Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel

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More About This Book

Overview

Solve the MYSTERY of how to write and sell a KILLER story!

With the help of interactive exercises, mystery author and crime fiction critic Hallie Ephron gives you the momentum you need to turn a kernel of an idea into an intriguing mystery novel. You'll learn to capitalize on your writing strengths and shore up your weaknesses.

This comprehensive guide covers every aspect of mystery writing, including:

  • planning, twisting the plot, and constructing a credible surprise ending
  • creating a compelling sleuth and a worthy villain
  • deceiving and revealing with red herrings and clues
  • writing investigation, spine-tingling suspense, and dramatic action
  • revising - from sharpening characters, to optimizing pace, to smithing words
  • engaging the reader

By the time you finish reading part one of this book, you will have a blueprint for your entire story. Parts two and there take your blueprint from idea to well-polished novel. Part four is an insider's guide to getting it into an agent's or publisher's hands.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781582973760
  • Publisher: F+W Media, Inc.
  • Publication date: 9/1/2005
  • Pages: 256
  • Sales rank: 451,019
  • Product dimensions: 6.06 (w) x 8.94 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Table of Contents

Pt. 1 Planning 12
Ch. 1 The premise 14
Ch. 2 The mystery sleuth 18
Ch. 3 The crime, victim's secrets 36
Ch. 4 The villain 40
Ch. 5 Innocent suspects 45
Ch. 6 The supporting cast 50
Ch. 7 Setting 57
Ch. 8 Staking out the plot 69
Ch. 9 Picking a title 82
A blueprint for planning a mystery novel 86
Pt. 2 Writing 92
Ch. 10 Writing a dramatic opening 96
Ch. 11 Introducing the protagonist 103
Ch. 12 Introducing the major and minor characters 106
Ch. 13 Dramatizing scenes, making chapters 119
Ch. 14 Point of view 126
Ch. 15 Writing dialogue 139
Ch. 16 Creating a sense of place 145
Ch. 17 Writing investigation : clues, red herrings, and misdirection 152
Ch. 18 Writing suspense 163
Ch. 19 Writing action 171
Ch. 20 Puzzling it out : writing reflection 179
Ch. 21 Layering in backstory 186
Ch. 22 Writing the coda 194
Pt. 3 Revising 198
Ch. 23 Flying high : fixing plot and character 201
Ch. 24 Flying low : polishing scenes and sentences 206
Ch. 25 Hearing criticism, finding your own fix 215
Pt. 4 Selling your mystery novel 224
Ch 26 Targeting agents 226
Ch 27 Targeting small or independent presses 230
Ch 28 Putting together a query packet 234

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
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Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 14, 2007

    A reviewer

    This book is great for showing and illustrating how to write a mystery novel. I highly recommend it.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 1, 2006

    Midwest Book Review: December 2006

    Hallie Ephron's new How-To book is one of the best books on writing mysteries that I've ever read. Ephron, one half of the best-selling mystery duo G.H. Ephron, knows exactly how to construct interesting, twisty, and effective plots and characters, and she doesn't hesitate to divulge her secrets. The book is divided into four sections: Planning, Writing, Revising, and Selling Your Mystery Novel. She provides apt examples, excellent charts, and interactive exercises that will help both the neophyte and the long-time practitioner. She includes an appendix of resources as well. As SJ Rozan writes in her introduction: 'The map in this book will make the process of writing your novel controllable, understandable, and as close to fun as it gets. You'll still have to do the work this book won't write your book. But it will show you what work to do, so you can plan, structure, and write. And revise, rework, and rewrite. It will show you how to start, what to do when you're mired in the middle, and how to come to a triumphant finish. And, if you're still standing, it will help you market it to an agent an editor so that your book can end up, finally, in the hands of those most elusive, legendary, and desirable inhabitants of this loony Land: readers.' If you've ever wanted to write mysteries or if you seek merely to improve your mystery-writing craft and technique, this book will help you get there. Run right out and get this one. I can't recommend it highly enough.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted September 11, 2005

    A must-read for mystery writers!

    With Hallie Ephron, you get wise mentor, a compassionate and savvy best friend, and a secret weapon: insight and instruction from a successful pro and her impressive posse of mystery-author stars. It¿s like having your own personal writing teacher and coach--every question you have is answered, as well as the ones you wouldn¿t know to ask. Fun to read, innovatively and imaginatively organized, and as interactive as the reader chooses to make it, this is sure to become a keep-on-your-desk classic, and a much-used, well-worn reference book. This is definitely not just for newbies-¿but word to the wise: Mystery-writer wannabes will want to be the first to read it¿-so their competitors in this demanding market won¿t get their hands on the good stuff first.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 29, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

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