Mystery 101: Course Syllabus

Objective: Students completing this course will be able to identify at least three key elements needed to write a mystery. AND REMEMBER FOLKS...THIS IS ALL IN FUN...BUT YOU WILL LEARN!
See last week's post for glimpse of Whodunnit U by clicking HERE.

	Assignments (Bookmark these for future reference)
Intro	Read “Top 10 Rules for Mystery Writing” by Ginny Wiehardt http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/genrefiction/tp/mysteryrules.htm This post is a great introduction to mystery writing.
Plot	Read Dramatic Structure and Plot…or how to keep your story from circling the drain by Hallie Ephron http://mysterywriters.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Ephron_-_Plotting_-_Website.pdf I like this article because it gives great tips for creating a plot with rising tension and ultimate confrontation.
Characters	Taking the Mystery Out of Writing Mysteries by Dennis Palumbo http://www.writersstore.com/taking-the-mystery-out-of-writing-mysteries/ This is a super post about character development. Think about your own protagonist and antagonist. The characters are every bit as important as the plot when it comes to writing a mystery.
Strategy	Understanding the Essentials of Writing a Murder Mystery https://www.standoutbooks.com/essentials-writing-murdermystery/ Don’t let the title fool you. This post is all about strategy. I have often thought that charting the storyline of a mystery can be likened to solving a maze. Hint: Start with the end. The twists and turns and dead ends are what make the story interesting.
Homework	Your assignment is to draft a short story mystery. Play with it. Have fun. Roll the idea around in your brain and let it spill out onto paper. It belongs to you. No one needs to read it except you.  But….we at Whodunnit U expect you to draft a 110 characters or less descriptor of your idea. A few examples are below.

Here are a few examples of your short story assignment:

Example 1: Would let a stranger in your house? What if he were the repairman? And what if he let himself in?

Example 2: The witness said the man had a mustache. The cowhands all have a mustache. Except one. But can he be trusted?

Example 3: Tim stared at the diamond on Jen's hand. Only one ring like it in the world. The one he buried with Susan.

Got it?…now let’s hear those crazy ideas. Leave your descriptor in the comment section below.