Mystery
Writing Book #2: A Post-Mortem
Writing your second novel can be surprisingly tough slog of rewriting and reimagining and rewriting again. Here are the lessons I learned writing my Book #2, lessons I hope will facilitate the writing of Book #3.
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Writing Real News vs. Mystery Fiction: When a Reporter Gets to Make Stuff Up
When reporter RG Belsky gets to make stuff up as a mystery writer, he finds similarities between fiction writing and journalism — starting with these 6 lessons.
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What You Can Learn about Writing Cozy Mysteries from Hallmark Christmas Movies
Christmas movies are the cozies of the TV movie world. Here are 6 things you can learn from them about writing cozy mysteries.
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An Interview with Paula Munier on Her Launch Day
Paula Munier—agent, writing teacher, and debut novelist—talks to Career Authors about the challenges of writing a series featuring a dog as a main characters, the challenges of tackling the second book, and how life as a military brat affects the way she writes setting.
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Formula for Writing a Cozy Mystery, Part 7: Pets
Cozies and cats go together like peanut butter and jelly or Bert and Ernie. That might make it seem as if you can toss a tabby randomly into your cozy manuscript and your work is done. Not so fast. You have a few decisions to make before plunking a Pekingese into the first paragraph.
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Taking over a Series: How to Write As Someone Else
Do you know Jessica Fletcher? Most people do. But what happens when the original author of a beloved series dies? Learn about writing as someone else.
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Formula for Writing a Cozy Mystery, Part 6: The Supporting Cast
Our ongoing series on the formula for writing a cozy mystery continues with a discussion of how to create a dynamic cast of supporting characters.
Read More“I keep trying to write a romance but somebody always dies.”
Eleanor Cawood Jones
Formula for Writing a Cozy Mystery, Part 5: The Antagonist
A unique and compelling antagonist can set your cozy mystery apart from the pack. If you’re writing a cozy mystery, consider these insider tips for developing your antagonist.
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Formula for Writing a Cozy Mystery, Part 4: The Murder
Part 4 in the series about writing cozy mysteries, we’ve already discussed the hook, protagonist, and setting. Now, it’s time to dive into the murder itself.
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What A Mystery Agent Wants
New crime writers seem to make the same mistakes over and over. But you can avoid those pitfalls! Get these lessons under your belt, and you’ll have a better shot at attracting an agent’s attention.
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Brian Thiem: Crime Novels Have Two Stories
Every crime novel consists of two main stories: the crook’s and the detective’s. Develop both for a satisfying novel.
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