Writing Your First Mystery
An introduction to the elements of a whodunit or thriller
This short guide introduces topics that will arise as you tackle your first mystery. Some will be familiar; others will have you scratching your head and doing some real thinking. There is an insatiable appetite for crime fiction. You and your life experience make your mystery unique.
Plotting
- Outline or Write by the Seat of Your Pants
- Subplots: Why and how they work
- Mystery genres: Which are you?
˃˃˃ The Essential Characters
Your detective, the victim, the killer, the love interest, the experts, the witnesses
˃˃˃ Other essentials: The setting, contemporary or historical, character names
The mood or tone of your book, your narrative style: Who tells the story?
˃˃˃ Conflict, suspense and pacing, clues and red herrings
Writing the satisfying ending and explanation of the crime