I have to say I am learning SO MUCH now that I am writing a cozy mystery series. Since it is a new genre for me, I’ve had to not only read lots of cozy mysteries but I’ve spent a lot of time reading craft books on how to write cozy. And just so you know, a cozy must have four elements: an amateur sleuth, a closed community, no sex on the page and no profanity. I hear some writers are pushing the envelope regarding those elements but the cozy is basically a Murder She Wrote/Poirot/Thin Man kind of genre.
To me, you can’t just sit down and write a book. It’s not as simple as that. I mean, you could do that but it would not be a very good book, especially if you’ve never done it before. It’s really important to learn how it’s done. It reminds me of the saying, ‘learn the rules and then break them’. Which really means once you understand the rules, then you know what you can and can’t do in a sentence, in a scene, with a plot, etc. while staying true to the requirements or expectations not only for the writer but also that of readers.
So I started out determining my sleuth. I conducted an interview with her to find out her likes/dislikes/quirks and all those things. I did the same with my side characters. Once that was done, I had to decide how many books I wanted to write first, and in my case I am writing three to kick it off. I don’t want to write too many before I see how well they are received. 🙂
The hardest part, but also the most fun, is creating the clues for the murder (all cozy mysteries must have at least one murder). How did it happen? Who are the suspects? What was the means/motive/opportunity? So suffice it to say I am having a good time writing it and can’t wait to get it into your hands.
Of course, I need to get off social media to do that, right? Bye.
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