“Mystery Writing 1.0” Workshop

MYSTERY WRITING 1.0

The most important part of any mystery is the opening. Whether you’ve already begun writing a mystery or you’re thinking about it, this introductory workshop is designed to help you grab your readers in those opening pages and not let them go.

You’ll begin by reading and analyzing openings of superb crime fiction of all kinds. You’ll have a series of writing exercises whose goal is producing an opening chapter or scene you can be proud of by the end of the month. Think of this workshop as doing an independent study: I’ll work with each participant individually via email. You’ll send me your writing as a Microsoft Word file attached to your email which I will edit and comment on via Track Changes, and return to you. Before the workshop begins, we’ll speak on the phone about your goals for the workshop.

I reviewed crime fiction for over a decade at the Detroit Free Press. My best-selling mystery series has been acclaimed in The New York TimesThe Los Angeles Times and a whole host of newspapers and magazines. I’ve taught crime fiction courses at Michigan State University and mystery workshops across Michigan.

Enrollment is limited to ten participants. To enroll you need to register and pay the workshop fee of $260 (including the PayPal handling charge). Fees are not refundable, but if you need to re-schedule, we can find another month that works for both of us.

Please note: You must be 18 or over to register for this workshop.