Saturday, April 18, “Mastering the Mystery: Creating a Successful Series” via Zoom with award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen at the MWA Florida Chapter monthly meeting. Meet and Greet 12:00 noon. Speaker 12:30 – 1:30 pm ET. https://mwaflorida.org/meeting/ Want to write a mystery series but don’t know where to begin—or need fresh ideas to keep a … Read more
Some writers are excited to begin a new novel. The story idea is fresh and compelling. Characters can’t wait to jump off the page and display their personalities. The setting begs to come alive with details that make readers feel they’re there. It’s like starting a new school year eager to see what you’ll learn … Read more
When doing revisions to a novel, it’s important for writers to be consistent. What does this mean in terms of spelling for words such as “Alright” vs “All Right” when writing exposition or dialogue? According to various online dictionaries, it appears “All Right” was the original spelling. “Alright” has worked its way into our slang. … Read more
As a writer, setting goals each year will give you a path to follow. Each item you cross off your list will provide a sense of accomplishment. You might add new goals as you go along and find additional tasks to do. Each January, I set myself new creative and business-related writing goals. It’s time … Read more
In my previous post on the Five Stages of Writing, I mention Discovery, Writing, Revisions, Production and Marketing. Currently, I’m in the Discovery Stage for my next Keri Armstrong mystery. This is the process by which you discover your story. This prep time can take weeks or months, so be sure to factor this in … Read more
It’s uncanny how our fictional stories can sometimes relate to events in the news. Some mystery writers will purposefully include social issues and current news topics in their stories. For others, like me, it may be coincidental. [Spoiler Alert] In MURDER PAYS A CALL featuring personal concierge Keri Armstrong, I introduce a character who had … Read more
Writers can easily end up in a muddle at the middle of their story. The direction forward becomes unclear, and you’re not sure that what you have plotted so far will reach your projected word count or come to a satisfactory conclusion. This means it’s time to reassess what you’ve done so far. When you … Read more
Getting your manuscript ready for formatting means adding front and back material and completing your copyright page. For your copyright page, you’ll need the ISBN numbers for each edition. Make sure you have your book description, eBook cover, and author bio ready before you get started. You’ll need a separate ISBN number for digital, paperback, … Read more
What is the difference between Story versus Plot? A plot gives you the bones and structure for a novel, while the story is actually what takes place. Unless you’re a full-on Pantser, you won’t start the writing process until you have an outline or synopsis for what will occur. Before I begin writing a novel, … Read more
It’s advisable for mystery writers to give each character a secret that may or may not relate to the murder victim. This makes them suspicious in the sleuth’s viewpoint until she can unravel what it is they’re hiding. In Ladies of the ’80s: A Divas Christmas recent TV movie on Lifetime channel, five former soap … Read more