Film Noir-style first person - Writers Forum

Spooky Cactus · 07-22-2007, 06:55 AM

I have a whole series of short stories in my head that demand to be written from a Film Noir-style first person viewpoint - something I've never really done before. I was wondering if anyone had any tips or experience with this kind of writing.

Also, my character reads a lot of detective novels and has a rather satirical sense of humour, so I think her style will probably slide, according to her mood, from actual Noirish description to something rather more self-parodying, especially as she's trying to do it in modern-day Leeds. So I'd also appreciate any ideas of Film Noir and general detective cliches she could mock.

mammamaia · 07-22-2007, 07:10 PM

what you need to do is go to the library and load yourself down with the works of hammett and chandler...

jesterscourt · 07-22-2007, 10:30 PM

You also need to tread carefully, you don't want your work to become farcical, and noir easily slips into that mentality. Unless that is what you are going for, in that case, go hog wild. There are neo-noir authors as well, like Walter Mosely.

Truth-Teller · 07-22-2007, 11:00 PM

Not just Hammett and Chandler, but also Craise and Connelly. Macdonald and McBaine.

Otherwise, the protaginist will devoid of the inherent realism that early dectective writers lacked.

Truth-Teller · 07-22-2007, 11:37 PM

It'll be interesting how you write.

You should read some of DustForFeather's work here. If you can write as good as her, if not better, you have a stab at the publishing world.