Write Your Own: Mystery

by Pie Corbett

Interactive ebook with 'Time to Write' and 'Writing Tips' waiting to be revealed at the press of a buttonLearn how to create your own mysterious characters, plant clues, set up great scenarios and end with the ultimate twistChapters include Puzzling Plots, Tricks of the Trade, Putting Pen to Paper and Editing and PublishingA good mystery keeps you guessing what's going to happen next. So why not write your own? This book gives you all you need to intrigue your readers and get them searching for clues.

Full of tips, advice and new ways of approaching creative writing, this is a handy guide for every aspiring writer.

48 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2004

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and informative…

This 48-page guide to writing your own mystery story is aimed at children – I’d guess from about age 8-12. It’s very well written, clearly laid out and not in the least patronising.

Corbett takes us through how to decide on a plot, developing the characters of villains and sleuths, evidence gathering, misdirection – all the ingredients of a classic mystery. Along the way, he gives lots of tips on the technical side of writing – using clauses effectively, simple similes and metaphors, the importance of vocabulary, sentence structure and the need to get the spelling right. But none of this is done in a preachy way; Corbett explains why these things make a story easier to read and more exciting. He gives copious examples throughout, showing how using different words or structures can enhance the story-telling experience. The book is illustrated with diagrams and some nice little pencil drawings by Peter bailey, and contains a glossary and index at the end.

Frankly, I think I’d have loved to get this little book when I was a child, along with a nice empty writing journal and pens. Who knows, I could have been the next Agatha Christie!?! In fact, there are many of our best-known authors who could benefit from being reminded of some of the basics included here – like making your protagonist likeable, for instance! (Or getting the book edited for grammar and spelling before publication…) Highly recommended.

But the proof of the pudding is in the eating… so, let’s see…

Plot…hmm…sleuth…OK…suspects…no problem…red herrings…right…cliffhanger…hmm…hmm…dramatic twist…uh-huh…right…here goes…

If you want to read my mysterious mystery, you’ll need to visit my blog… ;)

http://fictionfanblog.wordpress.com/2...

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher.

[Nick Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear and simple advice on writing mystery stories aimed at children upto sixteen. The writing is illustrated with comic scenes in small crosshatch ink drawings. There is practical advice to start writing e.g. keep a writing journal.

A classic mystery reading list includes Harry Potter and a work by Enid Blyton - ask your bookseller or librarian for reading recommendations. A simple program of study is advised to understand how experienced writers do it.

Advice on creating characters; the sleuth; suspects; the villain. Writing techniques; similes; metaphors; personification; alliteration; hooks. What to do when you get stuck. How to finish the story and resolve the mystery. How to check your story for mistakes. How to share your work with other people.

Conveniently, the review copy I read includes hypertext links for the glossary and cross-references. There are live web links for Young Writer (goes to an English education website), Stone Soup, Kids on the Net and Creative Writing 4 Kids (redirects to creativebug, a mainly commercial website, at the time of writing).

[Kasey Cocoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done introduction for children and teens learning how to write captivating mysteries. The wording was done in a way that didn't speak down to the reader and gave good examples as well as sources for great works. It also included some very good advice on how to wrap up your story and keep it interesting and readable from start to finish.

[Bill Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do I think? I think every parent of a young person should get this book. Who knows when the "I think I can make a story will hit". Be prepared with this great into book on writing a mystery. Thumbs way up!

[Miguel Lupián · Rating 5 out of 5]

Básicamente la misma estructura que el de Chillers, pero dedicada al misterio. Los consejos y ejemplos continúan siendo muy divertidos. Indispensable para los que imparten talleres de escritura con niños y jóvenes.