Proofreading a Mystery Novel

“I’ve always believed in writing without a collaborator because
when two people are writing the same book, each believes
he gets all the worries and half the royalties.”
—Agatha Christie (1890 – 1976)

Despite being the best-selling author of 80 mystery novels as well as plays and short stories, the British writer Agatha Christie was also an extremely down-to-earth woman — not only did she not believe in writing without a collaborator, she also opined that “Where large sums of money are concerned, it is advisable to trust nobody.” In her writing preference for the mystery genre, Christie was also very astute.

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For many people the books they have most recently read are mystery stories and often they are by authors such as Dan Brown and Dennis Lehane, both of whom feature on today’s best seller lists. These authors and others have developed the mystery genre to the extent that their stories are often as much an investigation of the investigator’s own inner character as they are an expose of the crime itself, adding to the interest in, and appeal of, the work and emphasizing again the need for research and more research.

With crime as its central content, nothing succeeds at quickening the pulse faster than a good mystery story. WordsRU’s editors and proofreaders understand that in order to write riveting mystery stories (and their overlapping categories of thrillers, crime and horror), writers have to merge the skills of a fiction writer with the special needs of the genre (see tips below).

WordsRU & Your Unique Voice

Our team of editors and proofreaders have years of experience in proofing and editing fiction manuscripts in all genres. A large number of these are mystery stories so they appreciate the genre and its popularity. They also understand how essential it is to preserve your distinctive style, your unique ‘voice’ and to remain true to your original concept.

We understand that authors are looking for an editor or proofreader who will improve the quality of their writing, but not change the writing style or mood of the story. It does not matter whether you are attempting your first novel or you already make a living as a professional writer, everyone benefits from a fresh pair of eyes viewing their work. Let our professional editors and proofreaders look after the technical aspects and check your manuscript for trouble spots, leaving you free to concentrate on the creative side of your writing.

"The more you reason, the less you create."
—Raymond Chandler

With wide-ranging experience in the copy editing and proofreading of both fiction and non-fiction, the editorial service at WordsRU welcomes the complete spectrum of manuscripts from adventure stories, autobiographies, biographies, self-help books, poetry, cookbooks, romance, science-fiction, mystery, fantasy, literary fiction and technical publications to user manuals.

Our editors and proofreaders will thoroughly check your manuscript for grammar as well as correcting punctuation, tense, spelling and typographical errors. They will consider word choice, sentence structure, consistency, plot and character development, and readability. They will offer you impartial commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of your novel, along with comments and suggestions for improvement.

Some Tips To Get You Started

At the outset

Set aside a specific amount of time to write —and stick to it.
Decide what kind of mystery story you will write.
Choose your protagonist – your main character.
Work out the other characters needed to move the story along.
Pick the voice – first person, third person; perhaps a combination.
Write a story outline.

Starting to write

Remember that a strong opening can set the whole tone of your novel.
Write one scene at a time.
Let your characters tell the story.
Create the reason for the mystery fairly early in the story.
Set up diversionary cliffhanger chapter conclusions to enhance the suspense.
Make sure your ending is a resounding culmination of all that has occurred.
Stop at the end of the story — do not be tempted to continue!

Remember, WordsRU offers help wherever you need it — clearing a writer’s block, strengthening sentences or reworking to heighten the impact, flow and readability of your story — and every edit includes invaluable feedback, comments and suggestions.

WordsRU � we edit, you take the credit

View our book testimonials from published authors.

WordsRU Writer Services:

WordsRU offer an editing and proofreading service that will ensure the page-turning suspense generated by your mystery novel.

SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST FOR A COMPLIMENTARY, NO OBLIGATION
ASSESSMENT AND DETAILED QUOTE NOW!

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