Tools for Mystery Writers emphasizes the rules that work well to create best-selling fiction. Also included is how to write from personality preference research and how to write from the upward gush of your character's infancy. A book of handy rules and research for all fiction writers of mystery, suspense, historical novels, stories, and scripts or plays. Also included is how to write about relationship issues in mystery and suspense fiction. How do mystery writers use personality research to develop and drive their characters and plots in novels and stories?

"Viktor Shklovsky's 1925 book Theory of Prose might have become the most important work of literary criticism in the twentieth century had not two obstacles barred its way: the crackdown by the Soviet dictatorship on Shklovsky and other Russian Formalists in the 1930s, and the unavailability of an English translation. Now translated in its entirety for the first time, Theory of Prose not only anticipates structuralism and post-structuralism, but poses questions about the nature of fiction that are as provocative today as they were in the 1920s. Arguing that writers structure their material according to artistic principles rather than from attempts to imitate "reality," Shklovsky uses Cervantes, Tolstoi, Sterne, Dickens, Bely, and Rozanov to give us a new way of thinking about fiction and, in his most impassioned moments, about the world. Benjamin Sher's lucid translation will allow Shklovsky's Theory of Prose to fulfill its destiny as a major theoretical work of the twentieth century." from back cover.

"Entertaining and authoritative, this alphabetically arranged companion is an indispensable reference guide to crime and mystery writing. Unique in its biographical and critical treatment of major detective writers, it is a comprehensive digest to the gen

Invited by bestselling authors Lee Child and Laurie R. King, seventy of the most successful mystery writers in the business contribute essays and tips on the craft of writing, How to Write a Mystery is an invaluable guide and a must-have for every level of mystery writers Topics Include: Before Writing (rules, genres, setting, character, research, etc.), While Writing (outlining, the plot, dialogue, mood, etc.), Other than Novels (short stories, true crime, etc.), Other Considerations (divers character, copyright, criticism, online platforms, etc.) Book jacket.

Get the Knowledge Without the College! You are a writer. You dream of sharing your words with the world, and you're willing to put in the hard work to achieve success. You may have even considered earning your MFA, but for whatever reason--tuition costs, the time commitment, or other responsibilities--you've never been able to do it. Or maybe you've been looking for a self-guided approach so you don't have to go back to school. This book is for you. DIY MFA is the do-it-yourself alternative to a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. By combining the three main components of a traditional MFA--writing, reading, and community--it teaches you how to craft compelling stories, engage your readers, and publish your work. Inside you'll learn how to: • Set customized goals for writing and learning. • Generate ideas on demand. • Outline your book from beginning to end. • Breathe life into your characters. • Master point of view, voice, dialogue, and more. • Read with a "writer's eye" to emulate the techniques of others. • Network like a pro, get the most out of writing workshops, and submit your work successfully. Writing belongs to everyone--not only those who earn a degree. With DIY MFA, you can take charge of your writing, produce high-quality work, get published, and build a writing career.

Mystery in history. A distressed widow. Greedy brothers. A huge farm dog. Argolicus unravels the threads. Solving a legal issue is just the beginning for Argolicus, all because his mother asked him to do her a favor. When he visits a widow to explain her inheritance rights, he discovers a family full of secrets and resentments. And hidden in those secrets is a death. A death that turns the family upside down. Repulsed by petty squabbles, he asks questions. Little does he know that his investigation will lead to discovering a murder. Poor and scrambling to make a living. the widow’s farming sons have few livestock, one farm dog, and a secret factory to make more money. When Argolicus demands to see the factory, he discovers racial prejudice, unfair pricing, and greed. Determined to bring the enterprise to a stop he drags the brothers to the factory. On the way back, a rest by a refreshing creek reveals a hidden crime. 5 Stars "Leaves you wanting more!" “The character of those times emerges on the page from the start...”

A sensitive and nuanced exploration of a seldom-discussed subject by an acclaimed novelist The fourteenth volume in the Art of series conjures an ethereal subject: the idea of mystery in fiction. Mystery is not often discussed—apart from the genre—because, as Maud Casey says, “It’s not easy to talk about something that is a whispered invitation, a siren song, a flickering light in the distance.” Casey, the author of several critically acclaimed novels, reaches beyond the usual tool kit of fictional elements to ask the question: Where does mystery reside in a work of fiction? She takes us into the Land of Un—a space of uncertainty and unknowing—to find out and looks at the variety of ways mystery is created through character, image, structure, and haunted texts, including the novels of Shirley Jackson, Paul Yoon, J. M. Coetzee, and more. Casey’s wide-ranging discussion encompasses spirit photography, the radical nature of empathy, and contradictory characters, as she searches for questions rather than answers. The Art of Mystery is a striking and vibrant addition to the much-loved Art of series.