Syllabus:
Committing the Perfect Crime: Writing Your First Mystery
Instructor: Kris Neri
UCLA Extension Writers’ Program Online
10 Weeks – January 18 – March 21, 2012
Course Description: Do you long to commit the perfect crime--and
see it bound between covers and on the bestseller lists? Designed
for beginners as well as those with a work-in-progress who
need direction, this course is a supportive, results-oriented
workshop that guides you in planning your mystery or suspense
novel, or revising some of the choices made in your work-in-progress.
Through weekly writing assignments, some of which draw on
characters and develop scenes for the students' projected
novels; lectures on craft; assigned readings; and instructor
and peer feedback, students learn the fundamentals of crime
writing, including structure and pacing, point-of-view, setting,
character development, dialogue and voice, and clues and red
herrings, as well as critical self-editing techniques. Also
covered are the practical aspects of attracting the right
agent and/or editor. The goal is to draft the first chapter
of your planned mystery or suspense novel.
Prerequisites: If participants in this online class have not
completed a Blackboard student orientation, they should plan
to spend a little extra time learning the platform during
this class. It is preferred that participants have basic computer
skills, which include being able to use internet browsers
such as Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer and knowledge
of how to upload files to and from the internet. A technical
advisor is available if problems occur.
Goal: The goal of this course is to provide students with
all the basics necessary to plan and begin writing their crime
novels. Each student's goal should is to complete the process
of planning his novel and to draft the first chapter, which
will be posted for review during the ninth week. Lessons will
be presented in a way that will effectively guide students
through the novel-planning process. Emphasis will be placed
on developing and refining the students' writing and mystery-related
skills.
Format: There is no text for the course; lectures and articles
on significant elements within the crime genre or general
writing or editing will be provided. All assignments will
be posted or attached in the Discussion Board section on the
Blackboard menu for both instructor and peer review. Students
are encouraged to convert their assignments to .rtf format,
so they will be accessible to everyone in the class. With
continuing supportive, constructive feedback, the format will
be that of an intensive writing workshop.
Course Requirements: Read all lectures and assigned articles;
participate in discussions of weekly lectures; complete all
homework assignments. Active participation in the virtual
classroom is one of the more valuable aspects of this course.
This means that you’ll respond to your classmates’
work on a regular basis. Your responses can be short, but
they should be specific about why you responded to the exercise
as you did. In other words, you’ll need to write more
than “This is great” or “This doesn’t
work.” Also, please bear in mind that in working online,
we aren’t able to communicate the way we do in person
(through voice intonation, facial expression, and gestures),
so it’s important to make an effort to be polite and
respectful.
Extra Instructor Feedback: Students may send the instructor
up to 3 doubled-spaced pages per week for feedback, or a maximum
of 700 words—no more; no exceptions—I check word
counts. I may sometimes share these pages with the class when
an aspect dovetails with an on-going craft discussion or issue,
though not usually. Pages may be sent directly to the instructor
at krisneri.classes@gmail.com or through the Blackboard message
center (click on Tools button).
Due Dates: Each week begins on Wednesday and ends the following
Tuesday. Assignments may be posted any day during the week
in which they are assigned. (You can post them in future weeks,
too, but I don't look at them until we get to that week.)
Assignments meant to be spread out over a couple of weeks
are to be posted when they are completed. Each week's lecture
and course assignments can be found in the Course Documents
section on the Blackboard menu. Ideally, all assignments should
be completed in the week in which they are assigned (except
for multi-week assignments), but the ultimate due date for
all assignments is the last day of class.
Grading: Each component of the course will represent a percentage
of your grade, as follows:
Novel planning = 24%
Weekly scenes, readings & exercises = 31%
Character profiles= 24%
First chapter or final writing = 15%
Supportiveness to other students & willingness to learn
= 6%
Letter grades are as follows:
A= 90-100 points
B=80-89 points
C=70-79 points
D=60-69 points
F= 0-59 points
Week One:
Lectures: Introductions. Review of instructor's expectations,
assignment submission procedure and course grading. Discussion
of the nature of online learning. Explore the demands of writing
a novel; the nature of writer's block and strategies for avoiding/overcoming
it; making time to write. Review of the range of crime novels;
finding where yours fits. Differences between and the sub-genres
of mystery and suspense novels explored. The proper format
for a novel.. The dust jacket description and how it can be
used to guide the direction of the book.
Assignments:
* Post an introduction with your biographical information,
as well as your favorite type of mysteries or mystery authors,
your writing and/or publishing experience, any areas where
you know you need work, and your goal for the course.
* Write a dust jacket description for your planned novel up
to one page in length and post it before the next session.
Post your title as well; if you don't have a title yet, post
your thoughts on the subject of your possible title.
Week Two:
Lectures: The three story parts that go into every novel.
Exploring back story. The 3-act structure for both mystery
and suspense; the concepts of foreshadowing and the setup
of critical plot and character elements. Each act's unique
challenges, and strategies for overcoming them. Short story
writing.
Assignments:
* Synopsize the backstory of your planned novel; can take
up to two weeks for this, but post when it is completed. These
may be from one double-spaced page to six double-spaced pages,
or up to 1500 words.
* Write two paragraphs in the show vs. tell exercise.
Week Three:
Lectures: the necessity of 3-dimensional plotting: the W-plot
structure and the M-effect. Prioritizing subplots and integrating
them into the main plot. Discuss the question of whether or
not to outline, and various approaches to the organization
of the novel. First person and third person presentations;
POV pitfalls. Discuss ways to capture a sense of place and
to establish an emotional atmosphere in the book. The integration
of setting and viewpoint to bring a compelling attitude to
the book.
Assignments:
* Complete your back story and post/attach if it hasn't been
posted yet. These may be from one double-spaced page to six
double-spaced pages or up to 1500 words.
* Print out the POV exercise in the Week3 Handouts folder.
Examples #1-3 all have some POV problem/s. See if you can
figure out what’s wrong with them. Post your observations
in the Week 3 POV Exercise Discussion Board forum.
* Select a real place you know, and write a couple of different
descriptions of it. In one passage, through the choice of
your language and the way you choose to describe the place,
give a negative impression of that place. You can make it
seem cold or off-putting or outright sinister – whatever
negative impression you choose. Then write another passage,
describing the same place, but make this one feel warm and
inviting. Make it cozy, or make it friendly, or sunny –
whatever you choose, but make this impression positive. Each
of these passages should be at least a couple paragraphs long,
and may be as long as a page.
Week Four:
Lectures: Discussion of the scene as the building block of
the novel; the elements of an effective scene. Chapter tracking.
Primary conflicts, and ways to layer in sub-conflicts. Discuss
the stakes necessary to sustain a novel. Explore the relative
weight of the various character-types present in crime novels,
and ways to keep the novel in balance. In-depth method for
creating characters from the internal core to the surface
traits.
Assignments:
* Move on the synopsis of your hidden story/story as it actually
occurred. These may be from one double-spaced page to eight
double-spaced pages, or up to 2000 words. May take up to two
weeks for this.
* Complete 3 character surveys for characters planned for
your book. Take up to three weeks for this.
Week Five:
Lectures: Naming characters. Character arcs as they're used
in a single novel, and as they can be employed to sustain
and propel a series. Techniques for describing characters;
cite examples from published sources.
Assignments:
* Write a 2-page scene in which character descriptions are
reflected.
* If you’ve finished your two earlier synopses, move
on to synopsizing your story as it will be presented in the
book; can take up to three weeks for this. These may be from
one double-spaced page to eight double-spaced pages, or up
to 2000 words in length.
Week Six:
Lectures: Writing dynamic dialogue. Voice – discovering
your own, and creating voices for characters. Humor and the
mystery.
Assignments:
* Write a 2-page scene in which dialogue and relationship
dynamics and/or conflict is present.
* Begin thinking about how you're going to start the book
if you haven't yet.
Week Seven:
Lectures: The necessity of a strong opening, and the various
approaches to opening a novel. Writing Sex and Violence; achieving
the right tone.
Assignments:
* Reading: "Ten Tips for Better Sex Scenes," Elizabeth
Benedict. Comment in the appropriate forum.
* Begin writing your first chapter.
Week Eight:
Lectures: Rhythm and pacing. Explore techniques for holding
the reader's interest. Effective handling of clues and red
herrings.
Assignments:
* Continue novel planning as needed.
* Continue writing your first chapter.
Week Nine:
Lectures: Rules for wrapping up and ending novels. Self-editing
techniques. Writing the submission synopsis.
Assignments:
* Reading: "Getting in Touch with Your Inner Editor,"
Barbara Keiler. Comment in the appropriate forum.
* Complete and post the first draft of your chapter. These
may be from four double-spaced pages to fifteen double-spaced
pages, or up to 3700 words in length.
Week Ten:
Lectures: Independent presses vs. large publishers; advantages
& disadvantages. Writing an effective query letter. Review
of first chapters. Farewells.
Assignments:
* All assignments are due by the last day of class, March
21. There is a two-day grace period for getting everything
posted, until Friday, March 23
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