Edgar Award finalist
Anthony Award finalist
A brand new edition of the classic Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel: Revised & Expanded from Writers Digest Books. It’s simply one of the best, most comprehensive guides out there on the craft of writing a mystery.
“The best how-to guide I have ever seen–I just wish I could have read it years ago.” — LEE CHILD, New York Times best-selling author
What’s in it?
This is the book that takes the mystery out of the writing process, making it less daunting for beginners and more efficient for experienced writers.
*Features comprehensive instruction, exercises, and worksheets for mystery writers of all levels, including a format for a novel blueprint
*Addresses all subgenres of mystery from hardboiled crimes and cozies to romantic thrillers and medical mysteries
*Covers how to grab readers from the first chapter, how to construct effective plots, and how to revise and submit mysteries to publishers
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
WRITING & SELLING YOUR MYSTERY NOVEL: Revised & Expanded
Foreword by Sara Paretsky
Introduction
PART I PLANNING
CHAPTER 1: The Premise
CHAPTER 2: The Mystery Sleuth
CHAPTER 3: The Crime and the Victim’s Secrets
CHAPTER 4: The Villain
CHAPTER 5: Innocent Suspects
CHAPTER 6: The Supporting Cast
CHAPTER 7: The Web of Characters with Competing Goals
CHAPTER 8: Setting
CHAPTER 9: Staking Out the Plot
CHAPTER 10: Picking a Title
A Blueprint for Planning a Mystery Novel
PART II WRITING
CHAPTER 11: Writing a Dramatic Opening
CHAPTER 12: Introducing the Protagonist
CHAPTER 13: Introducing Major and Minor Characters
CHAPTER 14: Dramatizing Scenes and Writing Chapters
CHAPTER 15: Narrative Voice and Viewpoint
CHAPTER 16: Writing Dialogue
CHAPTER 17: Creating a Sense of Place
CHAPTER 18: Writing Investigation: Clues, Red Herrings and Misdirection
CHAPTER 19: Writing Suspense
CHAPTER 20: Writing Action
CHAPTER 21: Puzzling It Out: Writing Reflection
CHAPTER 22: Layering in Backstory
CHAPTER 23: Writing the Final Climax
CHAPTER 24: Writing the Coda
PART III REVISING
CHAPTER 25: Flying High: Fixing Plot and Character
CHAPTER 26: Flying Low: Polishing Scenes and Sentences
CHAPTER 27: Seeking Criticism and Finding Your Own Fix
CHAPTER 28: Preparing the Final Manuscript
PART IV PUBLISHING YOUR MYSTERY NOVEL
CHAPTER 29: Placing Your Novel with a Traditional Publisher
CHAPTER 30: Self-Publishing Your Novel
Appendix of Resources for Mystery Writers