How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America

About this book

From 70 of the most successful mystery writers in the business an invaluable guide to crafting mysteriesfrom character development and plot to procedurals and thrillersthis is a writing guide that readers and writers will turn to again and again (Booklist starred review). Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is known for providing unparalleled resources on the craft art and business of storytelling helping writers of all levels improve their skills for nearly a century. Now this handbook helps authors navigate the ever-shifting publishing landscapefrom pacing plotting the business side of publishing to the current demand for diversity and inclusivity across all genres and more. Featuring essays by a new generation of bestselling experts on various elements of the craft and shorter pieces of crowd-sourced wisdom from the MWA membership as a whole the topics covered can be categorized as follows: Before Writing (rules; genres; setting; character; research; etc.) While Writing (outlining; the plot; dialogue; mood; etc.) After Writing (agents; editors; self-pub; etc.) Other than Novels (short stories; true crime; etc.) Other Considerations (diverse characters; legal questions; criticism) Also included is a collection of essays from MWA published authorsincluding Jeffery Deaver Tess Gerritsen and Charlaine Harrisselected by bestselling authors Lee Child and Laurie King and arranged thematically answering What piece of writing advice do you wish youd had at the beginning of your career? Everything you wanted to know about how to plan draft write revise publish and market a mystery (Kirkus Reviews) this inclusive manual provides practical current easily digestible advice for new and established authors alike.