A mystery is only as good as the suspects that keep the reader guessing. In this blog, I explore what it takes to craft a good suspect and how to use them to your advantage in unraveling your cozy mystery narrative.
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There’s no getting around it—death is different in a cozy mystery. If a character’s death is a major plot point in your cozy mystery, use these tips to add umph to your death scenes and ensure you aren’t turning away your genre’s readers.
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A first draft is just that—first. Not final. Thus, self-editing needs to commence. From your plot to the details, this blog article outlines the basics of self-editing your cozy mystery.
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Cozy mysteries may seem to have the same features, but they can span a wide range of topics and interests. Explore seventeen subcategories for your cozy mystery in this blog article.
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Every cozy needs a memorable protagonist. And crafting the perfect sleuth to investigate your crime requires a few staple ingredients. Let's explore what makes this genre's characters special and how to make your hero stand out.
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Cozy mysteries as a genre have some expectations around their antagonists that highlight the unique aspects of the genre, such as the tone and community-focus. Read my article on understanding these expectations and approaching writing a cozy killer.
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What makes a great twist on classic creatures from folklore? We all know versions of fantasy or paranormal or fairy tales where the mermaids can walk on land when dry or the dragons breathe water instead of fire. Read my article on how to balance adding your own flare to a cultural icon while keeping something like a dragon, mermaid, or ghost recognizable to the audience.
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Old clock towers, enchanted forests, speeding trains, there are numerous fictional settings that grab readers imagination and immerse them in the story. A strong setting will pop off the page and complement both the plot and characters. Check out this article on how to play with different setting elements in fantasy and cozy mysteries to bring your story to the next level.
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Romantic subplots are common in genre fiction, but take different strategies to shape. Some writers may struggle to connect the romantic development to the plot development, and thus make the romance feel like an afterthought. Check out this list of romantic subplot ideas that marry the plot to the romantic development for fantasy and cozy mystery stories.
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Finding the right book can spark someone's love of reading at any point in their life and many different types of books means many chances to do just that. Young adult (YA) lit. has come a long way in terms of genre diversification, but there is still room for more. Read my article on how cozy mystery and high fantasy are two subgenres that could help grow the YA category.
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Cozy mysteries are known for often having bloodless murders that need solving. However, more than one kind of crime can be featured in your cozies to engage readers. Try one of these twenty ideas to star in your whodunnits.
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Most genre norms are tropes, which aren’t requirements. They aren’t requirements, because there are so many that you can’t include them all. Don't feel you are obligated to include a trope simply because it’s a trope.
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