Do you love reading a good mystery? Have you always wanted to write one? During the Essentials of Mystery Writing workshop, you’ll have the choice of creating a brand new mystery story from scratch or working with a story you already have in progress.
In this course you will:
- Learn how to construct a compelling mystery plot
- Develop fascinating characters
- Plant clues
- Keep your readers turning the pages, eager to find out what will happen next
Course Structure
The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures and associated textbook reading assignments, along with a writing assignment to be submitted to the instructor for private review. In addition, work will be posted each session for group review and feedback. Throughout the workshop you will be able to participate in asynchronous lecture discussion and be encouraged to take advantage of ongoing informal discussions and posted self-directed writing and creativity exercises. (1.2 CEUs)
| Workshop length: |
6 weeks |
| Textbook(s) to purchase: |
You Can Write a Mystery (by Gillian Roberts, Writer's Digest Books) |
| Course Developer: |
Elizabeth Dearl |
| Tuition: |
$250.00 |
Workshop Outline
Session One: Introduction to Mystery
- Discussion of the mystery genre and its many sub-genres
Writing Assignment: A plot summary (up to 500 words) of a story already in progress,
or write the summaries for two to three new story ideas (up to 500 words total).
Session Two: Setting
- Choosing and researching a location for your story
- Understanding how setting can influence your plot and affect your characters
Writing Assignment: Write a scene in which you describe the setting you’ve chosen for your story (up to 500 words).
Session Three: Characters
- Developing the protagonist and antagonist—establishing their backgrounds, their personalities, their motivations;
- Secondary characters—their roles in your plot and their importance
Writing Assignment: Part One: In 250 words or less, describe your protagonist and tell us his/her motivation for solving the crime. Part Two: In 250 words or less, describe your antagonist and tell us his/her motivation for committing the crime.
Session Four: Plotting
- Capturing a reader’s interest from page one
- Avoiding a “sagging middle”
- Solving the mystery and tying up loose ends
Writing Assignment: In 500 words or less, write a scene that establishes an important plot point.
Session Five: Planting Clues
- What is a clue?
- How to conceal clues while still playing fair with the reader
- Using a “red herring” to lead your protagonist astray
Writing Assignment: Part One: Write a scene, 500 words or less, in which at least three clues are hidden. Part Two: In 250 words or less, reveal the clues you hid in part one and describe their significance to the plot.
Session Six: Wrapping It Up
- Resources and organizations for mystery writers
- Discussion of critique partners and critique groups
- Submitting your manuscript to an editor
Writing Assignment: Submit 2500 words of your short story or novel
or submit a complete short story of 2500 words or less.