I've always loved a mystery. And not just books either.
Along with my well-worn copies of mystery novels by Chandler, Block,
and the Macdonalds (Ross and John D.), I also treasure my videos of
old "Columbo" and "Magnum, P.I." episodes, and
I always stop to watch "Murder, She Wrote" whenever I'm on
the couch, channel surfing. Though I think that she's around when so
many murders occur, that she is either the world's greatest amateur
detective, or the most cunning serial killer in history.
So, for my first novel, the natural choice for me was to write a mystery.
Of course, starting any large piece of writing like a novel can be
frightening. It can even paralyze you, as you look at the blank screen
(or blank piece of paper in your Royal typewriter) and think, "I
have to come up with around 70,000 or so words?!" I know that
before I started my first novel, I thought that I wasn't up to the
task, that novels were something that "other," "real" writers
did.
But I eventually started. Though I don't pretend to know all the answers
(I believe a writer should never stop learning), by reading all the
how-to books, reading a few hundred mystery novels, and talking to
a few other mystery writers as well, I think I can help you, too. This
isn't a definitive guide, but it will certainly help you as it helped
me. Little by little, the entire process begins to make sense, becomes
less daunting, and, believe it or not, becomes more fun.
Tip #1: Just start the novel.
That's the big secret. You have to actually start the book, even if
you don't know where it's going or what's going to happen.
Tip #2: A good, clean, correctly formatted manuscript is essential.
Of course, this is true for all writing, whether it's a novel, an
article, or a recipe column for your local advertiser. But for novels,
it's especially true. Double-space your manuscript. 10 or 12 point
type. White laser or inkjet paper (not onionskin or paper that smudges
easily). Send it loose in a manuscript box (unless the agent or publisher
asks for just a chapter or two, in which case you can go the paper
clip route). Word count in the upper right hand corner of the title
page, title and author centered, page numbers in the upper right hand
corner of the other pages. Spell the editor/publisher's name correctly.
And, please, no jelly stains or fingerprints.
I've been an editor, and if a writer handed in something in the wrong
format or didn't spell my name correctly or addressed it in a general
way, I immediately threw it away without reading it. And enjoyed doing
so. There's no excuse for that.
Tip #3: Outline your plot.
Many mystery writers (including myself) do not work from an outline
for the entire novel, but I find it helps if I at least jot down a
skeleton-like structure of various scenes and transitions. They will
probably change as the book goes along, but at least you'll have a
base to work from.
Tip #4: First person or third? Whatever you want.
This is always the big debate, isn't it? Which viewpoint to use? It's
especially debated in mystery circles. Most mysteries are written in
the first person, though the downsides are obvious: your hero has to
be present on every page, the reader has to collect clues and realize
things at the same time as the hero, and the constant use of the word "I" may
put some readers off (though I've never bought that argument - mystery
readers know the format of the genre and eat up first person mysteries).
Third person advantages are many: you can get into the minds of various
characters, and you can have scenes where the hero is not involved.
I chose first person for my first mystery, because it's what I write
in for my essays, humor columns, and some of my non-fiction. First
person comes naturally to all of us, so many first mysteries are written
this way. Though at some point you will want to write your next novel
or short story in the third person.
As for multi-viewpoint, don't even try that with your first mystery.
Tip #5: Create good characters, not just two-dimensional stick figures
to propel the plot.
To create characters, I'm one for the old trick of creating little
descriptions of each character: height, weight, job, hobbies, personality,
work history, demeanor, friends, hangouts, hang-ups, etc. It gives
you a good idea of what to do with your characters. Be consistent with
the way the character talks and how he reacts to events in the book.
And don't give similar names to your characters, like Bill and Bob
and Bret. Don't confuse the reader.
Tip #6: To write good dialogue, don't listen to people talking to
each other.
Dialogue on the page doesn't sound like real-life dialogue. Real-life
dialogue is boring, filled with mistakes, and "tells" much
too much. And be careful of "he said." It breaks up the rhythm
of the dialogue, especially if it's repeated too often.
Typical real life dialogue:
Joe: "Hey Ed, how are you?" Ed: "Fine, what's up?" Joe: "Great.
How's your job going?" Ed: "It's OK. But I'm looking for
something else that pays more." Joe: "Yeah, me too. What
type of job are you looking for?" Ed: "I don't know." Joe: "Me
either." Ed: "Wanna go get something to eat." Joe: "That
sounds good." Ed: "Where do you want to go?" Joe: "I
don't know...what time is it?"
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Dialogue on the written page has to involve more action,
not only in the dialogue itself but in the descriptive paragraphs or
narrative that should be inserted somewhere into the above conversation.
Don't let dialogue go on too long without breaking it up.
Tip #7: The best way to learn how to write a mystery? Read them.
In fact, devour as many as you can. Learn from the masters: Lawrence
Block, Ross Macdonald, Raymond Chandler, Sue Grafton, James Ellroy,
Steven Womack, Robert Crais, Jeremiah Healy, Donald Westlake. In fact,
I'll go one step further: I think it's good to read ALL types of novels,
not just in your genre. Good writing is good writing.
Tip #8: Write every day. Get a routine. Stick with it.
If you are a writer who writes every single day, whether in a journal,
a notebook, or for clients, then you are way ahead of the person who
wants to write a novel but doesn't have the discipline. Many people
see a writing career as "flexible" and "spontaneous" and "idealistic," and
all the other arty stuff. They don't want to be forced to write for
a certain number of pages or hours a day. But if you get a daily routine
(for me it's the early morning, when the world is quieter and I can
get things done), you'll see your writing increase and improve. If
you write a page or two a day, you'll be surprised how fast you can
finish the first draft of your novel (and, believe me, that first draft
will not be your finished product).
Tip #9: Don't edit as you write.
It just gets in the way of the flow and energy of your writing, especially
with a long piece of fiction like a novel. Save all the editing for
the next day, where you can edit the previous day's prose. Not only
will you get more done, you'll FEEL as if you're getting more done.
Get that first draft done, and you won't find the editing and revision
to be too much of a chore. Besides, when people ask you if your book
is done, you can give them the old, "yeah, I just have to edit
it a little more," and you won't be lying!
Tip #10: Some clichés are true, like the one that says, "writing
is rewriting."
Nothing you read, whether it's a mystery novel, a humor column, an
investigative piece, or a short story, is published exactly as it was
written the first time. There's a lot of revision and editing that
is done. I used to dread revision, but now I look at it as a way to
really clean up messy, unclear, or repetitive prose.
Of course, the steps above are just 10 ways to help you do what you
ultimately have to do, which is to actually write the book. When you
get right down to it, the best advice comes from Robert B. Parker,
author of the Spenser books, when he was asked for his advice on writing
and submitting a mystery novel:
"Write it and send it in."
