ONLINE Classes – Click on the picture to REGISTER with the ALEXANDRA WRITER’S CENTRE
AVAILABLE for WRITING FESTIVALS & Online Classes
Presentation Title:
CLUEZILLA VS THE RED HERRING
Presentation Description:
Every great mystery walks a tightrope between fair clues and fiendish misdirection. Get it wrong, and your solution is either too obvious or completely unfair. Get it right, and your readers will gasp, re-read, and marvel at your genius.
Meet Cluezilla. The distracted, undeniable, undulating clue trail that leads straight to the truth—if your readers can follow it.
Beware The Red Herring. The slippery, deceivingly illusive path designed to send sleuths (and readers) spiraling in the wrong direction.
Presentation Type: Seminar
Session Duration: 60 minutes
Target Audience: Any level of mystery writer
Genre/Category: Mystery
Audiovisual Requirements: Projector/Screen
AVAILABLE for WRITING FESTIVALS
& Online Classes
Presentation Title:
MURDER MYSTERY ROADMAP
9 STEPS FROM BLANK PAGE TO COMPLETE PLOT
Presentation Description:
In this power-packed workshop, you’ll learn the 9 essential steps that take you from zero to mystery plot—before you even write a single scene. Each step builds on the last, guiding you smoothly from idea to actualizing your plot, ensuring it is solid, surprising, and satisfying.
Work with me and take the mystery out of plotting… so you can put it where it belongs: in your story.
Session Duration: 6 HoursTarget Audience: Any level of mystery writer
Genre/Category: Mystery
Audiovisual Requirements: Projector/Screen
Book a Plot Consultation
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO CONTACT ME
As a mystery plot consultant, I help writers turn the overwhelming chaos of ‘what to write next’ into an immediately actionable, direction forward.
Whether you’re stuck in the middle of a manuscript, wrestling with motive, or just getting started, I offer practical, story-specific guidance rooted in over 35 years of experience and more than 100 mystery plots written for stage and page.
Our sessions are fast-paced and collaborative. I ask targeted questions to uncover what’s missing or misaligned, then help you move forward. You might gain clarity on the three layers of mystery structure, insight into character dynamics, or a strategy for creating and hiding clues your protagonist can find. You leave inspired and eager to keep writing.
Want to go it alone? Check out my books Clue Trail: From Whodunnit to Solution (5 diagrams) & The Mystery Bones Method Diagrams (9 diagrams) for a visual system of plotting.
Do you have recorded sessions available for viewing after the course has run? I’m unable to participate on-line while the course is running, but would be interested to view it after. Can I pay the fee (I’m a Sisters in Crime member) and receive the recordings?
Hi Jan – thanks for your interest! There is a process where the Alexandra Writers Centre Society can record it. It’s something like the person who wants the recording has to have registers and everyone in the class has to be ok with being recorded, which is discovered in the first class when they are asked. If someone says ‘no’ then the requesting person gets a full refund. And the recordings are only available to be watched for a week. It’s something like that. Others have expressed interest in the class and can’t make it this round so I might check with them if they will run it again. At some point I might offer it myself or make lessons for sale but it won’t be anytime soon. Long to do list …