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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 and 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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This course applies to the following programs:

Certificate Program in 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
  • The English Novel
  • Fact or Fiction: Reading and Writing the Personal Essay
  • Great Novels You Always Meant to Read
  • Great Writers Steal: How the Work of Other Writers Can Inform and Inspire You
  • Mystery Fiction
  • Shakespeare
  • Short-Story Masterpieces
  • Meet the Writer: Guided Study and Discussion With Fiction Writers
  • Ursa Minor Production Class

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
  • Screenwriting Workshop
  • How to Write a Story
  • Writing and Appreciating Poetry
  • Poetry Workshop
  • Poets Studied and in Conversation
  • Writing Creative Nonfiction
  • Creative Nonfiction Workshop
  • Developing the Memoir
  • Developing the Memoir II
  • Journalism Workshop
  • Science Writing
  • Writing the Feature Story
  • Writing and Editing Internship Program

Courses of Related Interest

  • Children's Picture Book Writing Workshop
  • Story Lab
  • Writing the First-Person Essay

Learn More About this Program

Notes

Departmental contact: extension-letters@berkeley.edu | (510) 643-1110

Prerequisites

ENGLISH X13: Writing Skills Workshop or equivalent
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