Writing Mystery & Thriller in 2025
Mysteries have long been a staple of commercial and upmarket fiction. Something about a crime scene, a detective, and a secret waiting to be uncovered holds timeless appeal for audiences of all ages. Balancing dozens of storytelling elements like suspense, plot twists, foreshadowing, stakes, and much more, the act of writing a mystery novel is almost as complex as tackling a mystery yourself! THE MYSTERY WRITING BUNDLE is your one-stop guide on everything to do with writing your Mystery novel. In these nine OnDemand webinars, forensic experts and bestselling authors share their knowledge on pacing, crime scenes, building suspense, plot twists, and more. Only in this bundle are these resources are available for 90% off their original value, totaled at $747.89. Save money and start plotting with the Mystery Writing Bundle now!
Products Included in the bundle:
Writer's Digest May/June 2024 Digital Edition
Conflict and emotion are at the heart of every story, fiction or nonfiction. In this issue, we cover topics ranging from how to present conflict and emotion differently based on age range or genre to how hot-button issues in the publishing industry affect writers (and how they can avoid those conflicts).
Features include:
+ The WD Interview: Alyssa Cole: The award-winning author of When No One Is Watching takes a deep dive on the role of conflict in stories and creating the complex characters in her newest thriller, One of Us Knows. By Jera Brown ($7.99 value)
Regardless of whether you plan your plot in advance or write by the seat of your pants, at some point the plot of your story must come into focus. But that can be challenging, and sometimes, no matter how much you outline, your plot can go in directions you didn’t see coming. In this 230+ page PDF, you’ll get plotting advice from 22 award-winning and bestselling authors about everything from starting your story better to creating cliffhangers to plotting out a series, and so much more. ($19.99 value)
Master Pacing: How Secrets, Twists, and Foreshadowing Amp Things Up
This OnDemand webinar will discuss what works in mystery, suspense, and thriller to keep the reader engaged and turning pages. Sometimes, your reader has to solve a puzzle and sometimes, you're trying to trick them. This will discuss which novels have done it well and give insights on where and how often to place clues. ($79.99 value)
Murder is no laughing matter, except when it is. We'll take a look at how to make murder delightful through the use of character motivations and circumstances, character quirks, dialogue, pacing, and stakes. We'll also study how to create a cozy setting around a murder--something which is easier than it sounds! ($79.99 value)
9 Keys to Writing a Chilling, Compelling, Totally Addictive Psychological Thriller
Using examples from her own writing as well as from other authors, Kate White, the New York Times bestselling author of ten psychological thrillers (and eight mysteries), will share the best tips she’s learned in her career. Included will be a totally fail-proof technique for making every scene gripping, a secret from a magician that can be used to devise perfect red-herrings, and her own special formula for creating jaw-dropping twists that readers don’t see coming. ($79.99 value)
Heroes vs. Anti-Heroes, the Ultimate Showdown
Writing characters who will force each other to fail, pivot, learn, and grow without disappointing the reader is a key to great storytelling. This session will discuss how we can do just that—create compelling, three-dimensional heroes and anti-heroes who are suitably matched and will keep readers enthralled until The End. ($79.99 value)
The Deadly Dozen: 12 Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot Writing a Crime Novel
Everyone makes mistakes, even writers. This presentation highlights 12 mistakes that authors make when writing a mystery novel, and provides guidance in how to avoid them, including how to handle coincidences, large casts of characters (and suspects), false starts, gathering clues, and more. Learn how to get off on the right foot, instead of shooting yourself there. ($79.99 value)
Person, Place, or Crime: Where to Start Your Mystery
Sometimes the hardest place to start a mystery is precisely there: the beginning. Is it better to start with a description of the setting? Introducing an engaging character? Revealing a heinous (or perhaps seemingly innocuous) crime? Mystery author C. Hope Clark, who has written more than a dozen mystery/thriller novels will lead writers through this essential part of writing mysteries. ($79.99 value)
How to Use Conflict and Stakes to Raise Suspense
Are you struggling with your novel? Have no idea what chapter should come next or where you should go? Chances are you need to apply structure and rising stakes. In this seminar, you'll learn the importance of the "inverted checkmark" for structure and rising stakes/action. We'll use Truman Capote's classic short story, "Miriam," as an example to see this structure in action. ($79.99 value)
How To Write An Effective Action Scene
A good action scene isn't just cool; it's about advancing story and revealing things about your characters. Learn how to write thrilling, pulse-pounding action with the kind of flair and clarity that will leave your reader breathless. Rob will draw on his background training in Krav Maga and Muay Thai to talk about things like the realities of violence, geography, and stakes. And he'll reveal why kung-fu movies and musicals are effectively the same thing, to help you understand the importance of placement, pacing, and storytelling. ($79.99 value)
The Long and Short Of Short Mystery Story Writing, Revision, and Submission
hort mystery fiction isn’t a relic of a romanticized past when pulp stories ruled. Outlets for short mystery stories in a variety of genres ranging from flash fiction under 1,000 words to 15,000-word novellas are alive and well. In this class, Andrew will offer tips and techniques for successfully conceiving, writing, revising, and publishing mystery short stories. He’ll discuss common pitfalls in the creation of short fiction, explore the elements that differentiate a story from a novel, and make suggestions for plotting, scene-setting, and character development unique to a 5,000-word story. Andrew will also provide an overview of today’s short story market and how to break into the multiple magazines and anthologies being published every year. ($79.99 value)
