidance for your
specific writing stage whetheryou're just starting out, stuck
somewhere in the middle of adraft, drowning in revisions, or
getting ready to publish, takemy free 30-second quiz at
savannahgilbocom forward slashquiz.
You'll get a customized podcastplaylist that'll meet you right
(14:45):
where you're at and help youget to your next big milestone.
Last but not least, make sureto follow this podcast in your
podcast player of choice,because I'll be back next week
with another episode full ofactionable tips, tools and
strategies to help you become abetter writer.
Until then, happy writing.
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