How to Outline A Cozy Mystery: Workbook

by Sara Rosett

Do you want to write a cozy mystery but don’t know how to get started?

Use this workbook to learn how to create a framework so that you can begin writing your cozy.

Do you want to know the basic building blocks of a cozy mystery? Do you wonder why cozy readers devour these mysteries voraciously? Are you fuzzy on how the structure of a cozy mystery fits into the classic plot structure? Do you wonder what the “rules” are for a cozy mystery?

Let USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett show you how she’s planned and written over 25 mysteries in this direct and to-the-point guide without fluff or filler.

Use the How to Outline a Cozy Mystery Workbook—the companion to the How to Outline a Cozy Mystery Course—to work through your cozy outline step-by-step.

In How to Outline a Cozy Mystery Workbook you'll discover:

The many different outlining methods you can use to build your story framework

The conventions (or tropes) cozy readers want and expect
The psychology behind why readers choose cozies
How a cozy mystery fits into classic plot structure
Tips on how to hide clues and red herrings
And much, much more!

Sara's firsthand knowledge of cozy mystery structure and what cozy readers want will help you shape your idea into a novel. Her tips and workbook will save you time and give you confidence as you approach the blank page.

Buy Sara Rosett's workbook today and you'll get an easy to understand plan for outlining your mystery in a helpful question and answer format to guide you through the process.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Mystery, Cozy Mystery

69 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2020

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett writes lighthearted mysteries for readers who enjoy atmospheric settings, fun characters, and puzzling whodunits.

She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective historical mystery series as well as three contemporary cozy series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline A Cozy Mystery.

Publishers Weekly called Sara's books, “satisfying,” “well-executed,” and “sparkling.” Sara loves to get new stamps in her passport and considers dark chocolate a daily requirement. Find out more at SaraRosett.com.

Reviews

[Amanda Tero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this workbook without doing the course. Since I already know a good bit about writing, I think the workbook is quite fine as a stand-alone. The questions seem extremely helpful and it gives a general overview of the important elements of writing a cozy.

[Heather Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I know this is a companion to a course and I thought it had good basic information. The questions at the end were especially helpful. I just thought it was a tad overpriced for what you received but it was still good!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this little book. I've read a lot of writing how-to books (and a lot of them mystery-based), so it sometimes feels like I've heard all there is to say about the matter. But this brought up some questions that I hadn't really thought about and would like to consider when plotting my mysteries. Although I wouldn't write right in the blank spaces provided in the book (I'd like to use it more than once!), I could see starting a new document or opening a new notebook and working on these questions to get me started on a new mystery.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A neat, helpful little workbook. I liked the way it set up questions to consider and brought up other aspects (such as longevity), too.

[Constance Burris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for newbies

This was a good book if you're a newbie, but if you've written a few books already, this is more of a mystery refresher.

[Jared Gulian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this is a workbook for a course I didn't take, I still found it useful. I'm not writing a cozy mystery, but I'm interested in borrowing from them for other genres. Some time ago I realized that what makes a bestseller is not the story that is TOLD but rather the story that is WITHHELD. So I thought this book would help me see how others are withholding elements in order to draw the reader forward. It did help me with just that, and I'd recommend it for anyone interested in story theory and plot structure.

There are a variety of good tidbits in this book. An interesting part was the description of how mysteries are typically different than thrillers. (Mysteries vs Thrillers... Mind game vs Thrill ride, Killer unknown vs Antagonist often known, Closed setting vs Wide setting, Puzzle vs Action.) As the title promises, there's also a simple breakdown of the classic cozy mystery plot structure, and it seems to me this could easily be leveraged for other suspenseful books.

But the best bit for me was the brief part where Rosett wrote about visible vs invisible storylines. By her definition, examples of visible storyline elements are: discovery of the body, finding suspects, pursuing clues, etc. Examples of invisible storyline elements include the actual murder itself, the way the murderer hides their tracks, etc. These 'invisible storyline' elements are the things that are WITHHELD and that slowly get revealed in the course of the book. Rosett advises that once you have your invisible storyline, you "can build the visible storyline on top of it." This is genius.

It seems to me the reason why the end of the TV show 'Lost' was so unsatisfying for so many people was that the writers hadn't figured out their invisible storyline before they started writing. They'd written themselves into knots in the visible storyline because they had no foundation of the invisible storyline.

So, the first thing we should do when we write a suspenseful story is to figure out what we're NOT going to tell. Once we figure that out, we can start figuring out what we ARE going to tell, and how we are going to release the invisible storyline slowly. Start with the invisible storyline.

Maybe I'll actually take the course...

[Ronnie Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Genre to me—explained beautifully.

I write post apoc, time travel science fiction and wholesome romance—and yes, I’ve always wanted to write cozies. After reading this clear, concise book, I’m ready to dive in. Thanks, Sara for sharing what you do so well with a total cozy noob!

[Lori Puma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of genre expectations

If you think you might be writing a cozy mystery, you should read this book. It does a great job of identifying the things that cozy readers expect authors to deliver and to avoid.

[Jennifer Skinnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a romance author who is branching out into the world of cozy mystery writing, this book is quite helpful. I love that there are questions I need to answer at the end of each chapter that will help me when organizing my thoughts for my own cozy mystery.

[Megan Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good guide to formulating a cozy. Clear explanations on what the parts of a cozy are and why they're important (spoiler: the answer is almost always Reader expectations). Questions to guide the first time cozy author will the help the writer build the story foundation.

[Oliver Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read—useful, practical information.

[Rohn Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know. I just. I wish there was more and this was more of an 'outline' rather than a workbook that guides you through a brainstorm? Maybe I just expected something different.

[LaMonique Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing

No fluff. Right to the point! I learned so much about writing cozy mysteries in a short read. I’ve highlighted almost the entire book.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good ideas

I am considering writing a cozy, a which is a genre I have never tried. This book is filled with ideas that I can use to help me with planning and outlining.

[Sally Kilpatrick]

Time will tell as to how effective this book was, but I think it was helpful.

[E.N. Chaffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner from Sara R. She's got your back if you're wanting to write a cozy, giving you all the basics and then some. She helps you think beyond what other sources will do.

[Becca Weaver · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nothing original or too meaty.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to authors who are not familiar with the cozy genre. It is a good introduction to the basic structure of a cozy mystery.

Personally, I was a little disappointed with this book. I knew that it was a workbook, and I knew that it was only 106 pages. However, there was a lot of white space in the book. I expected more information and more examples. Nevertheless, it is a good introduction for those unfamiliar with cozy mysteries.

[Kathy Burge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic information but well organized. The workbook is probably best suited for new writers. It offers guidance on cozy mystery genre expectations and simple story structure, with plenty of space to jot down notes for your own novel.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic resource that really makes the idea of writing a mystery seem a little less intimidating. I appreciated the questions to help organize thoughts and plans. I will be referencing this many times I am certain!

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth reading!

[Micha Goebig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful little workbook with good lists of questions for planning a cozy. I think I’ll check out the online course because I like this approach.

[Kitty McIntosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful guide for the would-be mystery writer. I found it useful.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was on the fence about buying this book because I know sometimes they can be either too vague or too simplistic. However, this book was well worth it for me.

[Margret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good workbook. This is a good start to the basic structure of a cozy mystery. Worth reading!

[Cassie Shiels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really helpful. I enjoyed how easy it was to understand and follow along. It made it feel like writing a cosy would be something I could do with the tips in this book.

[Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and concise book on outlining. One of the better ones out there.

[Mica Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful and easy to follow.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it. Then I used it. Very handy.