How do you develop a mystery story? Like do you have the mystery solved and work backwards? I have ideas for mysteries but not entirely sure how to plot them.
A) That's not a simple question. That's a whole class. But the very very short version...
You can start with anything. A great solve, a surprising twist. A startling body-drop. What I basically do is write any of those that would occur to me on a card and pin it on a cork board. When it's time for a new story, I look at the board and gather any cards that feel like they might go together. Then I put them in order and wonder how I can get from one to the next logically.
Remember, in a good mystery, every scene is a domino that falls and hits the next scene, either by answering a question it poses, or by refuting some conclusion and requiring a new approach.
Accumulate cards by coming up with fun scenes, putting them in order, and filling the gap. Then, and this is important... WRITE AN OUTLINE. It doesn't have to be formal since it's just for you, but you should write out the scenes in order with a who, what, where, why, how for each and how it propels you into the next scene (with a new clue or understanding or suspect, etc). In my opinion, it's not a good idea start writing a mystery without an outline. Since structure is important, you need to have an idea of your structure before you start or you're probably going to get in trouble.
Okay, NOW start writing the script.
Good luck!
