For a hard boiled ghost story.

[Phyrebrat]

Hello,

In a recent 75 challenge (the one with kittens) I worked on a noir story and I really enjoyed researching the old tropes and clichés of that genre.

I've found I'm really getting into film noir stuff which I'm ashamed to admit was sparked by a wonderful video game I played a couple years ago called L.A.Noire, and then novelty episodes of Fringe and Warehouse 13 produced in a film noir style.

I have a loose idea for writing a noir ghost story but my references are all TV and Film (and a PS3 game!) and I wanted to ask a couple of questions: Has this kind of thing been done a lot before? I don't mind if it has, but I'd like to know what to avoid, and; can you recommend anything already written? I've just ordered The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, but as I'm working on other stories, I'd like to be reading some hard boiled detective stuff in my down time.

What do you think the main things of this genre are that I should be aware of, or ensure I address? I'm comfortable with writing the somewhat cheesy dialogue, cynicism etc, and my actual story arc, but I figured someone here may have written in this style already and can offer some pointers before I start this (next year).

Many thanks.

pH

 

[The Judge]

Read anything you can get hold of by reiver33, but especially the Helath stories -- go through Critiques and you'll find lots from a few years back.

I've got a collection of Dashiell Hammett stories which are enjoyable, but perhaps not quite hard-boiled enough.

 

[Phyrebrat]

That's great, thanks TJ. Will do. Poor reiver33 is about to be inundated

 

[paranoid marvin]

May be worth watching the film 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' which parodies these type of movies. It does for film noir what Police Squad did for tv cop shows.

 

[Phyrebrat]

May be worth watching the film 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' which parodies these type of movies. It does for film noir what Police Squad did for tv cop shows.

Hi PM, apologies for the delay in replying;

Yep I have seen Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, and had a good laugh, but that goes to my initial problem which is that I have seen plenty of stuff on the TV and in movies, but I want to get a better sense of the writing style/syntax etc

But... now you reminded me, I am tempted to fire up Netflix and watch it again...

pH

 

[jastius]

you could listen to the radio shows from the forties with all their detective stories.. the shadow and tales of suspense hit it pretty much on target and they are succinctly written. most of them average to about twenty minutes in length. we have them on am 740 here.. they have a website with the previous programs.. besides which, having such stuff with the scary music on in the background is a good moodsetter for writing.