What It Takes to Write a Mystery

by Linda O. Johnston

What does it take to write a mystery?

An imagination, certainly.  Who's your protagonist, and how does she wind up solving crimes--especially if she's an amateur who earns her living in ways far removed from being an investigator?  Someone like a veterinary technician who winds up owning a barkery and bakery... and somehow winds up finding murderers, too, after she and her closest friends sometimes become murder suspects.  That's what happens in my Barkery and Biscuits Mysteries for Midnight Ink.

It takes persistence, sitting down in front of computer screen often enough to get that story fully written, from first draft to a polished manuscript you're ready to send to your editor.  And then going through the edits that are necessary to get the story polished enough for printing and/or making available as an e-book.

It takes a sense of wanting to do all you can to make sure readers know about your books, from social media to personal appearances including attending conferences--which can yank a writer from her comfort zone if she would rather write than get before and audience and crow about what she does and what great stories she's written.

Oh, and yes.  It takes a sense of humor--and maybe a sense of daring.  What do I mean?  Well, a few weeks ago we had a couple of cops visit our house to look at the footage from the security cameras my husband mounted because of some issues in our neighborhood.  That day, there was a problem at the house across the street--which happens a lot.  This time, though, police were called in and needed more information.  We were able to show them some footage that we think was helpful to them.  They even saved some on their body cameras.

And what did I say to them?  Among other things: "I kill people for a living."

Fortunately, they were nice cops and they had a sense of humor, too.  Of course I explained what I meant, that I was a mystery writer.  And I wouldn't have said it at all if I hadn't gotten the impression that they were nice cops with a sense of humor.  They laughed, and so did I

. 

So yes, it takes imagination of many sorts to write a mystery!

 

Linda O. Johnston is currently writing the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries for Midnight Ink.  Her most recent one is Pick and Chews, a May 2018 release, which is fourth in the series.