| Description |
xxi, 522 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and indexes. |
| Contents |
Introduction / Martin Edwards -- Motives. The value of detective fiction / G. K. Chesterton -- The art of the detective story / R. Austin Freeman -- Why crime fiction is good for you / Ian Rankin -- Why do it? / James Runcie -- The moral compass of the crime novel / Frances Fyfield -- Beginning. Motivation / Peter James -- Getting started / Janet Laurence -- Finding ideas / Freeman Wills Crofts -- Sources of inspiration / Nicholas Blake -- Anthea Fraser / Making choices -- Putting murder on the page / Ann Granger -- Intensity in crime writing / Natasha Cooper -- Openings / John Harvey -- 'Something should happen now' : narrative hooks / Peter Robinson -- People. Character from suspense / Mark Billingham -- Cops and criminals, contrast and comedy / Bill James -- Making characters believable / Marjorie Eccles -- Characters, relationships, and settings / June Thomson -- Places. On the Suffolk coast / P. D. James -- Human geography / Ann Cleeves -- Setting stories in unfamiliar places / Michael Ridpath -- M.O. Let the story be the driver / Val McDermid -- Style / Lindsey Davis -- Choosing a theme / Kate Charles -- Pace / Michael Jecks -- Writing scenes / William Ryan -- Dialogue, rhythm, and keeping to the point / Margery Allingham -- Listening and dialogue / Patricia Moyes -- Writing dialogue / Cynthia Harrod-Eagles -- Perspectives. Getting a perspective / Aline Templeton -- What on earth is it like to be you? / Liza Cody -- Plots. Plots / Agatha Christie -- Logic and working backwards / J. J. Connington -- All will be revealed / Mary Kelly -- Structuring a plot / Kate Ellis -- Voyages of discovery / Eric Ambler -- How to change your murderer / Andrew Taylor -- Detectives. Amateur detective or professional? / Priscilla Masters -- Believable amateurs / Susan Moody -- Private eyes / Michael Z. Lewin -- Research. Getting it right / Ngaio Marsh -- Keeping up to date / Desmond Bagley -- Amateurs and expertise / John Malcolm -- Detection. Detective stories and virtuosity / Edmund Crispin -- Rules and prejudices / John Dickson Carr -- Classic ingredients / Christianna Brand -- Clues / Michael Innes -- Snakes and ladders / Catherine Aird -- Optimal subterfuge / Sophie Hannah -- Suspense. Suspense / Robert Goddard -- The face in the mirror / Julian Symons -- The suspense novel / Jessica Mann -- The hours before dawn / Celia Fremlin -- Action. Inspiration, perspiration, realization / Lionel Davidson -- Adventure fiction / Tom Harper -- Writing action series / Felix Francis -- Filling the gaps / Michael Gilbert -- Constructing a thriller / Michael Hartland -- The Cold War, then and now / Mack Herron -- History. A laying on of hands / Michael Pearce -- The Christmas tree theory of historical research / Imogen Robertson -- Historical dialogue / L. C. Tyler -- Humour. Humour and human nature / Alexander McCall Smith -- Characters and caricature / Robert Barnard -- Humour and satire / Ruth Dudley Edwards -- In short. Let's pretend / Roy Vickers -- Switch-overs in short stories / H. R. F. Keating -- Fiction and fact. Fictionalizing characters and crimes from real life / Peter Lovesey -- Trial and error / Anthony Berkeley -- Partners in crime. Collaborative writing / Dorothy L. Sayers -- Adapting. Writing for radio / Alison Joseph -- Adaptability / Simon Brett -- Challenges. Imposter syndrome / Martyn Wales -- Writing : a painful pleasure / Suzette A. Hill -- Writer's block / David Stuart Davies -- Improvising / Stella Duffy -- Ending. The end of the beginning / Laura Wilson -- In my end / Joanna Hines -- Publishing. The changing face of publishing / David Roberts -- What editors want / Antonia Hodgson -- Traditional versus self-publishing / Russell James -- One things leads to another / Jill Paton Walsh -- Writing lives. The writing process / Reginald Hill -- Keeping track / Paula Gosling -- Reading for pleasure / Jonathan Gash -- Don't give up the day job / Janet Noel -- Writing to relax / Bertie Denham -- Social media and the death of Nancy / Elly Griffiths -- The joy of writing / John Le Carré -- Different books; different problems; different solutions / Len Deighton. |
| Summary |
"In celebration of the Detection Club's 90th birthday, ninety of its esteemed members share their experiences and advice about the art and craft of successful crime writing. From G. K. Chesterton's timeless exploration of the value of detective fiction to Len Deighton's insightful explanation of how differnt problems can be met with different solutions, Howdunit takes the reader on a guided journey through all aspects of crime writing and the painful pleasures of motivation, character, setting, dialogue perspective, humour and suspense. How do you decide on a murderer? What research should you do? When can you improvise? And what do editors actually want?" -- Jacket flap. |
| Subject |
Crime writing.
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Detective and mystery stories -- Authorship.
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Plots (Drama, novel, etc.)
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Plots (Drama, novel, etc.) (OCoLC)fst01067227
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Crime writing. (OCoLC)fst00883105
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Detective and mystery stories -- Authorship.
(OCoLC)fst00891462
|
| Added Author |
Edwards, Martin, 1955- editor.
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Detection Club, author.
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| Other Form: |
Ebook version : 9780008380144 |
| ISBN |
9780008380137 |
|
0008380139 |
|
