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Mystery Writing

Mystery Writing. Mystery Story Skeleton. How to Plan Your Mystery Story. Definitions to Learn and to Use in Your Writing. People. 1. Sleuth: “private eye”/private investigator/detective investigating the case.

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Mystery Writing

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  1. Mystery Writing

  2. Mystery Story Skeleton How to Plan Your Mystery Story

  3. Definitions to Learn and to Use in Your Writing People 1. Sleuth: “private eye”/private investigator/detective investigating the case 2. Sidekick: ”helper,” person/animal who helps detective investigate the crime 3. Victim: person to whom the crime happened 4. Snitch: person who tells on someone else 5. Suspect: a person who may be involved in the crime 6. Witness: someone who saw what happened 7. Culprit: person who committed or assists in the crime 8. Fugitive: person running from the law 9. Secondary Source: witness who has information s/he heard from someone else

  4. Definitions to Learn and to Use in Your Writing (cont.) Technical Terms 10. Crime: illegal act that is committed 11. Clues: pieces of the puzzle that help solve the mystery 12. Lead: information or clues concerning the case 13. Interrogate: to ask questions related to the crime 14. Alibi: proof that a suspect was nowhere near the crime 15. Evidence: something that helps prove who the criminal is 16. Deduction: using the facts to infer a conclusion

  5. A red herring is a false clue or lead. The phrase means “camouflage” and comes from the process of curing a herring (type of fish). When a herring is salted and smoked slowly over a wood fire, it turns a dark reddish brown color and gains a strong flavor and scent. The smell is so strong that it overwhelms other scents. According to some old tales, red herrings were pulled across the trail of hounds to confuse and throw them off the trail. Sometimes writers of detective fiction deliberately “fake-out” readers by planting misleading clues—known as red herrings.

  6. Elements of a Mystery • A crime • Variety of characters • Clues • Suspense and tension • Solution

  7. Where will the story take place? Will it be in the city where you live or somewhere else? Writing about someplace you can picture is easier. Use the five senses to help describe the setting. When will the story take place? Will your story take place in the present or past? Will your story take place all in one day or over a longer time? Choose the Setting for Your Story

  8. Cast of Characters • Make a list of the people in your story. • The main character is most important. • Minor characters may help the main character, or they may prevent the main character from solving the mystery.

  9. So, Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover! While appearances can work both for and against detectives who are solving mysteries, character traits can do the same. 1. What are the sleuth’s physical traits? 2. List some of his/her positive character traits. How do these strengths enable your sleuth to be a good detective?

  10. 4. List some of his/her negative character traits. 6. Which of your sleuth’s character traits can be either strengths or weaknesses depending on the situation? 7. How do these strengths and/or weaknesses contribute to the successes and failures he or she encounters while trying to solve the mystery?

  11. Villains Sleuths may face the same opponent many times or a different one each time. Complete the following. 1. Character traits—what makes this villain a personality or character? 2. List the character traits that contribute to this villain’s strengths. 3. List the character traits that contribute to this villain’s weaknesses. 4. What does the villain value most? Why?

  12. Means The prime suspect must have had a way to commit the crime. Motive The prime suspect must have had a reason to commit the crime. Opportunity The prime suspect must have had the chance to commit the crime. Three Rules of Crime Solving

  13. Grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read the rest of the story. Begin with action, and with something interesting happening at the beginning. Starting with a conversation or someone talking is another way to make your story come to life right away. Write Your First Sentence

  14. Elaborate then Elaborate More • “Don’t say the old lady screamed. Bring her on and let her scream.” –Mark Twain • Elaboration strategies: anecdotes, scenario, examples, definitions, descriptions, details, dialog, quotations, statistics, facts, reasons.

  15. Ideas for Your Mystery • Mysteries are not necessarily murders. Other mysteries include burglaries, hacking, forensics, identity theft, lies, and espionage. • You may write a story using another author’s detective; this may help you with characterization • You might also be inspired by a real incident that has happened. • Use the mystery books that you have read as recipes for your story if you have no ideas of your own.

  16. More ideas • Anagrams and other codes to decipher may add difficult twists to the plot. • Plot twists and surprise endings might make your story more interesting. • Do NOT use real-life people as characters- even with permission. • Celebrities may be mentioned but not killed or guilty of any crimes. • ASK FOR HELP if you are struggling or need clarification

  17. Conflict • WHODUNNIT? What is the mystery? What is the problem that your main character will have to solve? • Is someone or something missing? • Did someone steal something? • Was there a murder?

  18. Wait . . .what? • Know how your story will end before you begin to write it. It's easy to begin writing and surprise yourself on every page, then discover that in the middle of your story you've written yourself into a box. Think over various solutions to your character's problem,

  19. Rising Action • Rising action is the steps between learning there is a mystery and finding the solution. • List these events in order, but stop right before the mystery is solved. • Develop suspense with clues. • Red herrings are clues that lead the reader to suspect the wrong person. • One clue must be the key to solving the crime.

  20. Climax • This is the moment when the mystery is solved. • The climax is the solution to the mystery. • This is the moment you have been waiting for!

  21. Resolution • This is the end of the story – the last paragraph or two. • The resolution ties up the loose ends. • Tell the reader any details the reader needs to know to understand how the mystery was solved. • It should be obvious that this is the end of the story. (Do not say “The End.”)

  22. Mission: Possible Your mission—and you must accept it—is to create a “Wanted” poster for the villain in your novel. • Include the following: • a picture/illustration of the suspect (large enough to be seen from a distance) • suspect’s name and alias, if applicable • physical description of the suspect • the offense of which the villain is accused • the trouble the offense has caused • where the suspect was last seen • warnings the public should be aware of • whom to call with information • a reward consistent with the nature of the crime (Examples from last year are posted around the room.)

  23. WANTED! • For stealing the identities of the dead, blackmail, attempted murder, and murder • Has falsely inherited the money of a dead man, killed Ben after blackmailing him, deceived his wife and mother-in-law, and put Harry Harristeen and her pets in danger. • Tall, blond, handsome • Last seen in the company of Mim & Little Mim at Susan’s diner • Suspect is to be considered armed and dangerous • If you have any information, please call the FBI in Crozet, WV at (724) 555-1234 Fitz Fitzsimmons $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of “Mr. Little Mim.”

  24. Lesson #6 Solving the Mystery • Fact Something that cannot be disputed Ben Siefert is dead. • Assumption A guess Ben Siefert was murdered. • Inference A guess based on the facts Whoever murdered Ben Siefert has something to hide. • Deduction An educated guess Ben Siefert must have threatened to tell the killer’s secret.

  25. Clues • Fingerprints (dead man’s on steering wheel) • Suspicious items (matchbook at deserted farm) • Blood/Hair/Fabric • Personal items (earring found near crime scene) • Telephone calls • Footprints • What people say contradicts what we know happened

  26. Your turn! Write an expository entry which details the clues your sleuth followed to the solution to the mystery. This piece is based on cause and effect. Complete the Cause/Effect graphic organizer, and write your entry from there. Let’s do it together first!

  27. Cause Effect 1) Harry saw light at the deserted farmhouse next door. 1) Harry found footprints & matchbooks when she went to investigate. Also, a fire had been recently lit in the fireplace. Why? 2) Harry snoops around and finds out that he is a retired psychiatrist who dabbled in serial killers. His girlfriend was murdered. By whom? 2) New neighbor with suspicious past moves into Foxden. He’s a Yankee with no idea of Southern ways. 3) Ben Siefert’s dead body found in his car in Mim’s pond. 3) Harry is doubtful that Ben was drunk and drove his car into the pond. Suspicious fingerprints on the steering wheel get her more deeply involved in the investigation. Whose are they?

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