Blogger KRISTI HOLL is the author of 42 books, including
MORE WRITER'S FIRST AID.
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April 10, 2010
Writing Mysteries
for Young People
(50-page e-booklet)
by Kristi Holl, author of eleven published mysteries, including the 2008 Boarding School Mysteries.
Only $7 (pdf)
(immediate direct download) requires Adobe Acrobat
“Once Upon a Mystery . . .”
I love to read (and write) mysteries because in a mystery something is guaranteed to happen. Both mysteries and real life often reflect a struggle between the forces of good and evil. Present day mysteries can read like the front page headlines of the morning newspaper. By the last chapter of a mystery, people usually reap what they’ve sown. One fun thing about writing mysteries is that you get to play God (a little.) Unlike real life, you can duly reward the good guy every time and make the bad guy pay!
The following sixteen chapters will show you how to construct a mystery. This includes the development of heroes, victims and villains, plotting and planting clues, creating the setting and scene of the crime—and then how to solve the mystery in a believable way.
Contents
Introduction: “Once Upon a Mystery”
Chapter One: “Amateur Sleuths: The Basics”
Chapter Two: “Amateur Sleuths: Tricky Traits”
Chapter Three: “Villains: the People You Love to Hate”
Chapter Four: “The Perfect Victim: Do’s and Don’ts”
Chapter Five: “Setting: Scene of the Crime”
Chapter Six: “Choosing Your Crime”
Chapter Seven: “Pre-Thinking Your Plot”
Chapter Eight: “Plots and Subplots”
Chapter Nine: “Avoid Plot Clichés Like the Plague”
Chapter Ten: “Planting Clues”
Chapter Eleven: “Climax and Denouement”
Chapter Twelve: “Finding Ideas for Mysteries”
Chapter Thirteen: “Killer Openings”
Chapter Fourteen: “The Magazine Mystery”
Chapter Fifteen: “Cracking the Case”
Chapter Sixteen: “The Mystery Notebook”
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE Only $7 (pdf)
Questions? Contact me here. (immediate direct download)
2 Comments »
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Right now, I’m neck-deep in writing a middle grade mystery novel. This is exactly what I needed. Thanks, Kristi. You’re awesome.
Comment by Brittney Breakey — June 11, 2011 @ 7:45 am
Thank you, Brittney. I think mysteries are one of the most fun things in the world to write! And they seem to never go out of style with kids of all ages. Best of luck to you–and thanks for the kinds words about the e-booklet.
Comment by Kristi Holl — June 12, 2011 @ 3:14 pm