What Makes a Good Mystery Author?

That was the question asked by the agent behind the Mysterious Matters blog after attending one Malice Domestic Conference and being asked—probably for the thousandth time—how to get published, deciding that a better question was how to improve your writing. Toward that end, seven tips were offered up, to wit: 1. A good mystery writer thinks first and foremost about the reader's experience. 2. A good mystery writer balances character and plot. 3. A good mystery writer thinks about the future.