Discover how clues, conflict, tension, and twists work together to build anticipation and keep readers turning pages.
Write Time Blog
Mystery Stakes: Ways to Put Pressure On Your Sleuth
Five ways to brainstorm stakes for your mystery novel.
What to Do When You Hit The Writer’s Reality Gap
Tips to keep writing when you lose perspective on your story.
Metaphors in Mystery
How metaphors work in storytelling, and how they add impact to your story.
Enrich Your Novel with The Five Senses
Every scene needs sensory details. Sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste are opportunities to get your reader to care about your characters.
The One Backstory Every Mystery Writer Needs to Know
The relationship between the villain and the victim is the context of your mystery’s puzzle. It’s the primary backstory to create your story.
Difference Between Evidence, Clues, and Red Herrings
Clues, Evidence, and red herrings in a mystery explained. Learn the difference to use them well in your novel.
Get Unpredictable with Your Scenes
Techniques to make novel scenes unpredictable with omission and surprise.
What Makes a Mystery a Mystery?
Mystery readers have expectations. Use these 10 elemental mystery tropes, to give them what they want while writing a great story.
Dig Into Dialogue
Dialogue is story action. Dig into your characters so they say the words that move the story.