Online Class: Mystery Writing

This course is perfect for those who have an interest in either Creative Writing or the Mystery Genre. If you love to write and want to move into this popular genre, or you love to read a great mystery and have often thought you could do it, this course is for you.

Courses Frequently Bought Together:

Creative Writing Workshop

How to Write a Short Story

Romance Writing

Course Motivation

A mystery is a story in which something is hidden from one or more characters. Mystery and Detective fiction are interchangeable terms, with detective fiction referring more commonly to murder mysteries. The most popular Mystery or Detective story sold worldwide is arguably the 'whodunit' in which a crime, usually a murder, is committed and characters struggle to solve the mystery and gain some kind of recompense by punishing the perpetrator of the crime.

Thinking About Mystery

Answer the following questions to get you thinking about mystery and the implications the term holds for you personally:

1. What mysteries can you think of? Think about classic stories, modern novels, movies, television shows, and dramas. Make a note of all that you can think of.

2. What elements are common to all these mysteries? Think about:

a. What is the mystery? Is it a crime, a murder perhaps?

b. Who is trying to solve the mystery, and what are they like? Are they a professional or an amateur? Do they have a vested interest in solving it -- for example, money or revenge?

c. When is the crime or mystery brought to light, and when is it solved?

3. How predictable was the outcome of the stories? How did the predictability affect your enjoyment of the mystery? Was there anything you would have done differently?

Noting similarities between characters and stories is useful for two reasons:

1. As a writer, you need to know your genre so you can write for it or challenge its boundaries.

2. The second reason is to note trends in mysteries you encounter so you never duplicate typical storylines in a way that will make them predictable for your reader. Knowing what to expect means you know how to surprise your reader, and surprise is an important part of any mystery.

Challenging Your Genre

Knowing what makes a good mystery is a matter of reading. Reading mysteries and making your own notes on how and why they are effective is the best practice for writing your own mystery. In the modern mystery market, there is a huge demand for mysteries of all kinds, those that conform to the typical mystery protocol, and those that veer off the beaten track. Whichever of these options appeals to you, it is essential that you are familiar with the genre before you challenge it.

Challenging the genre can be done in a number of ways. Remember, if you remove the mystery elements, it won't be a mystery anymore, therefore the puzzle, crime, or murder has to remain. Elements you can play around with are those of character and narrative, perhaps challenging the stereotype of the "detective" or telling the story from an unusual viewpoint.

Sub-Genres

A sub-genre is a genre within a genre. Mysteries have a number of story "types" that you may wish to consider. These are often blended together and the edges are commonly blurred as mystery writers become increasingly reluctant to be bound by the conventions or rules of their particular sub-genre. Here a number of common sub-genres of the Mystery:

• 'Hard-Boiled" – These are usually noted for their gritty realism. They tend to have more graphic representations of violence and sex and are more likely to deal with disturbing or shocking crimes. These are tough stories that aren't necessarily for the faint-hearted.
   
• "Cozies" – These are almost always set in small towns or villages. They have a gentler, more genteel tone and the characters tend to be particularly likable. The crime that has to be solved in a cozy mystery is usually bloodless, or at least without graphic description.

• "Historical" – Obviously these are mysteries set in the past. These stories require a lot of research into the historical era they are set in, as while their readers are prepared to accept that the mystery may not have actually happened, the detail of the setting must be correct; anachronisms will seriously impair the quality of the writing and isolate the reader.
   
• "Private Eye" – These are simple detective mysteries where the solver of the mystery is a licensed private investigator. Often these mysteries are complex and rely on the amazing talent and insight of the sleuth to solve them.
   
• "Procedural" – Sometimes called "Police Procedural" mystery stories, these are mysteries that focus on the procedure and activity of the police who are solving the crime. These include details of investigations, police protocol etc. Similar to this is the forensic detective story.
   
• "Didactic" – Didactic is a way of describing mysteries that aim to inform or teach the reader about a particular arena, for example, a mystery that is set in a particular professional world.
   
• "Amateur" – Opposite in many ways to the "private eye" sub-genre, this type of mystery is solved by a character who is not from the detective or police field. Often the sleuth is another type of professional from a different field completely.