About this title: Offers advice to aspiring mystery authors on how to create worthwhile characters, effectively structure a plot, and find an agent and publisher.
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Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: St Martins Press
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: Very Good. BO. Almost new hardback except for owner's label on front endpage and approx 4 pages with turned corners. Very nice jacket. Text is clean, unmarked, tight. All items are carefully and securely packed to insure they arrive in the advertised condition. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: St Martins Pr, Gordonsville, Virginia, U.S.A.
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: FINE in Near Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Excellent copy. Clean, unmarked and tightly bound. Hinges are excellent. Dust jacket has light wear. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: St Martins Pr
Date Published: 2004-02-01
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: NEW. Hardcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780312304461. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: Good. Book shows minor use. Cover and Binding have minimal wear and the pages have only minimal creases. A tradition of southern quality and service. All books guaranteed at the Atlanta Book Company. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: New, Publisher overstock, may have small remainder mark. Excellent condition, never read, purchased from publisher as excess inventory. read more
Edition: 1st edition
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: ST MARTINS PR INC
Date Published: 2004
ISBN-13:9780312304461ISBN:0312304463
Description: New. Edgar award nominee James N. Frey, author of the internationally best-selling books on the craft of writing, "How to Write a Damn Good Novel, " "How to Write a Damn Good Novel II: Advanced Techniques, " and "The Key: How to Write Damn Good Fiction Usin... read more
Description: Good. 0312304463 A used but readable copy with markings and general wear. Hardcover. Used items may not include extras such as infotrac, CD or other web access codes. read more
"I have always loved to curl up in bed after a long day and pick up a good mystery, usually Mary Higgins Clark but unfortunately I could not find a book about her experience as a writer. So, I found one by James N. Frey, How to Write a Damn Good Mystery. The title alone spoke to me. It sounded daring, exciting, and to the point. I was right; I read the book in 4 days, easily. When writing for the first time or changing your style of writing I believe this would be the most practical way of going about doing so. James N. Frey really shy's away from the "typical" book on how to write a mystery. This book is NOT a collection of tips on what to do and what not to do. It is a guide to brainstorming, planning, plotting, drafting, rewriting, and polishing a mystery. James N. Frey describes it as: "It's a how-to-book that shows you how to write a damn good mystery, step-by-step, beginning with creating, fascinating, three-dimensional, dynamic dramatic characters, who, if you let them, will create a complex yet believable damn good plot for you."(vi-x) This book included every single step on writing the mystery and even creates an example for you throughout the entire book. One thing he suggested to do in order to "become intimate with your murderer was to write a journal from the murderer. What a great way to get to know the killer and what caused him to be that way. Here is a small portion of the journal James N. Frey came up with as Forest Volner (the killer): "That business with Sam Hegg and the mine. Okay, I killed a guy. You made it sound in my biography like I did it because I was chicken or something. But it wasn't quite like that. I did what anybody with a brain in their head would have done. It was the smart thing. I swear, he was getting ready to kill me and so it was nothing more than an act of self-defense. I'd swear to it on a stack of Bibles." When reading the journal, I started thinking about his accent, his look, and even his life growing up. This process really helps you to understand your characters. Most importantly, once you have concocted your mystery, chapter twenty, titled, "The Killer Attitude or Getting an Agent, Dealing with Editors, Promotion, Book Signings, and Living the Writers Life", goes into detail about how you are in charge of whether you make it on the New York Times best sellers list or not. In summary, this book is an excellent source for everyone who is either interested in becoming a writer, writing their first book, or even for the seasoned authors out there who have yet to be noticed. James N. Frey really lays it out for you in plain English however he gives no promise of success, which understandably is up to you."
"This one goes through step-by-step with a very methodical way of building your mystery. I think if you follow his approach, you will have less plot point edits on the backend. However, you will have to be careful not to plan everything out so much it takes the fun out of the actual writing and closes off surprises."
"This book was extrememly helpful in plotting the mystery element of my romantic suspense. I learned a lot about mystery plotting and creating a murderer from Frey in this how-to. I read through the whole book in one day. So it's an easy, fast read. I took copious notes to help me with my own writing and advise others. I really enjoyed it."
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