Essentials of Mystery Writing

Do you read mysteries and think “I wish I could write that?” well, you can. Work with a published mystery writer to learn about the subtleties of the mystery genre, and begin working on your own page-turning mystery. By the conclusion of the workshop, you will have written 2500 and critiqued up to 2500 words of your mystery novel or short story.

Course level:  Beginner / Intermediate

Required Book:  You Can Write a Mystery by Gillian Roberts

Workshop Length:  6 weeks

Tuition:  $250.00 ($225 for VIP)

Start Date: View Essentials of Mystery Writing Course Schedule

Course Structure
The workshop will consist of six one-week sessions. Each session will include online lectures (text based) 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)

You will learn:

  • How to construct a compelling mystery plot
  • How to develop fascinating characters
  • How to conceal clues while still playing fair with your reader
  • How to find organizations for mystery writers and to submit your manuscript

Who should take this course:

  • Short Story writers and Novelists who love the mystery genre
  • Graduates of other beginner level workshops who now want to focus on their passion of mystery writing
  • Students of any level who want to explore the mystery in more depth and gain key insights from a Published Author

Essentials of Mystery Writing Workshop

Course 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.