Is Limited Third Person the Right POV Choice for Your Mystery?
Pros and cons of writing a mystery in the third person point of view.
Keep the Mystery in Your Mystery
Eye on the Mystery Prize Reading other authors in your genre is a sound practice. not just for emulating story strategy but for caution on what not to do in your story.I just finished reading a mystery by an established mystery writer. As a reader, I was disappointed. As a writer, I thought about why…
The Detective’s Opponent in Your Mystery
Not the Villain, The Obstacle Maker Enrich your mystery with an opponent who gives your detective problems. The opponent has a role quite different from the villain’s role. The villain in a mystery is the one who committed the murder. From Agatha Christie’s Chief Inspector Japp and Hercule Poirot to the neighbor Grannen in…
Sidekick – The Sleuth’s Mirror
Photo by Gaumont – © 2000 A Sidekick Amplifies Your Sleuth and the Story The sidekick is a traditional literary archetype that will enhance your mystery novel. The sidekick can be a working partner or a friend. The sidekick’s role in the story will vary depending on how you choose to amplify your sleuth with…
Book Cover Design – Working with a Graphic Artist
Collaboration is the Fast Way to Book Cover Design Success Every author wants an eye-catching cover for their book that draws potential readers to their book. Your book cover is the first step in the buying journey for many readers. Unless you as an author are also a graphic designer, Investing in a skilled graphic…
The Sleuth Triumphant – Confront the Killer at the End of Your Mystery
In the first act of the mystery, you laid out all your detective’s skills one by one as new situations arose. In the middle, you frustrated all those skills by exposing your sleuth’s weaknesses. Now at the end, you can bring back those skills and strengths as your detective confronts the killer. Your detective has…
The Detective Closes In – Begin the Final Act of Your Mystery
Barriers and Clear Sight You are finally heading toward the conclusion of your mystery as you begin the final act. But, your ace sleuth still has a bumpy ride before the end. As a writer, you focus on complications, twists, and building the killer’s cunning.First, congratulate yourself for making it through the middle without one…
Toward The Final Act – On The Killer’s Scent
The Detective Finds Clues in the Killer’s World Let the complications roll! Your detective screws up, asks for help from the wrong people, stumbles over his weaknesses. If it’s bad, bring it on. In the final section of Act II (Four-Act Structure) your detective dives deeper into the killer’s world as the ultimate exploration of…
Avoid A Sagging Middle: The Detective Finds the Killer’s World
Avoid the Sagging Middle in Your Mystery Mystery writers have an advantage over many other genres when it comes to keeping the middle from sagging. Up to the middle the detective has delved into the evidence and suspects in the victim’s worldThe essence of keeping a reader turning pages is heightened tension. Rather than episodic…
The Detective In the Victim’s World
The Detective In The Victim’s World Without A Map As you take your detective and your readers deeper into the story in the first half of Act II, your detective enters a new world, the victim’s world. As he wanders the victim’s world he gathers bits and pieces of information, meets suspects and in their…