JoAnne Myers, Author
I have been a long-time
resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of
my life. Besides having several novels under my belt, I canvas paint.
When not busy with hobbies or
working outside the home, I spend time with relatives, my dog Jasmine, and
volunteer my time within the community. I am a member of the International
Women’s Writing Guild, Savvy Authors, Coffee Time Romance, Paranormal Romance
Guild, True Romance Studios, National Writers Association, the Hocking Hill's
Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and
Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center. I believe in family
values and following your dreams. My books and original canvas paintings, can
be found at: booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com
Writing Mystery by JoAnne
Myers
Before writing a word, take some time to jot down key
story points. As you're writing, the story will want to take on a life of its
own. Having a handy reference of key points will help keep your story on track
and you from pulling your hair out. A list of key points is also helpful when
outlining the story plot. You may very well find that the story begins to
unfold as you're writing down the key points. If this happens...let it! Write
down any ideas or details that come to you, they'll come in handy later.
Some key points to consider
are; what is the mystery? This is the underlying theme to the entire story so
be as in-depth as possible (has there been a murder or a theft or a kidnapping?
If so, how and where was it committed?).
Hunt for the culprit. Every good story has at least one antagonist, but what steps must the hero or heroine take to find him/her? How will the villain evade the hero? How is the mystery solved? In mystery writing there are a lot of twists and turns. Write down your initial thoughts for plot twists, red herrings to throw the readers off the trail of the true villain, and of course the final stages of how the good guy will prevail...or does he? You need to decide whether or not the hero or the villain wins in the end. Many hero’s die trying to solve their case. Many are involved in physical altercations with other characters. You must decide how many altercations, the number of characters involved, and what weapons if any are used. It is not a good idea to only engage your characters with fist fighting. Throw in some knives, chains, falling from windows, or my favorite, a poisoning, and other nasty assaults.
Hunt for the culprit. Every good story has at least one antagonist, but what steps must the hero or heroine take to find him/her? How will the villain evade the hero? How is the mystery solved? In mystery writing there are a lot of twists and turns. Write down your initial thoughts for plot twists, red herrings to throw the readers off the trail of the true villain, and of course the final stages of how the good guy will prevail...or does he? You need to decide whether or not the hero or the villain wins in the end. Many hero’s die trying to solve their case. Many are involved in physical altercations with other characters. You must decide how many altercations, the number of characters involved, and what weapons if any are used. It is not a good idea to only engage your characters with fist fighting. Throw in some knives, chains, falling from windows, or my favorite, a poisoning, and other nasty assaults.
Every great story has well rounded characters. We read
fiction because we want to be entertained and develop a connection with the
characters. Outlining items such as personality traits, physical features, and
quirks can help bring your characters to life; a speech impediment, or limp, or
a nervous twitch.
For the Protagonist, decide the name, age, where does
he/she live, does he/she have a family or pets, what is their driving goal for
taking on this particular case? Is the hero a police officer, a person sworn to
honesty, pride, and valor. Or is the good guy a private detective being paid to
find a certain someone. Or your main character could be a parent or sibling
searching for a missing loved one.
For the Antagonist, decide the name, age, where does he/she live, is there an underlying reason for being the antagonist? Perhaps this person is a career criminal. On the other hand, maybe he/she is a good person that suffered an unjust and turned to crime out of bitterness and despair.
Then you have your support characters, who are the color of the story. They provide depth to the story whether good or bad. A support character could be as simple as a loud mouth hot dog vendor standing on a street corner or as in-depth as the villain's partner in crime. In writing a mystery story, support characters can take on a life of their own with the reader, so make them interesting. Just because they are labeled support characters does not mean they are any less important than the main characters.
For the Antagonist, decide the name, age, where does he/she live, is there an underlying reason for being the antagonist? Perhaps this person is a career criminal. On the other hand, maybe he/she is a good person that suffered an unjust and turned to crime out of bitterness and despair.
Then you have your support characters, who are the color of the story. They provide depth to the story whether good or bad. A support character could be as simple as a loud mouth hot dog vendor standing on a street corner or as in-depth as the villain's partner in crime. In writing a mystery story, support characters can take on a life of their own with the reader, so make them interesting. Just because they are labeled support characters does not mean they are any less important than the main characters.
Next is the location of the story. When and where is the
story set? These two key elements are what bring your story to life. Mystery
story writing is a broad genre and could be set in any time period and in any
place. When working with actual locations it is a good idea to do research on
the location first. Readers want to feel as though they are there with the
characters, so being able to accurately describe a location is vital. Time
periods are no exception. If the story is set in 1940's New Orleans, the reader
will want to see their surroundings, not just be told the story is taking place
in a speakeasy or church. Be descriptive!
A mystery story is not a story without a solid well
thought out plot. Some things to consider when developing the story plot: What
is the driving force of the mystery? To solve a murder, or rescue a kidnap
victim? What does the villain do to thwart the hero? Does the villain get his
goons on the hero? Is the hero being set up by the villain and now he is being
hunted by police. What other obstacles get in the way of solving the mystery?
One of the most important elements of writing a mystery
story is suspense. Giving away too much too soon will bore the reader. It is
best if the suspense is sprinkled throughout the story; bring the mystery to
light within the first few chapters, then as the story progresses add a clue
here and there without revealing the outcome until the final chapter. Do not be
afraid to add a "red herring" or false clue, within the stories
context. Readers love nothing better than to think they have everything figured
out only to find in the end they were mistaken the entire time.
The final few chapters of the story should hold the
climax of the conflict and resolution between the hero and villain, including
how all of the clues scattered throughout the story cumulatively solves the
mystery. A good conclusion gives the reader a sense of closure in finding out
how the hero solved the mystery. Remember that not all mysteries have to be
completely solved or have a "happy" ending. If you are writing a
series of stories, the villain may get away at the end of story #1 with the
hero using clues from story #1 to track down the villain in story #2. In
mystery story writing, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
Blurb for “Murder Most Foul”
a detective/mystery
When two dismembered torsos
wash up on the banks of the local river in the small industrial town of
Pleasant Valley, residents are horrified. Between contradicting statements,
police ineptitude, lust, lies, manipulation, incest, the motorcycle gang The
Devil’s Disciples, crooked cops, and a botched crime scene, everyone becomes a
suspect.
The young beautiful Jackie
Reeves, a registered nurse, believes the killer is a man from her past. She
contacts the dangerously handsome FBI Agent Walker Harmon. An arrest is made,
but Harmon and Jackie believe an innocent man is being railroaded by local
cops. How far will these lover’s go to solve this heinous crime before anymore
killings. Determined to find the truth, Agent Harmon and Jackie are forced to
run a gauntlet of deep trouble and turmoil, which marks them for death.
Other books by JoAnne:
"WICKED INTENTIONS"
a paranormal/mystery anthology
"LOVES', MYTHS' AND
MONSTERS'," a fantasy anthology
"THE CRIME OF THE
CENTURY," a biography true-crime
“POEMS ABOUT LIFE, LOVE, AND
EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN”
"TWISTED LOVE," a
true-crime anthology
Other books soon available:
“FLAGITIOUS,” a crime/mystery novella collection available
in September
Buy Links:
Lulu Paperback:
Barnes & Noble Paperback:
Contact Jo Anne: Email: authorjoannemyers@yahoo.com
6 comments:
This was a very helpful article about writing mystery stories, JoAnne. Getting just enough clues out without giving away the culprit is a main concern of mine. I also worry about police procedures. All that said, I sometimes think I'd like to try writing a mystery. It's like a puzzle with strategically missing pieces.
All the best to you.
Thank you so much Sarah for the compliment. Mystery is one of my favorite genre's. It can either be biography or fiction.
I would also like to say, I will be awarding two commenters each a print book of their choice. I now have four of my books in print, that winners can choose from.
That was quite intriguing. Lots of great information. Thanks so much for sharing.
debby236 at gmail dot com
Great post, JoAnne. Very interesting. And I'm loving your book of poetry. Best luck with the rest. :)
Interesting blog and very informative.
Your alligator story is crazy! What an adventure. Great information on writing a mystery. Thanks!
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