Mystery writing can be murder and if we aren't organized enough, mayhem! We must create an intriguing plot, develop an endearing cast of characters, and devise enough twists to keep our readers engaged and entertained to the end; not just the end of our book, but the end of our series. How do we support our audience while keeping our stories fresh? Let's look at the different ways we can keep our content fresh and relatable, and our readers happily surprised. It is imperative to remember that, as mystery writers, we have a duty to:
• Never stop reading within our genres
• Expand our reading beyond our chosen genres
• Research, research, research
• Fine-tune our editing
• Keep our facts straight 

Read
"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others; read a lot and write a lot." Stephen King 
For us to expand as writers, we must read more books. Without reading, we risk remaining stuck in our own small worlds. When we read, our creativity is fed, and we expand our minds and artistic flow. Reading within our chosen genres is a must, but so is reading outside our genres. By extending beyond our genres, we are allowing ourselves to become inspired by a wide range of influencers, such as diverse writing, geography, dialogue, and colorful new worlds; all of which spark our own creativity.

Research
To keep our readers entertained, our characters have to be believable yet have unique abilities and occupations. How can we keep the believability of our story while also maintaining the originality of story? Research! Research is one of the most overlooked tools for the writer. If our character is a psychic dog groomer, then research will most likely be needed to create a sense of reality in your story. Researching, when done correctly, can elevate our story or series from beyond mediocre to stellar. It is important to note that too little research can harm our story's believability. When researching for a novel or series, remember to: 
• Read books on the subject
• Scour the internet for credible information
• Listen to podcasts on the subject
• Watch shows containing information to spark creativity
• Interview people in similar lines of work
• Always take notes  

Editing
"The function of your first draft is to help you figure out your story. The function of every draft after that is to figure out the most dramatic way to tell that story." Darcy Pattison  
Editing to some equals stifling our raw creativity. To professionals, editing means polishing our rough diamond, thereby creating a significant work of fiction. Editing assures us that our words hold the correct meaning. Without editing, our meaning can be misconstrued and cause laughter, or worse, offense. 
There several types of editing, each with their own unique purpose:
• Developmental Edit - A thorough review of the book and feedback on structure 
• Structural Edit - Reorganizing the structure of our story, removing the excess and redundant, adding fresh content
• Copyedit - Assessing paragraph and sentence structure, tone, readability, spelling, and grammar
• Proofread - Correcting spelling, grammar, typos, and inconsistencies

Organize
Organization is the key to magnificent writing. Keeping our stories straight can quickly become overwhelming if not properly organized. Our plots, character profiles, notes on settings, etc. must all have their place. Whether we prefer to keep our information on a hard drive or in a notebook, every piece of information must be well documented so that we can sustain our creativity while consulting our notes.
Here are a few tips to keep notes and other vital novel information organized:
• Use writing software: Scrivener, The Snowflake Method software, Dramatica
• Use free software: Evernote, OpenOffice Spreadsheets, iNotes
• Create a writer's notebook
• Create a writer's crime wall
• Use manila file folders for each character, main and sub-plots, and settings
Writing a mystery novel is fun, thrilling work. When approached with clarity and organization, writing mystery novels is very rewarding.