How to Write Crime Fiction: How a Mystery Works

In this video, we cover the writing mechanic that lies at the heart of all good mysteries: the GAME. A mystery novel is a game between the reader and the writer, who use the detective and villain characters as game pieces.

THIS is the secret to writing an engaging mystery!

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Thanks for watching!

[Oxford]

I am a wannabe writer . I’ve watched so many videos to help me .
Yours are the ONLY one that has helped me .Others we’re inspiring but not helpful to me .
You teach in a very easy way for me to grasp quickly ! Thank you so much 😊

[nofontdev]

Some of you might not like anime, but Death Note... Man. It flips the whole idea of reader:detective :: writer:villain on it's head. You root for the villain, or at least, if you want to be morally correct.

[nofontdev]

This man is still replying to his comments after two years. This was a great video! As a complete beginner you unquestionably deliver solid information to help us get started. I am surprised that you have this few subscribers. Maybe because writing stories is a niche hobby? I hope you continue with this kind of stuff, because you inspired me. I wanted to create a detective story and you motivated me to continue on doing so. The main thing that deters me is the lack of information and you help me and others out. Thanks again!

[craigcopland]

Just found this set of videos. Highly recommended. Very useful to a new writer. Thank you.

[bricktaco]

As someone who has just started to try out writing in the detective mystery genre, this made me realise I was looking at it all wrong, and that I shouldn’t craft my chrime around the story, but the story around the chrime.

[JesrelBasa]

When i watched death note anime, it gives me motivation to write a story again, but as a teenager i know that to make a mystery novel is very hard, but here i am starting and searching for videos who will help me to create this story. I will never give up this time..

[calderlevine]

Good intro. A bit long and repetitive. I would've liked to seen some specific examples ranging from easy to hard "games" the writer can play.

[littlebirdy]

That’s it! The missing piece! I’ve been trying to plan a mystery. I understood you sort of work backwards from the big picture, splitting it up into clues. But my planning quickly got muddled, I was missing something. It was the association. I only had the first part, the reader is the detective…but the writer is the villain! I feel like my understanding is finally starting to crystallize. Thank you for sharing this knowledge!❤

[cjgrinchy]

I been planning writing on crime mystery story for years now and I recently have been fully planning it out and this is helping right now i haven't started but im working on getting all my details. Thank you for your help sir.

[crustenbraten]

This is exactly what the TV show 'Castle' did wrong from about the 5th season on. The killer always was someone from the first five minutes of the episode, who said two lines of dialogue and was never mentioned again, until the end, where he/she is revealed to be the killer and the viewer get's all the clues at once.

[XxSEETHRxX]

I know this is 6 years old, but I write screenplays and this was helpful. Also when you think about the movie the Fugitive. Harrison Ford's character=the Detective and the one armed man which is the villain has the answers..

[rimsha]

i just love the video writer=villein and reader=detective

[buira]

Idk if you're still active on youtube, but I'm planning a detective story and this video was really good! Fully agree with the concept of playing fair and not revealing all of the evidence last minute without giving the reader a chance.

[plbeckman]

Very good tips. The reader wants to solve the puzzle. It's a game. I like the Sherlock Holmes analogy.

[JenMaxon]

Nice simple perspective - I mean it's not simple but your point is clearly made

[raki]

Tysm, I'm trying to write a mystery psychological thriller manga, it definitely helps!

[tofficub]

This is a bit of an older video but this is super helpful, thank you! I really needed this for a school assignment :)

[Sfox]

this was very educational for my school work

[trickyplays]

Are you able to make an updated video or continue? These videos are greats and very helpful

[beneaththefloorboards]

I'd never thought of mysteries as a game of proxies, but I'll never be able to not see it that way again!