10 Tips For Writing A Mystery Novel

by Marilyn Henderson

Mystery and suspense novels are the most popular and biggest selling genre today. Once considered "escape" fiction not to be taken seriously, mysteries today dominate bestseller lists, book clubs, writers and fans organizations and specialty bookstores across the nation. The Internet has opened an entire new area for mystery fans, writers and those who want to write. Typing "mystery writing" into Google brings up almost three million results. Today, mysteries are big business and an important part of publishing.

If you have ever considered writing a mystery novel, now is the time to do it. If you are serious about wanting to publish your novel, here are ten tips to put you on the right track.

1. Make sure your idea is different enough to capture an editor's attention. Editors read dozens of queries and submissions as part of their jobs. They also know what other publishing houses have out or underway. Unless you come up with a new twist, a unique character or an intriguing setting for your story, your chamnces of having it read are slim. Incorporating all three is even better, but make sure they work together to heighten the drama and suspense.
   
   
2. Know before you begin which subgenre your idea fits. Read and study published novels in that subgenre with special attention to what common elements they have and what differences. Readers expect different things in a cozy than they do in a private investigator or action/adventure story. Know the audience you're writing for.
   
   
3. Do some research. List everything in your story that needs to be authentic: police work, law, government agencies, a character's profession or job, an historic time period or place, flora and fauna, etc. If you use it in your book, somewhere someone will catch you if you make a mistake. Mistakes destroy the author's credibility and reputation. You don't need to research extensively before you begin writing, but you should know if what you plan to use will work and where you can get more information about it.
   
   
4. Limit your viewpoint characters to as few as you need to tell the story. Three to six are enough; more than that scatter the focus of your plot and the reader's attention. Use only one viewpoint for each scene or chapter. Viewpoint hopping ruins suspense and weakens the story.
   
   
5. Suspense is not an accident, it's a plan. Plan your action so the suspense escalates as the story progresses. The better you do this, the faster the reader will keep turning the pages. Give him a moment or two to breathe from time to time, but never let him relax completely.
   
   
6. Make sure every scene has a purpose. Every scene must move the plot forward or help develop a character who is important to the plot. Characters can't go places or do things without reasons. Where they go and what they do must have a purpose in the story.
   
   
7. Hook your reader in the first sentence, paragraph or chapter. If you don't, why should he read further? The more tempting the bait, the harder it will be for him to put down the book.
   
   
8. Have some surprises for your reader. Developing strong subplots affords good opportunities to do this. If you've read it before, the reader probably has, too. Think outside the box.
   
   
9. Tie up all subplot lines. If you started it, you must finish it. Subplots can end with the character winning, losing, or even compromising as long as it's a satisfactory choice for the character and not a cop out for the author.
   
   
10. Make sure your finale is the tensest and most dramatic scene of the book so it was worth waiting for. Your reader has invested considerable time reaching this point and expects to be rewarded by a terrific ending. Don't disappoint him.