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  • Berkeley Global

Mystery Writing

ENGLISH X168

20537466

The mystery is the one of the most popular and pleasurable forms of storytelling for both readers and writers. In this class you explore the art, craft and business of writing crime fiction in its many forms, including detective stories (from cozy to hard-boiled), police procedurals, thrillers and suspense. Class discussions, writing exercises and guest speakers give you clues and techniques for creating successful mystery novels and short stories: creating strong characters, portraying vivid settings, building suspense and developing a convincing plot with a satisfying resolution. The course guides you through the entire creative and publication process, from finding ideas to marketing your work.

Learner Outcomes

  • Give writers an understanding of the mystery genre in its many forms and the particular challenges and rewards of writing and selling mysteries.
  • Provide skills and techniques for creating successful mystery stories, including plot development, characterization, dialogue, setting, and the building and sustaining of suspense.
  • Inform you about the business of being a mystery writer and the way that the publishing industry works so that you can market your work effectively.
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Fall 2025 enrollment opens on June 16!

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This course applies to the following programs:

Certificate Program in Creative Writing

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Required Courses

  • The Craft of Reading
  • The Craft of Writing
  • Writing Skills Workshop

Electives (Literature)

  • American Fiction
  • Contemporary Voices: Speaking From the Margins
  • Great Writers Steal: How the Work of Other Writers Can Inform and Inspire You
  • The Handmaid’s Tale: Writing Dystopia, the Female Gothic and Social Commentary
  • Re-envisioning the Past Through Historical Fiction
  • Reading the Postmodern: Writing and Rewriting Genre, Gender, and Culture
  • Shakespeare
  • Adaptations & Retellings
  • Banned Books

Electives (Writing Workshop)

  • Exploring Creative Writing
  • Introduction to Writing Fiction
  • Intermediate Fiction Writing
  • Advanced Fiction Writing
  • Writing Genre Fiction: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance and More
  • Mystery Writing
  • Developing the Novel
  • Screenwriting: The Art of Visual Storytelling
  • Poetry Workshop
  • Creative Nonfiction Workshop
  • Developing the Memoir

Courses of Related Interest

Learn More About This Program

Notes

Departmental contact: extension-letters@berkeley.edu

Instructional Types

Live Online
Live Online courses provide an interactive learning experience with scheduled synchronous online sessions held via Zoom video conferencing (Pacific Time). Learn more about the Live Online format.
Online, Start Anytime
Continuous enrollment course begins when you enroll. You have a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of 180 days to complete the course.
Online, Fixed Date
Enroll in this course by its start date and complete it by its specified end date. There are no live sessions, but plenty of opportunities to collaborate with your classmates and instructor.
Classroom
Take classes in-person at one of our buildings or partner locations.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

All of our courses are taught in English. If English is not your first language, please use the following test scores as guides in order to be successful:

  • TOEFL: 90
  • IELTS Academic Format: 7
  • DAAD: C1
  • TEM-4 or TEM-8: Level 70
  • Duolingo: 125

Note: You do not need to submit test scores.

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Berkeley, CA 94704-7000

extension@berkeley.edu

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