What to have and avoid in your story's opening

Posted on 06/17/2020 at 11:17 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The most compelling part of Zara Altair’s post on starting your mystery, for us, might have been the section on...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: First lines and first chapters, Mystery

How to plant clues about your mystery's villain

Posted on 02/21/2020 at 10:41 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The villain or culprit in your mystery should make sense once his or her guilt is revealed. But how do...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Mystery, Writing advice

Police sergeant: Don't commit these crimes in your detective novel

Posted on 12/03/2019 at 01:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

We’ve all been there: We’re reading a book or watching a show or film in which a character shares our...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Joanna Penn, Mystery, Writing advice

Zara Altair: Share your characters' backstories sparingly in a mystery

Posted on 11/26/2019 at 04:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Your characters’ backstories don't just serve your readers — they serve you, the writer. But, says Zara Altair, that’s why...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Writing advice

Make sure your reader wants to solve your mystery

Posted on 08/22/2019 at 04:37 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Zara Altair wants to ensure your reader is just as invested as your sleuth is in solving the mystery in...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Plot / narrative, Writing advice

What to expect when basing a novel on real-life drama

Posted on 08/13/2019 at 03:43 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Stephanie Kane knows, from experience, the risks and rewards of using real-life events as inspiration for fiction. Her novel Quiet...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Thriller, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Start your mystery out strong

Posted on 08/06/2019 at 04:24 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

It’s a toss-up whether the beginning or ending of a story is the toughest part to write. But there’s no...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: First lines and first chapters, Mystery, Writing advice

The four acts of your mystery plot

Posted on 07/30/2019 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Writers who seek middle ground between full-blown outlines and complete improvisation have another option. Zara Altair compares the four-act structure...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Mystery, Plot / narrative, Writing advice

What a detective wants crime writers to know

Posted on 06/03/2019 at 11:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Joanna Penn has another expert interview, this time with a police detective. Adam Richardson, in addition to working in the...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Joanna Penn, Mystery

Who's the pivotal character in a mystery novel?

Posted on 05/05/2019 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Zara Altair makes a keen observation about the mystery novel: While the detective/sleuth is generally the hero, the victim might...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Characters, Mystery, Writing advice