I've always loved a mystery. And not just books either. Along with my well-worn copies of mystery novels by Chandler, Block, and the Macdonalds (Ross and John D.), I also treasure my videos of old "Columbo" and "Magnum, P.I." episodes, and I always stop to watch "Murder, She Wrote" whenever I'm on the couch, channel surfing. Though she's around when so many murders occur I haven't decided whether she's the world's best amateur detective or the world's most cunning serial killer.

So, for my first novel, the natural choice for me was to write a mystery. Of course, starting any large piece of writing like a novel can be frightening. It can even paralyze you, as you look at the blank screen (or blank piece of paper in your Royal typewriter) and think, "I have to come up with around 70,000 or so words?!" I know that before I started my first novel, I thought that I wasn't up to the task, that novels were something that "other," "real" writers did.

But I eventually started. Though I don't pretend to know all the answers (I believe a writer should never stop learning), by reading all the how-to books, reading a few hundred mystery novels, and talking to a few other mystery writers as well, I think I can help you, too. This isn't a definitive guide, but it will certainly help you as it helped me. Little by little, the entire process begins to make sense, becomes less daunting, and, believe it or not, becomes more fun.

Tip #1: Just start the novel.

That's the big secret. You have to actually start the book, even if you don't know where it's going or what's going to happen.

Tip #2: A good, clean, correctly formatted manuscript is essential.

Of course, this is true for all writing, whether it's a novel, an article, or a recipe column for your local advertiser. But for novels, it's especially true. Double-space your manuscript. 10 or 12 point type. White laser or inkjet paper (not onionskin or paper that smudges easily). Send it loose in a manuscript box (unless the agent or publisher asks for just a chapter or two, in which case you can go the paper clip route). Word count in the upper right hand corner of the title page, title and author centered, page numbers in the upper right hand corner of the other pages. Spell the editor/publisher's name correctly. And, please, no jelly stains or fingerprints.

I've been an editor, and if a writer handed in something in the wrong format or didn't spell my name correctly or addressed it in a general way, I immediately threw it away without reading it. And enjoyed doing so. There's no excuse for that.

Tip #3: Outline your plot.

Many mystery writers (including myself) do not work from an outline for the entire novel, but I find it helps if I at least jot down a skeleton-like structure of various scenes and transitions. They will probably change as the book goes along, but at least you'll have a base to work from.

Tip #4: First person or third?

Whatever you want. This is always the big debate, isn't it? Which viewpoint to use? It's especially debated in mystery circles. Most mysteries are written in the first person, though the downsides are obvious: your hero has to be present on every page, the reader has to collect clues and realize things at the same time as the hero, and the constant use of the word "I" may put some readers off (though I've never bought that argument - mystery readers know the format of the genre and eat up first person mysteries).

Third person advantages are many: you can get into the minds of various characters, and you can have scenes where the hero is not involved. I chose first person for my first mystery, because it's what I write in for my essays, humor columns, and some of my non-fiction. First person comes naturally to all of us, so many first mysteries are written this way. Though at some point you will want to write your next novel or short story in the third person.

As for multi-viewpoint, don't even try that with your first mystery.

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