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  • Workshop
  • Online: Zoom
  • Adult (18+)
  • 3 Weeks

Get a Clue: How to Write a Mystery Novel

Apply for Scholarship
  • $265.00 Non-Member
  • $255.00 Member

Class Description

Discover

Inner sleuths delight! You've read a few mystery novels, have an idea for a few chapters, or want to learn about one of the most popular genres. How do you build suspense? What type of narrator is best for the mystery you want to explore? What's the difference between a cozy mystery and a psychological thriller? Does the story you want to tell fall under multiple mystery subgenres? Each week we will focus on one area of mystery such as complex character development, red herrings, suspense building, and hooks – and craft new material using prompts and outline exercises. We will also provide support while navigating the writing and plotting process. The class allows you to leave with mystery-focused content, elevated craft skills, and a deeper understanding of the mystery genre.

Writing Roadmap: We've created a simple, goal-based writing roadmap to help you find the perfect GrubStreet course for your writing needs.

Scholarships Format/Location

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. After registering, a yellow Resources tab will appear in this section containing a link to join class. Please note that you will need to be logged into view the Resources tab.

Zoom Participation:

In our experience, the intimate nature of a writing workshop benefits from on-camera participation. Students are of course welcome to turn their camera off whenever they need to, but it is a community norm for cameras to be on most of the time. You can learn more about using Zoom here.

Zoom Accessibility:

You can enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting by clicking the CC button at the bottom of the screen. If you'd like to access the transcript after class, please make sure to let your instructor ahead of time that you'd like a copy.