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The Drood Review Mystery's Second Century A forum on the future of the genre Original essays Our thoughts Follow-ups This site is copyright (c) 2000-3 by The Drood Review. The Drood Review
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Elizabeth Foxwell Diversity is the word that pops to mind when considering the mystery scene of the next century — diversity in publishing, diversity in characters, diversity in genres. It will be an exciting time for readers, with so much to choose from; less so for writers, with increased competition and dwindling numbers of ever-merging commercial publishers. But the picture for authors is not wholly gloomy: the rise of small, more author-friendly publishers, Internet publishing, books-on-demand, audiobooks, ebooks, and so on has provided and will continue to provide many avenues for publication. I do not believe that these alternative formats ring the death knell for traditionally published books; as a Washington Post Magazine editor once said in my journalism class, "People will always want to read things that they can hold in their hands." Both authors and mystery fans must apply themselves, however, to instilling in the next generations an appreciation for the books we love so well. In this video-obsessed age, young people are falling away from reading in general. A friend who is a high school English teacher outlined the obstacles she faces: large numbers of immigrant students working on their English, other students viewing the classics as disconnected from their lives. It was her belief that mysteries could help teach students vocabulary, critical thinking, effective writing, and other vital skills — all in an entertaining format. Let’s work for that. Here’s to another mysterious millenium! Elizabeth Foxwell has edited or coedited seven mystery anthologies including Malice Domestic 8 and More Murder They Wrote. She has published three mystery short stories of her own. |