From Memoir to Mystery

When I wrote my memoir, Cuba, Adiós, I never imagined I’d end up writing a mystery novel. Memoir felt like my natural space—I was telling my own story, sharing my family’s history, and trying to make sense of the past. But stories have a way of leading us down new paths. One day I realized I wanted to try fiction, and that’s how The Pianist ad the Snake came to life.

What Memoir and Mystery Have in Common

At first, these two genres couldn’t seem more different. Memoir is about memory and truth. Mystery on the other hand, is about suspense and invention. But once I started working in both, I noticed something surprising: they share the same building blocks. No matter the genre, good writing comes down to shaping experiences into something a reader can feel, follow, and connect with.

The Heart of it All: The Scene

One of those building blocks—the most important one—is the scene. A scene is where things happen. It’s where a story comes alive. In a memoir, a scene might capture a childhood moment, a difficult conversation, or a turning point in your life. In a mystery, a scene might be a tense hallway confrontation or a vision that changes everything. The details are different, but the purpose is the same: to put the reader right there in the moment, hearing the words, seeing the setting, and feeling the emotions.

A Quick Scene Checklist.

To ensure your scenes accomplish their goal, ask yourself these four questions

1. Whos’ in the scene, and what are they doing?

Make sure there’s action, even if subtle. Something must happen

• Where does it take place?

Anchor your reader with enough setting to feel grounded

• What’s the tension or conflict?

Big, or small, something must be at stake

• What’s the emotional takeaway?

Ask yourself: what should the reader feel when they leave this scene.

If you can answer all four, chances are your scene is doing the heavy lifting it needs to.

How did you answer the questions? Are you comfortable with your responses?

Next time, I’ll share with you how several authors describe a “scene.” Stay tuned in.