11 Steps to a COMPLETE Cozy Mystery Plot

[@paperbackstories]

I just cancelled my MasterClass subscription... Dan Brown, David Baldacci, James Patterson, not one of them gave me as much practical information as you have packed into this video

[@janekalmes]

Wow, thank you so much! This comment made my day!

[@jessicakasimir5712]

I don't know exactly why it is so helpful to watch someone else going through the process, but you are doing it in such a logical and creative manner that I feel totally motivated and educated in the best way. Also, you make me feel as if crime notel writing is not impossibly complicated :-) Really great video, thanks a lot!

[@janekalmes]

Thank you, Jessica! I won't lie--it gets complicated! But we can do it if we try!

[@GUTOG]

Who here wants to force Jane to write my book?!

[@janekalmes]

Not me. Authentic Anthony Lester or bust.

[@emmacampbell1090]

It's crazy how many stories have mysteries at their core. This was so incredibly helpful in understanding how the mystery structure can work as the base plot for other genres! I just changed Sleuth to Protag, murder or crime to the general bad event, and then everything fell into place!! Thank you!!

[@SuzanneElizabethAnderson]

My goal is to write a cozy mystery in 2023 and your videos make it seem possible! This was such an exciting video, I couldn't wait for you to write this cozy mystery or I wanted to write it myself! Bravo! You're amazing. Thank you.

[@janekalmes]

You’re so welcome! Good luck with your book!

[@Tishisaurus]

I want to write paragraphs of reasons why I am loving these videos and how helpful and inspirational they are... so I'm channelling that energy into my projects! Thank you so much. I know for certain that I will start seeing your videos crop up in my newsfeeds and I will be stoked when I do! They are fantastic!

[@janekalmes]

Thanks, great to hear it!

[@JillMaurer]

Yay! This video really brought it all together, and I would definitely love to see the scene video. You are the best!! xoxo

[@janekalmes]

Thanks so much, you’re the best!

[@sherrihollister5588]

I have suggested your videos to my writers’ group. I love how you break it down. I’m using your advice for both my historical suspense series and my contemporary romantic suspense series. I just had to tweak it for the different genres!

[@janekalmes]

Awesome! Thank you for sharing my channel; I’m so glad you’re finding it helpful!

[@coneil72]

You are truly a marvel, and providing SO much valuable information on mystery writing!! Which is weirdly a topic that is drastically under-represented among writing advice books and websites. I have no idea why she doesn't have 10x more subscribers.

[@jasondclark]

Listening to you in your flow is amazing. Thank you so much, you stir my creative fire!

[@janekalmes]

🙌 That makes my day, Jason!

[@GUTOG]

Yep. I feel like I need Jane on 8 hours a day so I stick to it after the video is over. Like a schoolteacher looking over my shoulder ... but being nice about it.

[@linetteholm7127]

Really great video!! It ties things together and gives me solid plan on HOW to write my cozy. I've been flailing by starting here...then there...then derailed by uncertainty. Each video you do is SUPER helpful. But this one shows me how to all of that advice into actual work. Very excited to get to work (again...lol)!! Thank you for all you do! Lin H.

[@janekalmes]

Yay, that’s just what I hoped it would do! Thank you!

[@EcceHumanitatis]

Excellent method! And that is a gorgeous turquoise pendant -- it makes me think of the heirloom locket you describe in your improvised storyline.

[@janekalmes]

Thanks! It’s my favorite piece of jewelry, and my most sentimental.

[@AnthonyPafford]

I love how concise your video is and I love how it is so easy to follow what you say. You manage to give us lots of usable tips from inspiration through nailing down the details, and all without making me roll my eyes even once. I will be watching everything on your channel.

[@janekalmes]

Thabkbyou so much, Anthony! Welcome aboard!

[@danmillward8595]

Another great Video Jane. Thank you 🙂 I am currently planning my first mystery and some of your more technical videos ie murder graph and locked room have really helped me get a solid howdunit mystery idea.

[@janekalmes]

That’s so awesome to hear, Dan!

[@JuliaSusa]

Thank you so much! Not only for this video, but all of them 🌷 I am just starting out with writing and your videos were such a great help to find my courage to actually write a cozy mystery (in german we call it cozy crime 😊) It is going to be in Ireland 😊 Again, thank you so much for your great videos! I can only imagine how time consuming it is to make them... thats why I want you to know that I appreciate them so much and you were and are helping me in writing my cozy 💖 And yes, please show how you plan and write the scenes 😊

[@janekalmes]

Lia, I can’t tell you how much it means to me to hear that my videos are helping. You say I’m helping you find the courage to write your book... you guys help me find the courage to make more videos! Thank you so much for your kind words!

[@JuliaSusa]

@@janekalmes 💖💖💖

[@familyballantyne8583]

Thank you so much! I think that if you did examples of scene planning that would be awesome. So fantastic :)

[@janekalmes]

Great, good to know!

[@annavernick1490]

This is great! I'd love more information about putting together scenes, thank you!

[@janekalmes]

Great! Thank you, Anna!

[@SarahHualde]

Cozies are my jam. Thanks for this refreshing and inspiring video! I'm definitely going to revisit it over and over

[@janekalmes]

You are so welcome!

[@barbaralaw3270]

Thank you. You're such a great help.

[@shante3]

I know you mainly focus on cozy mysteries, but do you think you could make a video about the differences between thrillers and mysteries? Particularly in YA, everything seems to be categorized as thrillers, so I'd love some clarification.

[@janekalmes]

This is a great idea, Shante, thank you!

[@janekalmes]

Watch this series from the beginning: kzbin.info/aero/PL3KL6Jqx65DhnnJJPj4ZOEz4monf8946q

[@naphtalieh.gbolahan2568]

Thanks!

[@janekalmes]

You’re so welcome!

[@iamfriedrich]

Thanks a lot watched your videos and completed my manuscript in 3 days

[@snacksandroadmaps9076]

Another great video! I took notes now hopefully I can sit can and get my story plotted out. :)

[@janekalmes]

Awesome, here’s to smooth plotting for you!

[@matthewsouthwell]

This is an amazing video. I have the masterclass series with Dan Brown and James Patterson but I learnt so much more from this video (and your videos in general). Thanks for your contribution to this community!

[@janekalmes]

Thank you so much!

[@carlk8308]

That was absolutely the best video I've seen on wiring the cozy mystery and I've watched many. Hands down the best (subscribed). Thank you. . I've noticed a dearth of books available on the topic. If you put all your advice into book form, you'd have a top seller. I'd be first in line to grab a copy.

[@janekalmes]

Thanks, and welcome to the channel! I'm actually writing the book right now. You can follow along here: janekalmes.substack.com You can subscribe for free and get every third chapter, as it's written, or pay $5 a month to get every chapter. I should have a free chapter out later this week!

[@storydtechtiverobertjones464]

Love how you brought all this together in 20 minutes!

[@janekalmes]

Thank you so much, Robert!

[@brookpetersonauthor]

Amazing as usual, Jane!!

[@janekalmes]

Glad you liked it!

[@erin_lucy]

This is great! Thank you!

[@janekalmes]

You're welcome!

[@SimmingWithSkeeter]

Awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing

[@janekalmes]

Glad you liked it!

[@hannahminnick7978]

This makes me happy, thank you! I'm currently working on a murder mystery and I'm super excited!

[@janekalmes]

Awesome, I’m so glad you found this helpful!

[@jeremyfee]

Wonderful video! Nice step by step planning.

[@janekalmes]

Thanks so much!

[@JonTanOsb]

I'm rewatching. :) I love the idea of the preacher being a fake, even if he isn't the murderer. Then Peyton can get married, realize it was a big mistake, then find out it wasn't legal. Of course a lot of villagers would also find out they had been living in sin, but, oh, well. :) Jon in rural BC, Canada

[@janekalmes]

Oh, my word, Jon, that couldn’t be more perfect! I remember thinking-don’t recall whether I put this in the video-that I would absolutely want an awesome wedding scene, with Peyton backing out at the last moment, but…. There were problems. If the wedding happened before the mysteries were solved, a major source of tension would disappear before the end of the investigation. And if it happened after, it wouldn’t be a big, surprising scene, it would just be denouement. And if I tried to resolve both the past and present mysteries DURING the wedding, it would just be too much. Your idea would allow for an awesome wedding scene, with the tension only escalating afterwards as Peyton has to resolve the investigation while coming to realize what a huge mistake she’s made. Genius!

[@JonTanOsb]

@@janekalmes Thanks. But darn, now you'll really have to write that book! :) Jon

[@victoriawillis6121]

For those of us that don’t want to write a ghost story… would you be willing to do another option? Like the Bed and Breakfast one?

[@janekalmes]

Actually, I'm thinking about doing another version of this, but possibly with hook ideas suggested by the community!

[@marinkspired666]

Came here for the Nanowrimo but for september, so this is very helpful,since this will be the genre. Just gonna' do it for fun,so i don't expect it to be published😂

[@janekalmes]

Glad it was helpful!

[@hibabenhaida2323]

You are amazing, thank uu 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@janekalmes]

Thank you, Hiba!

[@JamesSedgwick-jp6hh]

I really want to write a paranormal cozy mystery. I also want a talking cat in it. I know it's more than likely been done to death but I want that smart ass talking cat. LOL

[@booknerd1974]

This is great!!! 👻👻👻

[@janekalmes]

Thank you, Meredith!

[@JonTanOsb]

Ah, fiction, where all ghosts can be seen and heard. In reality, most just play out a snippet of their lives, like walking from the kitchen to their bedroom, through a wall where a door once was. Sometimes all you get is a smell of roses or lilac or pipe smoke; a gentle touch or a cold breeze. The sounds made by old houses and pipes are often thought to be supernatural, but I usually just blame my cats. :) In my 70 years, I have only met and had a full on conversation with one lovely lady in a theatre, only to see her picture, later, taken in the 20s. She would have been 60 years older, if alive in the physical sense. She was an Intelligent Ghost. When I see a spirit, it looks just like a regular person, so I usually don't know unless they walk through a wall. I've never been walked through by any I've seen, although I have experienced a very cold chill when I've discovered that the person I'd just seen outside and tried to say hello to, had died that morning. Most gifted people have a relative who also had the gift. It usually skips a generation. "Do you want to end up in the nuthouse, like your gran?" Anyway, I'll stop my rambling. Hope it helps. Jon in rural BC, Canada

[@janekalmes]

I don't think I will actually write the book, it's just sort of an exercise--but a fun one! Thanks for your thoughts, Jon!

[@michelle_bennington]

The building = like Waverly in Louisville, KY? :)

[@janekalmes]

Something just like this, yes!

[@douglaswilliams1979]

hi so which location would you pick for my book setting Cornwall or Dordogne

[@janekalmes]

Probably whichever one I knew better.

[@ryanhoffman3947]

You are the only one l follow fpr writing murder mysteries

[@mariavalente6304]

What books should we read on this topic - on whodunit's, murder fiction, ect...

[@janekalmes]

Probably my favorite is How to Write Killer Fiction, by Carolyn Wheat. I’m also working on a book… but that one will take a while!

[@mariavalente6304]

@@janekalmes if you're working on a non fiction book on cozy mysteries, then I'll wait. Love your channel, keep going!

[@janekalmes]

Wow, thank you! In fairness, though, it will probably take me a year to get the book just the way I want it. You might want to pick something else up in the meantime.

[@dibyoshreepaint9241]

Her: someone who would rather believe his fiance is crazy than belive in the supernatural Me: I came here for writing tips, not to be called out like this

[@janekalmes]

Haha!

[@douglaswilliams1979]

hi im trying to write my own cozy murder mystery called Doctor Black Mysteries and focuses on a GP Doctor called Doctor Black I have ideas but there is one i am stuck with his mother called Susan I can't decide what her ocupation is plaease can you help should she be the local pub landlady or a B&B owner please message me back ASAP

[@janekalmes]

Either of those would certainly be good, and allow her to talk to a lot of people and potentially pick up some clues. Plus, I can see either of those settings providing a nice backdrop for some scenes. Professions in legal, tech, journalism, and medical fields also tend to be useful for your sleuth’s allies, as they provide useful skills for mystery solving.

[@kppodcast5698]

You're the only person Ive EVER heard use the term "cozy".

[@janekalmes]

Interesting!