Riley Adams's Blog, page 28

September 17, 2022

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / Miscellaneous Business Musings: Economic Uncertainty: @KristineRusch Self-publishing News: Spotify Ready for Audiobook Trials: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI How Writers Can Market to the Homeschooling Audience Most Effectively: @KarenHWhiting @EdieMelson How to Apply for Grants and Residencies: @jasminedreame @CatapultStory Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous Finalists for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel: @MargotKinberg ‘Maus' Author Art Spiegelman Honored by US National Book Foundation: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @nationalbook US National Book Awards 2022 Longlist: Young People's Literature: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives US National Book Awards 2022 Longlist: Translation: @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook @pubperspectives US National Book Awards 2022 Longlist: Poetry: @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook @pubperspectives Are literary festivals doomed? Why book events need to change: @sarahshaffi @GuardianBooks Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers 5 Favorite Books-Within-Books: by E. G. Scott @CrimeReads Sometimes, Only the Most Heart-Crushing Book Will Do: @mollytempleton @tordotcom These Novels Shuffle Tropes Like Cards: @ChristinaDodd @CrimeReads Crime Fiction : In The Spotlight: Gunnar Staalsen’s We Shall Inherit the Wind: @MargotKinberg Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's Block How Writers Can Effectively Fight the Issue of Story Stall: @DrMaryAnnDiorio @EdieMelson Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life Using Your Pain to Enhance Your Novel Writing: @JanyreTromp Filling Your Writing Life: @kcraftwriter @WriterUnboxed I Fell In Love With Reading My Work Out Loud – To Others: @karisrogerson @LitReactor Things for Writers to Remember When Others Cause You to Doubt: @BethVogt @EdieMelson So You Want to Apply for an MFA: @CatapultStory Are you susceptible to writing injuries? @pubcoach Writer Friendships: @over_fabulous @WomenWriters 7 Signs of Creative Burnout and What to Do About It: @writingthrulife Inspirational Indie Author Interview. J. W. Judge: Lawyer, Author Shows How to Balance Writing With Job and Family: @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLI The Ultimate Guide to Overcoming Self-Publishing Overwhelm: @IndieAuthorALLI Are You Writing Enough? @PhilAthans Genres / Fan Fiction In Defense of Fanfiction: @A_Moth_To_Flame @scbwi Genres / Fantasy The Ultimate Fantasy Beast: The Dragon: @dancinghorse @tordotcom Genres / Historical Using real people in historical fiction – how much can you invent? @Roz_Morris Genres / Memoir The Importance of Premise in Memoir: @kris10edits @GoodStoryCo Genres / Mystery Risk Takers as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg Genres / Young Adult Tips for Writing a Young Adult Novel: @domwritesbooks @DIYMFA Promo / Blogging How to Painlessly Generate Dozens of Blog Ideas: @Deleyna Promo / Book Reviews It's Always Time to Get More Book Reviews on Amazon: @Bookgal Promo / Miscellaneous Why Writers Should Revisit Their College Years to Market Their Latest Book: @JLavenderWrites @EdieMelson Promo / Newsletters Building an Email List: @JanSikes3 @StoryEmpire Promo / Social Media Tips 11 TikToks Indie Authors Should Follow: by
Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza @WrittenWordM Publishing / Miscellaneous Working on an Anthology: @DancingLemurPre The UK's Nosy Crow Opens a New US Company: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives Publishing / News / Data NPD BookScan: US Print Book Market Sales Strong in August: @Porter_Anderson @npdgroup @pubperspectives Publishing / News / International Publishing Rights Edition: A Finnish Agent Cheers France's Interest in Translation: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives In Portugal: IPA's Bodour Al Qasimi on ‘Our Own Prejudices': @Porter_Anderson @Bodour @IntPublishers China Bestsellers in July: Classroom Classics Go Big: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives IPA Adds Its Objection to Publishers' Sentences in Hong Kong: @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectives Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying Fun with Query Letters (No, Seriously: ) @FoxPrintEd Your Query was Rejected Because It Didn't Sell the Book: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslit 5 Ways to Impress an Agent: @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthors Don't outsource your agent search: @NathanBransford Publishing / Process / Legalities Can You Copyright a Character or Book Title? @PerryLaw1 @annerallen Writing Craft / Characters / Development 3 Character Development Exercises to Write Believable Characters: @mahsudasnaith @thenovelry Fear Thesaurus Entry: Not Fitting In: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writers Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion Writing Emotional Pain: How to Care About Your Protagonist: @StoryGrid How to Write Emotional Scenes (Without Making Them Cringey): @KMWeiland Writing Craft / Conflict Detail in fight scenes: from How to Fight Write Writing Conflict: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writers @thecreativepenn Writing Craft / Diversity Writing LGBTQ Characters—How and How NOT To: @EliasJMcClellan Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film Page One: “The Piano” (1993): @GoIntoTheStory Page One: “Planet of the Apes” (1968): @GoIntoTheStory Strange New Worlds Reveals the Danger of a Theme-Breaking Plot: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants Page One: “Poltergeist” (1982): @GoIntoTheStory Page One: “Precious” (2009): @GoIntoTheStory The Sandman’s Standout Episode Is a Great Work of Adaptation: @cloudy_vision @tordotcom Page One: “Cabaret” (1972): @GoIntoTheStory A Closer Look at Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”: @MargotKinberg Writing Craft / Literary Devices Go Deeper Writing Fiction With Personification: @LisaHallWilson Using Motifs in a Powerful Way in Your Fiction: @LiveWriteThrive Writing Craft / Miscellaneous Why a Strong Plot Requires a Significant Goal: @SeptCFawkes @onestop4writers The Fuzzy Secrets to Writing a Decent Novel: by Yuvi Zalkow @WriterUnboxed Writing Words of Wisdom: collected by Dale Ivan Smith @killzoneauthors One Upmanship and Keeping the Reader Hooked: @Virgilante @StoryEmpire How to Use Prologues: Spoilers Ahoy: @harmony_kent @StoryEmpire Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting The Quinary Principles of Plot: Reveals & Twists: @SeptCFawkes Story Development for Pantsers: @AmongTheZombies 5 Act Structure: The Dramatic Structure [+ Examples]: @StoryHobbit Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research Research: How Far Will Fiction Authors Go For Facts? @FearlessProse Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar What is Parallel Construction? @Vie_Herlocker Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques How Should I Respond to Beta Reader Feedback? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants Writing Craft / Scenes Writing Better Scenes: Three Tips: @Lindasclare Writing Craft / Synopses Writing the Perfect Synopsis for Beginners: @SnowflakeGuy Writing Craft / Word Crafting The Magic of Writing: Poof! Your Words Disappear (or Not): @apessin @FloridaWriters1 Writing Craft / World-Building Pseudo-Profanity as SFF Worldbuilding: @ColeRush1 @tordotcom

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Published on September 17, 2022 21:01

September 11, 2022

Working on an Anthology

by L. Diane Wolfe, @DancingLemurPre

Writers are familiar with contests that lead to anthologies, but they don’t always know what goes into the effort to create one. If they are a published author, they have some idea what to expect. They know about editing and marketing. If they are self-published, they understand formatting and cover design.

But most of that involves one author. Working on an anthology involves many authors, all with different personalities and levels of experience. Coordinating efforts with multiple authors brings a challenge. It’s a mixed blessing with both positive and negative aspects. But ultimately, it’s worth the effort.

Dancing Lemur Press has put together numerous anthologies over the years and we’ve enjoyed the process. Some days it feels like herding cats, but it always comes together. What helps is the enthusiasm of the authors. There is always one in the bunch that is SO excited to be a part of the book. That helps not only us, but all of the authors involved.

We’d like to share some of the First Love authors’ experiences:

The best part about working on an anthology is sharing the experience with other talented writers. It's fun to see how they took the same topic and weaved such stunningly different stories. – Sammi Spizziri

Writing for an anthology motivated me to improve my story and ensure it fit with the other works. I enjoyed being part of a team and sharing the experience with fellow authors! – Kim Elliott

The Insecure Writers Support Group and Dancing Lemur Press are familiar to me and have great reputations. Being an indie author, though, I found it both refreshing and disconcerting to turn things over to someone else. – Melissa Maygrove

“I was very excited when it was announced that the next IWSG Anthology was to be in the romance genre. I waited a long time to hear that, LOL. I don't ever/usually enter writing contests, so I didn't look at it that way. I saw it as an opportunity to support the IWSG and whether I won a place or not didn't bother me. But of course, as a romance author who loves short fiction writing, I was thrilled to be included. Thank you for the opportunity and I hope the Anthology sells well. – Denise Covey

I love anthologies (both participating in and reading them) because they’re a great way to sample new authors. It’s fun to see how different writers will take a theme and put their own spin on it. A single prompt can result in a thousand variations, which makes every anthology unique, and it’s been fun to see everyone’s take on “First Love.” – Katie Klein

I enjoy working on anthologies because you get to learn and share so much with a variety of professionals. You get to meet new authors, reconnect with old friends, and share in the editing as well as the marketing process. All of these experiences can be highly rewarding when it involves work you are proud to have created. – Sylvia Ney

Having a hands-on experience with this anthology has taught me the publishing process without becoming too taxing or overwhelming. For me, this was an amazing experience which will help me through the next stage in my writing journey. – Michael Di Gesu

Inclusion in an anthology has so many benefits, including experience, exposure, and a boost in confidence. If you ever get the opportunity, take it and enjoy.

First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

The sweetness of first love…

Could a fiercely independent cop’s heart be stolen by the guy who makes her favorite doughnuts? Will a maid who used deceit to snare a mail-order husband get a dose of her own medicine? Can her handsome neighbor rescue a modern-day “princess” from a tenacious ex-boyfriend? Can two strangers in a rideshare be honest enough to fall in love for real? Can you remember your first love? How about your second? Third? Fourth?

Featuring the talents of Linda Budzinski, Melissa Maygrove, Michael Di Gesu, Sylvia Ney, Katie Klein, Kim Elliott, Templeton Moss, S.E. White, Denise Covey, and Sammi Spizziri. Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will touch your heart and rekindle lost feelings. Prepare to return to that first love…

Release date: September 6, 2022
Print ISBN – 9781939844880, $14.95
EBook ISBN – 9781939844897, $4.99
Romance – Clean & Wholesome (FIC027270) / Contemporary (FIC027020) / Historical (FIC027050)
186 pages, Freedom Fox Press, an imprint of Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh and a Writer’s Digest Top Sites for Writers, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter.
https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

Links:
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/First-Love-Art-Making-Doughnuts-ebook/dp/B09QH3Z28P/
Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-love-insecure-writers-support-group/1140884369?ean=2940165751301
iTunes https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1605240999
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/first-love-the-art-of-making-doughnuts
Scribed – https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844897&language=0
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60198262-first-love

Working on an Anthology and Authors' Thoughts (by @DancingLemurPre ):
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Published on September 11, 2022 21:01

September 10, 2022

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on September 10, 2022 21:04

September 4, 2022

How to Amp Up Your Conflict

by Angela Ackerman, @onestop4writers

Conflict is a powerful tool for storytellers, allowing us to place roadblocks, challenges, adversaries and more in a character’s way so the road to their goal is much more difficult. Deployed well, conflict creates tension and intensity for reader, capturing their attention for the length of the book.

So what does deployed well mean?

For conflict to have a strong foundation, we need to focus on three things. First, readers need to feel connected to a character for them to care when something bad happens to them. For example, if a car hits a dog-kicking, old-lady-scamming protagonist and breaks both his legs, will your audience be upset? Not at all…in fact they may actually cheer. But if the protagonist is a single mother of three who scraped and saved to go to night school and create a better life for her family, seeing such a terrible event happen to them will really rip your readers up. So, building flesh-and-blood characters readers will connect to is crucial for scoring a strong conflict hit.

The second thing conflict must do is present a character with a problem that’s not easy to resolve. A danger or threat that can be avoided if the character simply does one thing will feel like a cop-out to readers (unless you’re purposefully luring the character into a trap so it leads to spectacular, unexpected fallout).

The third component of well-written conflict is that it will be original in some way, giving readers something they’ve not seen before. And this is where some writers trip, especially if they’re working with a conflict scenario found in many stories, or it’s common within a genre. Romance readers will have experienced plenty of stories where a romantic competitor enters the scene, Fantasy readers know that at some point, an adventurer will get injured, and anyone who reads superhero stories has seen more than a few characters discovering they have unwanted powers.

The thing is, readers expect to see these conflicts, so we need to include them. But we shouldn’t copy what others have done. Instead, we should find a way to make the situations fresh…and hopefully more difficult. Here are some ideas:

Make the Outcome Uncertain

To keep readers from easily predicting the result of a conflict scenario, sow some doubt—a.k.a., don’t go easy on your protagonist. Put them at a disadvantage—or, if you’re feeling evil, give them an easy win that isn't a true victory. Maybe a character with friends in high places gets a big promotion, only she doesn’t realize her “friends” are setting her up as a scapegoat for their criminal behavior. Winning can also trigger unforeseen consequences. If your character doesn’t pay now, make her pay later.

Withhold Something the Character Needs

When a character has everything—information, financial backing, a mentor, the support of others—it’s an easier skate to the finish line, and what’s the fun in that? Think about what your character needs most to succeed, and take it from her. If she needs medicine, put it in a glass vial that, at a critical point, will shatter. When she needs a map to navigate, let it be ruined by a dunk in the river. Knowledge, a way to communicate, a weapon…characters who are forced to act when they don’t have what they need often screw up, leading to more conflict.

Make the Stakes Personal

Every story should have high stakes, where something is at risk if the character fails. But when the stakes are personal, winning becomes more crucial because of what they could lose. Get to know your character and the people, places, and things they hold dear. Then endanger them: a child’s life, the character’s job, their reputation, or their marriage. Most characters will walk through fire to protect the people and things they cherish.

Consider a No-Win Situation

The most heart-wrenching times for your character are when they have to make a decision in which someone will pay regardless of their choice. These story moments take courage because the character must decide between two equally bad outcomes. Do they save their daughter if doing so means abandoning their son? Do they stay and risk capture, or run and risk death by exposure? No-win scenarios create obvious tension for characters but also for readers, who recognize an impossible situation when they see it and wonder what choice will be made.

Keep Your Character Moving

Did you know that if sharks stop swimming, they’ll die? This is a lesson we can apply to storytelling because when a character settles down for too long, the tension flatlines. So, keep them moving. If they find a haven, fill it with hidden dangers that compel them to leave. If a romantic relationship is becoming routine, introduce a disruptor—a secret being exposed, a hopeful ex-lover showing up, or a complication that forces a physical separation.

This goes for inner movement, too. If the character isn’t moving forward and resolving their internal conflict, create a crisis that jeopardizes everything they've worked for. Remind them that they need to keep evolving to get what they want, even if this means facing hard truths or examining old wounds.

Shake Up the Team

If your character is relying on others, find a way to introduce dysfunction and friction. Disagreements, misunderstandings, egos, rivalries, or a sense of entitlement can shake the foundation of a relationship, create a power struggle, and leave your character without their much-needed backup.

Tighten the Timeline

There’s nothing like a ticking clock to pile on the pressure, so think about how you can shorten a window of opportunity, move up a deadline, force the character to wait, or give them an ultimatum. Characters who rush can get sloppy and make mistakes, compounding the conflict.

Pull the Trigger

All characters carry some baggage from the past. If they're navigating a change arc, they'll have an unresolved wound, and chances are, they’ve buried it deep. The problem is, for them to move forward, they need to deal with whatever is holding them back. A well-placed trigger can cause that wound to resurface.

Maybe your character Tamara has been avoiding her cousin who captained the boat the day her sister drowned. But now she must work side by side with him to save their family’s business. Or your character must perform a wellness check on someone who lives in the building where her abusive parents raised her. Exposing your character to fears and painful memories can awaken them to the realization that the past is holding them prisoner.

Include a Sacrifice

A character facing a challenge that's beyond her must make some hard choices if she wants to avoid losing everything. Maybe she must abandon one goal to put more energy into another, or give up on a passion to stand by a friend. Sacrifices are meaningful and will cause readers to care, so don't be afraid to use them.

Turn to Your Genre

Every genre will have specific opportunities to ramp up conflict. Does your character live in a historical time when certain illnesses were prevalent, or their rights were restricted because of their race, gender, or religion? Is there a specific technology that is hampering your character’s ability to move undetected in a future world? Pull organic conflict from the very bedrock of your genre by considering the character’s reality and the challenges they might face.

Don’t Make Violence Your Go-To

As you seek ways to power up conflict, it can be tempting to use violence to hammer home a threat. Sometimes this is warranted and fits the scenario, but other times it’s used as an easy way out. Before going to this extreme, pause to see what’s best for the story. If you decide to use it, don’t make it the only tool in your bag of tricks. Writers should also think twice about using gratuitous violence to characterize, especially in situations that directly target women or children.

Need more ideas for story conflict? Check out the 225 scenarios covered in the GOLD and SILVER editions of The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Conflict.

Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of the bestselling book, The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, and its many sequels. Available in ten languages, her guides are sourced by universities, recommended by agents and editors, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, and psychologists around the world. Angela is also the co-founder of the popular site Writers Helping Writers, as well as One Stop for Writers, a portal to game-changing tools and resources that enable writers to craft powerful fiction

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Published on September 04, 2022 21:03

7 Favorite Tools and Resources for Writers

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I thought I'd share a few of the sites I refer to often in the hope they'll help some of you, too. They're a variety of different types of resources, but they have one thing in common–they help with living the writing life.

IWSG: I recommend the Insecure Writer's Support Group for all writers for a variety of reasons. They offer information on craft, conferences and events, and, perhaps most-importantly, provide a community for writers looking for support.

Dave Chesson's Book Description Generator: I use this free generator every time I load a book on Amazon. I used to try and use basic programming to make my book descriptions look better on Amazon's site. This was a hit or miss thing, mostly because of my lack of talent at basic code. This tool makes things much eaiser.

Devin Cutting's daily YouTube sprint playlist: If you're looking for chances to fit a few minutes of writing into your day, try one of the writing sprints on YouTube. Devin Cutting maintains a playlist each day showing upcoming sprints. You can go through the list, find times that will work best for you, and even set up reminders for when the sprint goes live. Free.

Basic Pomodoro Timer: This free timer is about as basic as it can get. What I like is that it runs quietly in the background, has a pleasing chime when it goes off, and doesn't show how much time is left (when I see a timer counting down, I will spend far too much time watching it instead of writing).

Power Thesaurus: I used to use thesaurus.com, which is also a good resource. But I find that the crowdsourced Power Thesaurus (free online) works better when I have a word on the tip of my tongue but just can't seem to get hold of it.

The WKB: Forgive the bit of self-promo here, but this is a free site that I often use both for blogging and for looking up craft help in areas where I'm weakest. I provide the content and Mike Fleming of Hiveword makes the magic happen. :)

Canva: The free version offers plenty for most writers. I use the site to help design blog post images, social media, and more.

Do you have any favorite writing tools or resources? Let me know what I've missed in the comments below!

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Published on September 04, 2022 21:01

September 3, 2022

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Hope everyone has a good Labor Day tomorrow! I'll be here with a guest post from Angela Ackerman.

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on September 03, 2022 21:01

August 28, 2022

Finishing Writing-Related Tasks Quickly

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I'm guessing writing has never been an easy business, but it seems particularly task-intensive in 2022. Not only do writers have to write the books, we have to promote them, too.

With all the other things on our plate, writing-related tasks can fall by the wayside. I know they're one of my favorite things to procrastinate.

Here are some tips for getting those tasks done. . . by using a batching or grouping technique.

Do a brain-dump of everything you need to get done. For me, this is the most important item on the list. If I don't brainstorm all the different tasks I need to get done, I'll be up at night worrying about what's slipping through the cracks. Just empty out your head by listing all of it in a notebook on a Word document. This could be working on copy (updating your bio, writing book descriptions, ad copy, etc.), blogging, or writing-related business like advertising, tracking sales, changing book prices, or uploading your books on more platforms.

Decide how long you want to spend on each task per day. Plus, choose when you want to tackle it. Can you make progress in one hour a day (often, setting smaller goals helps stay motivated)? When is a point in your day that you should be able to focus? Or, what's a high-energy time of day for you?

Do just that one thing during the time you've set aside. Depending on how long you've scheduled, make sure you're taking short breaks to stretch or hydrate. If you're working on a large project (like taking an advertising course and setting up ads), just add multiple days on your calendar to tackle it. Doing just that one task (blogging, etc.) can go quicker because you're in that mindset and can work faster.

You can also make adjustments to help this technique work better for you. Maybe you want to assign different tasks to different days of the week (blogging on Mondays, metadata on Tuesdays). Or maybe you want to set up one day a month to tackle all the odds and ends you haven't been able to get to (a sort of “catch-all” day).

This approach also works really well for personal tasks, too. Maybe you have a slew of dental appointments or physicals to schedule for your family. Maybe you've got a big photo-digitizing or organizing project you want to get done. Give it a go and see if it helps.

How do you handle working in all your writing-related tasks?

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Published on August 28, 2022 21:02

August 27, 2022

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on August 27, 2022 21:01

August 21, 2022

Writing the Cozy Mystery: Second Victims

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Cozy mysteries offer a very quiet approach to death for mystery readers. The crimes are never described in gory detail. The methods aren't ordinarily very grim (I've had a few victims pushed out windows and down staircases). And there's usually not a very high body count.

But there is, often, a second victim. In my books, there is always a second victim.

Here are a few things to know about my second victims:

I like the second victim to be in the middle of the book. I never have a saggy book middle because I drop a body right at that point. It provides a nice break from the previous investigation and separates the mystery into two halves with two different series of suspect interviews.

I like the second victim to be the most-likely suspect for the first murder. This makes for a fun twist and helps keep the sleuth (and the readers) guessing.

The second victim is often someone who knows too much. This is a common theme in many cozy mysteries and in mysteries in general, both in books and on film. This victim could have tried blackmailing the murderer (never a wise idea). Or the victim could have suddenly put the pieces of the puzzle together and been about to go to the police with their findings…before they're intercepted by the killer.

The second victim could also be someone who is murdered by a different killer than the first. I haven't used two murderers very often, but it does provide a bit of a twist when I do.

Are you a mystery reader or writer? What have you noticed about second victims?

Writing the Cozy Mystery: Second Victims:
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Published on August 21, 2022 21:01