How to write a mystery : a handbook from Mystery Writers of America

Child, Lee. (Added Author). King, Laurie R. (Added Author). Mystery Writers of America. (Added Author).

From the most successful mystery writers in the business, an invaluable guide to crafting mysteries--from character development and plot to procedurals and thrillers--a must-have for every aspiring mystery writer.

Book - 2021

808.3 How

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Subject

Detective and mystery stories > Authorship.
Authorship.

Genre

Literature.

ISBN: 9781982149437
Physical Description ix, 326 pages ; 24 cm
Edition First Scribner hardcover edition.
Publisher [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2021.

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Includes index.

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Table of Contents

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Syndetic Solutions - Table of Contents for ISBN Number 9781982149437

How to Write a Mystery : A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America

by Mystery Writers of America; Child, Lee (Editor); King, Laurie R. (Editor)

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How to Write a Mystery : A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America

Section	Section Description	Page Number
	Introduction Lee Child	p. 1
	The Rules and Genres
	The Rules-and When to Break Them Neil Nyren	p. 5
	Carved in stone or gentle suggestions: what are the rules in the mystery genre, why do they matter, and when don't they matter?
	Carolyn Hart	p. 12
	Keeping It Thrilling Meg Gardiner	p. 13
	Nine things your thriller needs to be lean, mean, and exhilarating.
	Beth Amos	p. 22
	Insider, Outsider: The Amateur Sleuth Naomi Hirahara	p. 23
	The point, and point of view, of your accidental detective.
	Lindsey Davis	p. 33
	Finding Lou: The Police Procedural Rachel Howzell Hall	p. 34
	Are you a cop, or do you just play one on the page?
	Linwood Barclay	p. 39
	The Mindset of Darkness: Writing Noir Alex Segura	p. 40
	It's about character: the flawed protagonist and letting your characters fail.
	Hank Phillippi Ryan	p. 46
	Crossing the Genres Charlaine Harris	p. 48
	Mixing your mystery with a vampire, a talking cow, or a love interest?
	Kate White	p. 51
	The Historical Mystery Jacqueline Winspear	p. 52
	Time, place, and the past.
	Suzanne Chazin	p. 58
	The Medical Thriller Tess Gerritsen	p. 59
	Playing on the reader's real-life fears and hunger for insider knowledge.
	Gigi Pandian	p. 66
	Researching the Spy Thriller Gayle Lynds	p. 67
	Or: Why can't I just make it all up?
	Stephanie Kane	p. 75
	Other Mysteries
	Mysteries for Children: An Introduction Susan Vaught	p. 79
	The kids' mystery, from picture books to YA-expectations and some hints.
	C. M. Surrisi	p. 83
	Unleash Your Inner Child Chris Grabenstein	p. 84
	Middle-grade mysteries: you, too, can become a rock star for ten-year-olds.
	Elizabeth Sims	p. 91
	The Young Adult Mystery Kelley Armstrong	p. 92
	Complex, authentic stories for the young adult-emphasis on adult.
	Pat Gallant Weich	p. 101
	Graphic Novels Dale W. Berry and Gary Phillips	p. 103
	The mystery within the panels: your conversation with words and pictures.
	Dag Ãhrlund	p. 113
	The Short Mystery Art Taylor	p. 114
	What do the characters (and readers) want in your mystery short story?
	Charles Salzberg	p. 121
	Ten Stupid Questions about True Crime Daniel Stashower	p. 122
	Building a vivid page-turner, out of nothing but facts.
	Carole BuggÃ©	p. 129
	The Writing
	On Style Lyndsay Faye	p. 133
	The writer's voice, or, cooking with cadence, rhythm, and audacity.
	Steve Hockensmith	p. 142
	Always Outline! Jeffery Deaver	p. 143
	The why and the how of planning it out first.
	Rob Hart	p. 150
	Hallie Ephron	p. 151
	Never Outline! Lee Child	p. 152
	The argument for spontaneity.
	Shelly Frome	p. 156
	The Art of the Rewrite Laurie R. King	p. 157
	Turning your raw first draft into a clear, compelling story.
	Rae Franklin James	p. 164
	Leslie Budewitz	p. 165
	Plot and the Bones of a Mystery Deborah Crombie	p. 166
	Bringing together all the elements of your novel so it stands strong.
	Tim Maleeny	p. 172
	Robert Lopresti	p. 173
	Diversity in Crime Fiction Frankie Y. Bailey	p. 174
	Enriching your novel by writing characters, not categories.
	Elaine Viets	p. 183
	The Protagonist Allison Brennan	p. 184
	Your hero: the one we relate to, the one who drives the story.
	Stephanie Kay Bendel	p. 191
	The Villain of the Piece T. Jefferson Parker	p. 192
	Your hero in reverse: the forces that create a vivid villain.
	Kris Neri	p. 198
	Supporting Characters Craig Johnson	p. 199
	The chorus of voices that backs up your protagonist.
	Gay Toltl Kinman	p. 204
	Writing the Talk Greg Herren	p. 205
	Dialogue that sounds true, reveals character, and draws in the reader.
	Bradley Harper	p. 212
	Stephen Ross	p. 213
	Setting William Kent Krueger	p. 214
	Your most versatile element: backdrop, player, and the all-pervading sense of place.
	Thomas B. Sawyer	p. 222
	Humor in Crime Fiction Catriona McPherson	p. 223
	Funny mystery, or mystery with fun: why, how, and when to stop?
	James W. Ziskin	p. 231
	Writing in Partnership Caroline and Charles Todd	p. 232
	Two writers with one voice: how we learned to collaborate.
	Bradley Harper	p. 237
	Tie-Ins and Continuing a Character Max Allan Collins	p. 238
	Playing in someone else's sandbox.
	Hal Bodner	p. 245
	After the Writing
	Secrets of a Book Critic Oline H. Cogdill	p. 249
	Reviews and reviewers: what to learn from them, and what to ignore.
	Marilyn Stasio	p. 257
	Self-Publishing Liliana Hart	p. 258
	How to flourish as an independently published writer.
	Nancy J. Cohen	p. 266
	Authors Online Maddee James	p. 267
	Building your author identity and reaching out to readers, online.
	Mysti Berry	p. 275
	Building Your Community Louise Penny	p. 276
	It's the writer, not the book: finding a home in the virtual village.
	Bev Vincent	p. 284
	Legal Considerations Daniel Steven	p. 285
	What every mystery writer needs to know about publishing law.
	About the Contributors	p. 291
	Contributor Permissions	p. 309
	Index	p. 315

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