The Weekend Novelist Writes A Mystery
by Robert J. Ray
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Description
Like Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler, Sara Paretsky and Thomas Harris, you, too, can learn the trade secrets of quality detective fiction. It's true. Just one year from now, you can deliver a completed mystery novel to a publisher--by writing only on weekends. Authors Robert J. Ray and Jack Remick guide you through the entire mystery-writing process, from creating a killer to polishing off the final draft. Each weekend you'll focus on a specific task--learning the basics of show more novel-writing, the special demands of mystery-writing, and the secrets professionals use to create stories one scene at a time, building to a shivery, satisfying climax. Using Agatha Christie's The Body in the Library as a model for the classical mystery tale and Martin Cruz Smith's Gorky Park for the hard-boiled mystery, this unique step-by-step program gives you all the information you need to reach your ultimate goal: a finished book in just 52 weeks! Let two successful masters of the genre show you how... Discover: Why you must create your killer first The tricks to writing dialogue that does it all--moves your plot, involves your reader, and makes your style sizzle How to "bury" information (and corpses) for your reader to find Why you should NOT build your book around chapters Special techniques for clearing writer's block Plus: examples from Sue Grafton, Dashiell Hammett, Patricia Cornwell, Thomas Harris, Raymond Chandler, and more. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Excellent! First book to teach me how to write a mystery in a step by step approach that appeals to the outliner.
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Author Information
16 Works 1,054 Members
Robert J. Ray is the author of eight novels, five in the Matt Murdock Mystery series. A resident of Seattle, Washington, he runs writing workshops and formerly taught writing for the University of Washington's School of Distance Learning Bret Norris, founder of the Norris Literary Agency, has extensive experience both as a writer and editor of show more creative manuscripts show less
Common Knowledge
- Dedication
- For Margot and Helen
- First words
- Introduction: The world of mystery writing is a vibrant and exciting place.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Final draft is your chance to use the power of language to make your writing a memorable experience for your reader.
Classifications
- DDC/MDS
- 808.3872 — Literature & rhetoric Literature, rhetoric & criticism Composition Rhetoric of fiction Genre writing Mysteries, horror, westerns, science fiction and fantasy Writing mysteries
- LCC
- PN3377.5 .D4 .R39 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Prose. Prose fiction Technique. Authorship
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 193
- Popularity
- 169,047
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.47)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 1
