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Mystery writing

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Mystery writing | Novel Writing

Stop Overthinking Your Story

ByZara Altair November 16, 2020October 26, 2021

Planning makes writing go faster. But sometimes it feels as though you’re trying to squeeze your story into a plot structure. You are overthinking your story.

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Author Learning | Mystery writing | Story Structure

How to Build Story in the Middle – Part 2

ByZara Altair November 2, 2020October 26, 2021

A reversal at the midpoint points toward narrowing the focus in the second half of the middle.

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Author Learning | Mystery writing | Story Structure

How to Build Story in the Middle – Part 1

ByZara Altair October 27, 2020October 26, 2021

How to develop Act 2 in the four-act structure to expand your story and get readers invested in the story.

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Mystery writing | Creating Characters | Plot

How To Balance Character and Plot in a Mystery Novel

ByZara Altair October 19, 2020November 11, 2022

Techniques for balancing plot and character by planning and then writing scene-by-scene.

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Author Learning | Mystery writing | Novel Writing

Are You Missing the Fun of Story Writing?

ByZara Altair October 13, 2020October 26, 2021

Three proven ways to kickstart each writing session so you don’t waste time staring at a blank page.

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Mystery writing | The Hero

Use Moral Choices to Deepen Your Story

ByZara Altair October 5, 2020October 26, 2021

How to build tension and heighten reader engagement with moral choices.

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Mystery Genre | Mystery writing

Is Your Mystery a Mystery?

ByZara Altair September 28, 2020October 26, 2021

The genre differences between mystery, suspense, and thriller. Plus ten mystery elements you need to include in your mystery novel.

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Mystery writing | Plot

After the Midpoint Avoid the Muddle

ByZara Altair August 31, 2020October 26, 2021

Tips to add excitement and mystery after the novel midpoint. How to focus on each section instead of rushing to the end.

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Creating Characters | Dialogue | Mystery writing

Your Mystery’s Supporting Characters

ByZara Altair August 24, 2020October 26, 2021

5 basics to creating supporting characters. How they interact with your sleuth and suspects to move the story forward.

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Creating Characters | Mystery writing

No Suspects, No Mystery

ByZara Altair August 17, 2020

Character development for mystery suspects is key to creating a difficult puzzle for your sleuth, and your reader.

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Recent Posts

  • Create Your Stand-out Detective: A Guide for Mystery Writers
  • The Sleuth’s Eye: How Self-Editing Improves Your Mystery Writing
  • From Idea to Icon: Create Your Standout Mystery Detective
  • Character Chemistry: How Supporting Characters Fuel Your Mystery Narrative
  • The Mystery Novel Ending: Wrap-Up After the Big Reveal

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