You’ve got a brilliant idea for a mystery story, but somehow, the pieces just won’t fit together. Maybe the clues feel scattered, the red herrings fall flat, or the big reveal doesn’t pack the punch it should. Sound familiar?
The problem might not be your creativity—it could be a lack of clarity with the mystery framework. Without a solid structure, even the best ideas can feel tangled.
$100 an hour
& we get a lot done
in an hour!
Send me an email to set up a time to chat.
The clock doesn’t start until you have all the info you need to commit to a consultation.
CONTACT ME
Email: jrv(at)mysteryfactory.com
or
Text: 250.409.9928
Calling all mystery writers!
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- Writing ideas & inspirations: Your Hero Just Found a Servered Head – Plot Twist: It’s Still Talking.
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Ms. Juanita is an absolute gem of an expert for a mysteries! My workplace is hosting an event for kids and it was absolutely great to pick her mind about the plot and flow of the mystery itself! Ms. Juanita is so knowledgeable in her work and what seemed super intimidating to think about at first ended up being a so much easier to piece together after we spoke!
Super friendly and approachable, and I would recommend her services in a heartbeat!
Thank you so much Faiye! It was fun to work with you and discover something that will be engaging for your group, especially since they are different from the groups I usually consult for. Looking forward to hearing how it goes and super excited about the props you guys are going to make.
I was struggling with a convoluted timeline and a protagonist who was also the murder victim. Your agility in being able to instantly rethink your template to advise me on my story really impressed me. You also sent me away with great ideas of how to set the stage.
Thanks Olyn! That was a very original plot you created.
I have never, and I mean truly never, called a business and they willingly and passionately spend over thirty minutes answering any and all questions. This is a far beyond a business…this is wrapped in love for what they do! Beyond grateful for your help, your time, your expertise, and willingness! If your looking for ideas in this genre then you can stop looking and spend your time here as you will find everything you need within this site and if you can’t…call and help will be provided!
Jonathan, thank you so much! It’s all true :). I love mysteries and plotting so much that once I start speaking, it’s hard to turn it off. Good luck with your projects!
Wow, what a cool site! Juanita was so quick to respond to my inquiries and we even had a great chat about what I was trying to do and she gave me some great ideas! I love her passion for having fun with kids and helping others to do the same. Thinking through these mysteries can be hard, but her resources here can sure help a lot. Thanks again Juanita!
Thank you so much for your comment Jan! I’m glad to be able to help and love that you are sharing the fun with kids.
Juanita, I really enjoyed your sessions at When Words Collide and have been studying the plot charts in your book. You’ve given me a better understanding of means/motive/opportunity and how to create and manipulate clues, which I had been very tentative about – so thank you! I feel energized and ready to dive back into plotting my mystery novel.
Thank you Pam! Looking forward to your mystery.
As a UFO investigator and TV personality featured on networks like GAIA, 4Biddenknowledge.Tv, Discovery+, FoxTubi, Amazon Video, and History Channel’s Ancient Aliens, I have had the pleasure of working with many talented writers. However, when it came to creating content for my YouTube channel, I faced a new challenge. Thankfully, I found Juanita’s website, which turned out to be an invaluable resource.
Juanita’s website provided me with detailed techniques and insights that I had been searching for. I spent hours reading through the entire website, gaining invaluable knowledge and insights. The information presented broke things down in great detail, exactly what I needed. Afterward, I couldn’t contain my excitement and reached out to Juanita, the creator of the website, to purchase her book “CLUE TRAILS.”
To my delight, our scheduled call turned into an almost two-hour journey of plot learning, brainstorming, and shared passion for unexplained mysteries. Juanita’s expertise and kindness were exceptional, and I couldn’t help but wonder how she possessed such extensive knowledge and was so genuinely helpful. Her support meant the world to me, and I am thrilled to continue working with her, even scheduling consultant services for the future.
In conclusion, Juanita’s website has been a game-changer for me in creating compelling online content. If you are searching for a resource that breaks things down in great detail and provides invaluable guidance, I highly recommend exploring Juanita’s website and purchasing her book “CLUE TRAILS.” Thank you, Juanita, for your expertise and unwavering support!
So lovely. Thank you Roderick. I’m looking forward to working with you!
I would like to say what a great resource Juantia has been in helping me to understand what goes on behind the scenes of a mystery script business. I contacted her and she immediately responded and has been generous and more than willing to be of service. She has a lot of expertise and knowledge which is evident not only from her website, but from her communications and insightful questions. I am thankful I found her and reached out to her.
I believe her to be honest and forthcoming and it’s evident she wants the best for those who consult with her. She provides such a valuable service which I don’t see offered anyplace else…..finding her was like finding a hidden gem.
Thank you for your kind words Shereen.
For anyone who wants to start writing mysteries or improve their plot skills, I highly recommend Juanita’s workshops, “Clue Trail” handbook, and plot consultation services.
I’ve hired Juanita to help me plot my last two mystery novels, and I can’t imagine writing any future mystery novels without her input. Her questions, insights and suggestions made my rough plots SO much more interesting!
I’ve also participated in one of Juanita’s “how to create a mystery plot” workshops and it revolutionized how I create my mystery novels. Her hard copy handbook for how to plot mysteries is my #1 resource when starting a new novel.
Thanks Heather! It’s always fun to see where your diabolical mind will go next.
Hello
I wanted to keep you informed that we did our 2nd sold out murder mystery last week. Of course my cast was so much more relaxed and mingled with the audience a lot more. One of my actors told me that morning that he was too sick to perform and so we had about 45 min before show to figure out how to cut his story line. It still left us with 4 suspects and afterwards, I liked it much better with the 4 suspects.
I am writing a new one for April as we are starting to get return audience members. I was thinking a HS or College reunion, of course held at the winery. Maybe a family reunion? What are your thoughts. Do you think that any of those themes will work?
We would not be having this success if it wasn’t for you. Anything I can do to promote your book or you, please let me know!!
Mark
Hi Mark. That’s fabulous to hear!
The themes of a HS or College reunion is a great start and provides an excellent opportunity for simmering rivalries, grudges and resentment. These are all wonderful murder mystery fodder, which can make for some hilarious and revealing dialogue.
To crank the tension up a notch, I would also add some kind of imperative to the plot. You can do this by adding an urgency to the town or school associated with the reunion. Maybe there was a secret student society that swore they would do something drastic at this year’s school reunion. Maybe the ‘garage band’ that played at all the school functions years ago, and are scheduled to play tonight, are being held hostage by a rival school reunion, in exchange for a football trophy. One of the band members escapes and makes it to the reunion only to drop dead on arrival. Maybe the school reunion is being picketed by some well-meaning by out-of-touch-with-reality group and one of them dies. Maybe there was a tragic car crash or hiking accident or explosion, related to the grads, in the past on their initial graduation day, and one of them is going to do a big reveal at the reunion.
In short, build bigger disension into the plot. This reunion is extra special because …
Thanks again for your kind words. Juanita
My historic site hired Ms. Juanita as a consultant and could not have been more pleased. We needed help crafting the plot and characters of an interactive mystery program, and she delivered. She listened to our ideas and walked us through the drafting of a mystery. We only wanted a 3-hour of consultation on planning/crafting the plot, as our staff intends to write out the physical scripts for our actors, but I know if we had asked her to step us through that part of the process she would have been amazing as well. She helped us understand physical and verbal cues, ways to tie in dialogue to interconnect our characters, and how to avoid pitfalls of common mystery novices. I’ve seen examples of her other work as well, and her ability to help you design clues if so desired is pretty impressive. Affordable and professional services all around.
We would certainly use her services again in a heartbeat.