The Essentials of Writing Mystery and Adventure Stories for Kids
Identifying your story’s genre helps readers know what to expect. Here are the defining essentials of writing mystery and adventure stories for kids.
Mystery Elements: The Satisfying Ending
Mysteries are rarely open-ended because the very nature of how mysteries work requires closure to be successful. So let’s think about what makes for a good mystery ending.
Mystery Elements: Double Duty Dialogue
Dialogue is important in virtually every story you’ll ever write, but in mysteries that importance (and difficulty) is compounded by the use of dialogue in relation to clues.
Put on Your Mystery Thinking C.A.P.
Jan Fields shares the differences in writing mystery for adults and kids. Time to put on your mystery thinking C.A.P. and get started writing a mystery today!
Middle Grade Mystery Submission Form
Middle Grade Mystery Submission Form Â
How to Build a Good Mystery Part 1 – Institute for Writers
096: How to Build a Good Mystery Part 1
April 20, 2018
223: Tips for Mystery Opening Chapters
223: Tips for Mystery Opening Chapters
October 23, 2020
Mystery Sidekicks
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > The sidekick, a character who supports the main character, is almost as much a part of a good mystery as the detective. The sidekick gives the detective someone to discuss the case…
Mystery Detectives
Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Any fan of mysteries would be happy to tell you that mystery detectives come in all shapes and forms. Some are detectives because they want to be like Sherlock Holmes, Encyclopedia Brown,…
Mystery For Young Children
Young readers love the interactive nature of solving a puzzle at the heart of a mystery. Study these mentor texts for tips on writing mysteries for kids.
Tips for Winning Our Mystery First Pages Writing Contest
Facebook Twitter We teach our students how to write and get published! View our Course Catalog > Advice to take your entry to the top. Have you heard the exciting news? The Institute for Writers is now accepting submissions for its Mystery First Pages Writing Contest! Every quarter, IFW hosts a contest, and this time…
How to Build a Good Mystery Part 2 – Institute for Writers
097: How to Build a Good Mystery Part 2
April 27, 2018
Four Tips for Building a Successful Mystery
Are you looking to understand how to write a successful mystery story? Then, dive in to learn about the Four Tips for Building a Successful Mystery.
ICL YA Contemporary Fiction First Pages Contest
Whether you’re writing a swoony romance, taut thriller, edgy drama, or celebration of the human spirit, your mission is the same: hook the reader with an intriguing situation, keep them with your prose, and engage readers from the very first page.
Ideas in Day-to-Day Life and Story Writing
Inspiration and ideas can strike at any time. Susan Ludwig details why and how daily life can be our biggest source of inspiration for writers.
Why Submitting to Contests is a Win-Win
Should you enter a writing contest or not? If your writing rises to the top, you just might win a prize upwards of thousands of dollars if you’re lucky.
The Layers of Revision
To many, writing is revision, and most writers revise their manuscripts numerous times before they’ve shaped it into the best version that it can be.
Do You Have a Routine for Success?
Is your writing routine reaching its potential? Maybe it’s time to take another look so you can see what’s possible for your writing.
