Writing the Cozy Mystery by Nancy J. Cohen (book review)

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Do you want to write a cozy mystery but don’t have a clue where to start? Or are you in the middle of a story and stuck on the plot? Perhaps you’re already writing a series, and you need tips on keeping your material fresh.

Writing the Cozy Mystery is a concise reference guide that will help you develop your characters, establish the setting, plot the story, add suspense, plant clues and solve the crime.

This award-winning Second Edition contains more examples; additional writing exercises; expanded sections; and seven new chapters including The Muddle in the Middle, Romance and Murder, Special Considerations for Cozy Writers, Keeping a Series Fresh, Writing the Smart Synopsis, Mystery Movies, and Marketing Tips. You’ll find everything you need to know in an easy-to-read, clear manner to write your own mystery and maintain a long-running series.

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As I've been reading a lot of cozy mysteries, I thought I'd see what it takes to write one, so I picked up this book based on a recommendation.

For an experienced writer (someone who's written and published several books), there's a lot in here that is repeated information, as this includes a lot of writing and marketing basics. I'd say it's about 1/2 writing/publishing basics and 1/2 cozy mystery-specific information.

For new writers (someone who's never written or published a book), I think this is an excellent resources as it gives a realistic look at the fact that there's more involved in writing than simply knowing how to write a mysteries.

Though I know a lot of info in the book, I still took many notes and am looking forward to applying it in a future manuscript.

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