Cheat Sheet for Cozy Mystery Tropes

Title: 101 Tropes You Should Know

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Author: C. Brown
Publisher: TLM Publishing House (2023)

Have you considered the many ways writers start their next project?

All can be right choices, as long as it works for you.

Some writers might skip or reduce time preparing for their next story.

I get it.

People get excited and want to write while the muse is cooperating.

Other writers may write forty-five-page outlines with full character sketches in place before they start.

There’s something calming about having an idea where your road trip will end up before you get into the car.

True, there isn’t as much surprise for the writer at the end of the story, but at least you don’t start out writing a cozy mystery and end up with something else.

What writers can find common ground on is the benefit of using established tropes.

If you are that kind of writer who loves all aspects of writing, including research and outlining, good for you! 

You’ve done your research and established your tropes. 

WHAT IS A TROPE?

An easy way for me to remember the gist of a trope is to think of a human skeleton.

It provides structure for you to write your outline.

A trope doesn’t inhibit your creativity, but helps the writer find a process to evoke maximum character growth. 

A trope character transformation arc takes many forms.

A trope can outline this process for reference when writing.

I’d like to recommend a great book to help you sort out these decisions. 

101 Tropes You Should Know is an invaluable resource. 

I’d like to thank Suzanne Lieurance, author, writing coach, speaker, and workshop presenter from Write By The Sea, for telling me about this book.

I’m so glad I followed up by purchasing it.

I’ve only brushed on the topic of tropes.

If you want to learn more and have in your personal library a book that you can immediately use, please consider this book by C. Brown.