Riley Adams's Blog

by Elizabeth S. Craig

We’ve all read mysteries where a thunderstorm conveniently knocks out the power just as the sleuth is about to make a breakthrough, or where fog rolls in to create the perfect atmosphere for a murder. Weather tropes can have their place, but can do more for a mystery than set a spooky scene.

Thoughtful use of weather can help with character development, create plot complications, establish timelines, and even provide some clues.

Weather and Character Development

How characters respond to weather conditions can reveal glimpses of their personalities, backgrounds, and hidden traits. There could be the retiree who still rises at dawn to check the frost on his garden. Or the transplanted Floridian who bundles up at the first hint of a chill. Or maybe the neighbor who tracks rainfall amounts when everyone else is rushing indoors to get out of the storm.

These weather-related characteristics feel natural while subtly reinforcing the traits that drive characters’ actions throughout the story.

Weather as Timeline Verifier

Weather events make great timeline markers that characters can’t easily lie about. This could be the sudden downpour that soaked everybody at the farmers market or the surprise hailstorm that damaged cars in the school parking lot.

These events create fixed points to verify alibis or expose inconsistencies. “If you were really walking home at 3 PM, why weren’t your shoes muddy from the cloudburst?”

Climate and Regional Identity

Weather doesn’t just happen in a mystery, but shapes the community where your story unfolds. Local weather patterns influence your setting’s culture, economy, and social rhythms.

In my books, which are set in the South, hot weather can make a graveside funeral uncomfortable, mourners grouchy, or make folks a little more candid.

Moving Beyond the Thunderstorm

Here are a few alternate weather scenarios:

Morning ground fog that makes travel trickyAn early heat wave that affects personalities and moodsPersistent drizzle that keeps characters indoors

Weather can affect moods, decisions, and activities. How do you use weather in your books? Do you notice it as a reader?

Weather as Plot Device in Mysteries
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Sarah Wynn-Williams Share Freedom to Publish Award at the 2026 British Book Awards: by Andrew AlbaneseMother’s Day Mysteries: by Janet RudolphWhat We Lose When We Gamify Reading: by Marissa LevienThe Connection Between Reading and Hearing: by Debbie BurkeSick with Suspense: Six Thrillers That Feature Contagions and Pandemics: by Alice MartinBooks are Just as Bad and as Good as They’ve Ever Been: @philathans.bsky.socialPlay Isn’t the Opposite of Discipline: by Susan WattsWhen Dark and Sensitive Content Is Worth It: by Chris WinkleWhen I Stopped Writing My Novel — and How I Found My Way Back: By En Hui YeLet the messages emerge from characters and story – how journalist Alice Wright switched to novels: @rozmorris.bsky.socialWhat Being a Professional Athlete Taught Me About Writing—and What It Didn’t: by James HibbardLet Your Work Reflect a Little Joy: by James R. PrestonOn Harsh Feedback: By Cindy EastmanTom Gauld on the haters: Too Many Story Ideas? Try This: by Colleen M. Story3 Debut Novelists on Writing the Unconscious and Unconventional: by Jan Saenz, Lisa Lee, and Albertine ClarkeIt’s not laziness when you’re not writing: by Daphne Gray-GrantBreaking Free from the Action Fallacy: by Rochelle MelanderWhen the Comments Section Is Challenging: by Lea Page @janefriedman.comThe Book Spending Spiral: by Sally CollingsHow Being a Former Gossip Reporter Made Me a Better Writer: by Juliet IzonIt Only Gets Harder From Here: by Meg DowellThe Relationship Between the Police and PIs in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg.bsky.socialWhat Kind of Mystery is That Anyway? by Mike MartinWhen Other Authors Pick Up the Torch to Write Loved Characters After the Death of the Creators: @mkinberg.bsky.socialIn The Spotlight: Jerry Brooks’ You’re So Wrong: A Boston Crime Novel: @mkinberg.bsky.socialHow to Use Podcast Guesting to Promote Your Nonfiction Book: by Oona Metz @janefriedman.comSeven Musts for Dominating a Space Battle: by Oren AshkenaziYou’ve Written a Pilot Script — What Next? by Katy SegroveNo Stars, or: Are We Reviewing Ourselves to Death? by Lucie BritschHow Do You Know If You’re Ready to Query? from Fox Print EditorialBook Festival Scams, Interview Fakes: Two New AI-Driven Impersonation Scams to Avoid: @victoriastrauss.com‘Intuitive, Sure-Footed, and High Quality’ Define the Winners of Translation Prizes: by Erin L. CoxEvil People Unite: Villain Alliances: by Charles Yallowitz7 Tips to Villain Alliances: by Charles YallowitzHow to Write Authentic Character Behavior: by Angela AckermanCharacter Coping Mechanism Thesaurus Entry: Overindulging: by Becca PuglisiTop 10 Women in Male-Dominated Character Archetypes: by Lucy V. HayTheme: A Round-Up of Advice, from Sam Abell to William Butler Yeats: by Paula MunierBase Your Story Structure on Principles, Not Systems: by Tiffany Yates MartinBenjamin Hale on How to Expand a Magazine Article Into a Book: Using Contradictions to Create Microtension: by C.S. LakinThe Two Things Every Novel Needs: by James Scott BellInclude the audience: by Erik BorkAgainst Ageism in Fiction: By Valerie SaulTayari Jones on Speaking in Metaphor: Ferdinand Magellan and the Hero’s Journey: by Kay DiBiancaComparisons as Predictable as the Sunrise: by Russell SamoraHow Much Does Canon Matter? from MythcreantsOoo La La: 5 Steps to Write Uncomfortable Scenes: by Jami GoldReality…But Better: Never Let Facts Get in the Way of Fiction: By Matthew NormanIs My Story Working? by April DávilaAdvice on Research: by Dale Ivan SmithUsing Contradictions to Create Microtension: by C.S. Lakin7 Things No One Tells You About Becoming an Author: By Rachel Warmath

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by Mike Martin, @mike54martin

People often ask me what kind of mysteries are the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries. And I stumble and fumble and give them one of a variety of answers. My go-to is that it is a light mystery series, almost cozy, but not quite because I have a professional policeperson as my protagonist, but it’s not really a police procedural. Mostly because I don’t know enough about the actual procedures. So, what kind of mystery is it? Good question.

My research using Mister Google reveals at least 60 different types of mysteries. I won’t list them all, but there’s the egg variety. That is hard-boiled, soft-boiled and sometimes medium-boiled as well. Noir is another popular mystery sub-genre. They are a little tough, both in topic and character. One sub-subgenre is Nordic Noir, which is even a little darker.

Police procedurals are another popular type of mystery. They focus on a team of professionals solving crimes using procedures and techniques often utilized by police. Their sister or brother sub-genre is Forensic, which uses scientific methods to solve crimes, often with a protagonist who is a medical examiner or forensic pathologist.

Then, there are Thrillers and legal-type mysteries as well as mysteries that focus on specific things or activities. That might be Culinary mysteries, Historical mysteries which are set in the past, or Supernatural and Paranormal mysteries. And of course, there is what is called Traditional or classic mysteries, although no one really knows exactly what they are but Agatha Christie is held up as a prime example.

But perhaps the biggest and fastest growing sub-genre of mysteries is the Cozy mystery. These have a number of guidelines that often include an amateur protagonist set in smaller towns or communities and there is no overt sex or gratuitous violence. Think about bloodless crimes and you’ll be on the right track.

That’s not all, not by a long shot. Under the Cozy framework you will find subsets of animals like cats and dogs, books, bookstores and libraries, as well as craft and hobbies. And mystery series set in the American South, like Elizabeth Spann Craig’s, the British Highland or Lowlands or Midlands. Which brings me back to the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries, set in Grand Bank, Newfoundland.

Maybe that’s the best answer of all. I write a light, pleasant mystery series set in what I believe is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. You can call it whatever you want, if you feel the need to categorize it. For me, I’m just writing stories that I hope readers will like and enjoy.

If I have confused you even more, I apologize. The bottom line for writers is to write what you like. For readers, it’s the same advice. I hope you will like the Sgt. Windflower Mysteries. But if not, there’s sure to be a series and a variety of mystery to suit you and bring you the reading pleasure you seek. Happy reading!

Mike Martin is the author of the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series set in beautiful Grand Bank, Newfoundland on the easternmost tip of Canada. The latest book is A Change in Plans. Available now from Amazon.

What kind of mystery are you writing—or reading? by @mike54martin :
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. :) 00

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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethspanncraig.com

I use Draft2Digital for a lot of different things: formatting, distributing to multiple retailers, and entering promo opportunities. What I love most is that it handles all the behind-the-scenes work without upfront fees. It’s become my go-to tool for getting books where readers can find them, no matter which store they prefer.

Draft2Digital for Distribution

The platform distributes to Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, libraries, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and dozens of other retailers worldwide. I do go to Amazon directly, but using D2D for my dashboard for the other retailers is a big time-saver. Instead of uploading to each store individually, you upload once to Draft2Digital and they handle the rest. There’s no upfront cost, although they take a percentage of your royalties. I could manually upload to every retailer, but that would eat up hours every time I release a book. Draft2Digital saves me that time while ensuring consistent formatting across all platforms.

Books2Read: A Universal Book Link Solution

When you share a link to your book, readers shouldn’t have to navigate to find their preferred store. That’s where Books2Read comes in—it’s a Draft2Digital feature that creates a single, smart link for your book. When someone clicks it, they’re automatically directed to the correct version for their country and currency. So a reader in the UK gets sent to Amazon UK in British pounds, while a reader in Australia gets their local retailer. You get one link to share everywhere—your newsletter, social media, your website—and readers land exactly where they need to be. The system handles all the geo-tagging automatically, which means less work for you and a better experience for your readers.

Formatting and Distribution Together

I format my books there (formatting is free, even if you don’t publish the book through them), upload them, then distribute them to all my retailers. When readers find my books across different stores, they’re seeing consistent, professional formatting. There’s no scrambling to reformat for different platforms or worrying about whether my Apple version looks different from my Amazon version. Everything goes out clean and ready. The tools Draft2Digital offers are straightforward and don’t require upgrades to access.

Have you explored Draft2Digital’s distribution or Books2Read links yet?

Draft2Digital for formatting, distribution to multiple retailers, and universal book links with Books2Read:
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

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by Loretta Bushell

The most beloved fictional characters aren’t faultless heroes. They’re complex characters who feel real — they have flaws, quirks, likes, and dislikes.

Many authors turn to handpicked development questions to help them achieve greater character depth. Over on Reedsy Studio, we have hundreds of prompts for each character role. Here are five crucial questions to ask yourself about every significant character in your story.

1. How did their childhood shape them?

Admittedly, this first question’s not very original — but it is important, as any therapist will tell you, and it’s a key pillar of our own character profile template.

Why? When readers learn about a character’s past, it helps them understand their present choices, fears, and motivations. In Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, for example, Richard’s “boring” upbringing and strained relationship with his parents explain his desperation to fit in with the wealthy and sophisticated Ancient Greek students. He covets their acceptance so much, in fact, that — spoiler! — he chooses not to report them for murder.

Indeed, backstory is such a powerful tool that it can make readers feel sorry for even the most nefarious villains. In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff commits heinous crimes of domestic violence and kidnapping, but we still pity him when we think of the neglect, abuse, and discrimination he faced as a child.

Remember: it’s not only trauma that a person carries with them to adulthood. Think about the routines, habits, and values your character picked up from their parents or carers. In A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, for instance, Ove inherits his principles from his father — who taught him to always act honorably, rather than merely talking about taking action.

2. If they could change one thing about the world, what would it be, and why?

You can be sure that Ove’s answer to this question would be admirable. But what about your character’s response?

One of our 101 questions to ask any character, this prompt immediately reveals a person’s level of selfishness. Would they change something to benefit their personal agenda, or something that would make the whole world a better place?

Dive into the specifics to discover more about their priorities. Assuming your character is fairly selfless, for instance, which would be most important to them: world peace, an end to poverty, or a cure for cancer? The actual answer could be anything, but thinking about the reason will help you dive deeper into your character’s mind. Consider their past experiences, their loved ones, and/or any religious or cultural influences in their life.

Remember: your character’s answer might change over the course of the story or series. I’m not J.K. Rowling, but I imagine 10-year-old Harry Potter would just want a loving family, whereas an older Harry would wish Voldemort out of existence.

3. If they knew they only had one year (or month or day) left to live, how would they spend it?

On a related note, when Harry is on his way to die in Deathly Hallows, he uses the resurrection stone to summon echoes of loved ones who have gone before him. Chances are, such a stone doesn’t exist in your story world — but would your character also choose to spend their final moments with loved ones, or would they rather be alone?

This question, another one of our 101, is supposed to elicit a selfish answer, even from the noblest of heroes. It tells us who and what is most important to them.

But it also tells us how they would cope with knowledge of an ill-fated future. Would they live every day to the fullest, or fall into a depressive stupor? Would they pursue their romantic interest with renewed urgency, or would they think it kinder to distance themselves? Would they still chase their primary goal, or would it all seem pointless now? The answers to these questions will reflect your character’s resilience, determination, and outlook on life.

In John Green’s The Fault In Our Stars, Augustus and Hazel both face terminal illness, but deal with it differently. Hazel withdraws and tries to distance herself from Augustus so that he will hurt less when she is gone, whereas Augustus seizes the day, flying to Amsterdam and staging his own prefuneral. These actions reflect the teenagers’ underlying fears: Hazel is afraid of the pain she’ll cause those left behind, while Augustus is afraid of fading into oblivion.

4. What’s something they still need to forgive themselves for?

Even teenage cancer patients Hazel and Augustus have regrets, mostly about not making the most of every moment. All multidimensional characters will have flaws and regrets — though they may not be self-aware enough to regret their flaws.

This question divides characters into two: those who need to forgive themselves for a genuinely bad deed, and those carrying misplaced guilt. Amir from Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is an example of the former: at 12, he stood by as his friend was assaulted and said nothing. Starr from Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give falls into the latter category: it’s not her fault that the police killed her friend, but she thinks she could have done something to change his fate. While Amir is aware of his own failings, Starr’s inability to see the truth is a flaw in itself.

Besides highlighting one of your character’s weaknesses, this question lets you explore how strongly they cling to the past. Does their guilt torture them constantly or only occasionally, and do they ultimately manage to forgive themselves? If so, what act of redemption or change in thought pattern allows them to move on? In Amir’s case, he makes strides toward redemption when he rescues his old friend’s son and gets badly beaten instead of running away again.

5. Which words or phrases do they overuse?

Our final question helps you craft a distinct voice for every major player in your story, allowing readers to recognize who’s talking even when there are no dialogue tags.

Some authors use this trick to make their characters memorable beyond the realm of their book. If I say “phony,” whom do you think of? Probably Holden Caulfield, if you’ve read The Catcher in the Rye. And “old sport” is practically Gatsby’s catchphrase.

Be careful not to overdo it (unless for deliberate comedic effect). You probably know people who overuse certain slang phrases, fillers, or swear words. Try to draw inspiration from these individuals to keep the frequency of the overused expressions realistic.

After these five development questions, you should know your characters much better. But there’s always more to discover, so keep on asking!

Five questions to ask about every significant character in your story. Guest post by Loretta Bushell via @ReedsyHQ
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Loretta Bushell writes for Reedsy , a marketplace that connects authors with top publishing professionals. If she only had one month left to live, she would rent out a soft play center and invite all her friends and family along.

The post 5 Key Development Questions to Bring Your Characters to Life appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

LitLinks are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 70,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you’re there, check out the Writer’s Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here. Follow the WKB on Facebook here.

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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethspanncraig.com

Complex murder schemes might seem clever, but they often backfire with readers who prefer believable motives and realistic methods. The best mysteries feel like they could actually happen.

Ground Motives in Human Nature

The strongest murder motives come from universal emotions like greed, jealousy, fear, revenge, or desperation. A killer who murders for a million-dollar inheritance feels more believable than someone with an elaborate scheme involving ancient curses. Even unusual motives should connect to recognizable human feelings. Readers need to understand why someone would risk everything to commit murder.

Keep Methods Accessible

Poison requiring a chemistry degree or murder weapons that need special training can make plots feel unrealistic. Simple methods often work better: a push down the stairs, a convenient allergy, or basic household items used harmfully. The method should feel like something an ordinary person could conceive and execute under pressure, not a masterpiece of criminal engineering.

Limit the Number of Twists

Too many revelations exhaust readers and strain credibility. If the victim was secretly married to three different people while running an art forgery ring and blackmailing the mayor, you’ve probably gone too far. One or two significant secrets can drive your plot without piling on complications that require increasingly elaborate explanations.

Make Timing Realistic

Things take as long in fiction as they do in real life. Characters can’t cross town in five minutes during rush hour, and complicated schemes need adequate setup time. If your killer needs to establish an alibi, plant evidence, and dispose of a weapon, make sure the timeline allows for all of that without superhuman efficiency or impossible coincidences.

Test Your Plot Against “Would I Believe This?”

Here’s what helps me: stepping back and asking whether my mystery would convince me if I read it as a news story. If the answer is no, it’s worth simplifying. Real crimes often succeed because they’re straightforward, not because they’re brilliantly complex. Sometimes the most obvious suspect really is guilty, and that’s perfectly fine if you’ve built a solid case around understandable motives.

A simple, well-executed mystery trumps an overly complicated one every time.

What helps you keep your mysteries grounded and believable?

5 ways to keep your mystery plots believable and grounded in realistic human behavior:
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by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

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