Confusion vs. mystery

I guess there have been other times in my life when I've been busy and stressed and so stretched that I'm failing at everything at once, but in memory they don't quite measure up to my present. So instead of writing a new blog post I'm reposting one from a few years ago because I still get questions about this. And remember to check here for updating info about where Austenland will be opening next!

Here's a writing question Rebecca emailed me recently: "I amwriting my own book and would like your opinion. It is going to be afantasy romance/adventure. Is it alright for the reader to be confusedat one point? Like they don't quite understand what is going on betweensome characters and their motives. But the reader will find out later."

Goodquestion, Rebecca. This is just my opinion, but, no. Confusion is notgood. You do not want your readers to be confused. You know that theambiguity will be cleared up later, but they don't know that. And youcan't expect a reader to put themselves in your hands and keep readingunless they know they can trust you. One way to earn a reader's trust isby not making them confused.

Mystery, on the other hand, is verygood. The difference is, the reader is thinking, "I'm not sure what'sgoing to happen or why who did what, but I know I'm going to find outeventually and I'm dying to know!" So they keep turning pages, eager todiscover.

The difference between confusion and mystery might seemslight when you're the writer, but when you're the reader, it's a hugedifference. Being confused in a book makes us angry--facing a mysterymakes us intrigued. I would point to Megan Whalen Turner as a master ofthis. She withholds information--vital information--from the reader, butI never feel confused or frustrated. Often I don't realize there is amystery until suddenly she reveals that there had been all along. Idon't recommend trying to do what she does--I don't know anyone elsethat can. But she's a good one to read and analyze.

Also I wouldask, what is the reason for creating the confusion? Is it essential thatthe reader not understand what's going on at a certain point? Or is itinconvenient to have to clear it up? As a general rule, writing isextremely inconvenient. You know you're a real writer when you don't letyourself say, "It's good enough," but instead dig into another rewriteto make it even better. Bravery is doing something of good worth thatscares or intimidates you. Let's be the brave writers.

So how toget rid of confusion? For me, I don't worry about it in the first draft.I finish the book then rewrite it again, then I ask someone to read itfor me. What I want from that first reader is reader reaction--what theythought when, what they loved, what made them confused. Sometimes I'mtoo close to the story to see it, so a reader helps me reevaluate whatI'm saying. If your reader is confused and you really can't reveal thatinformation yet, there are some tricks to get the reader through therough patch, such as having a character offer a possible (but incorrect)reason for what's happening.

So finish that first draft, anddon't stress about confusion yet. And as you read other books, payattention to what those writers are doing--when you're confused, whenyou're intrigued, and how the writer crafted the story to make it workfor you. Best of luck!