CozyWriMo Overview: The Month at a Glance
The CozyWriMo framework is based on a four-act story model, which is common in cozy mysteries and detective fiction. It also weaves in character archetypes, red herrings, and subplots that cozy readers love.
Scroll down for the full 30-day plan.
Act 1: The Setup (Days 1–7)
Goal: Establish the sleuth, community, victim, and crime.
- Inciting Incident: The crime—whether a theft, disappearance, or murder—disrupts the cozy town.
- Key Questions: Who is the sleuth, and why is she involved? What’s at stake if the mystery isn’t solved?
- Daily Activities: Introducing the sleuth, suspects, and first clues. The crime scene sets everything in motion.
Inspired by: Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Murder She Wrote, where an outsider sleuth or local resident becomes involved through personal connections.
Act 2: The Sleuth Snoops (Days 8–14)
Goal: Introduce multiple suspects and deepen the intrigue with twists and red herrings.
- Obstacle: The first clues lead to the wrong conclusions, pointing to false suspects or throwing suspicion in all directions.
- Conflict: Town gossip stirs, subplots add emotional depth, and the sleuth juggles her personal life with the investigation.
- Daily Activities: Character development for suspects, subplot exploration, false leads, and mounting tension.
Inspired by: The Cat Who… series by Lilian Jackson Braun, where quirky townspeople provide colorful distractions and misleading clues.
Act 3: Escalation (Days 15–21)
Goal: Raise the stakes and create a sense of urgency. The sleuth feels the pressure and faces setbacks.
- Midpoint Twist: A revelation or event flips the narrative. The sleuth realizes something important: a second crime, a hidden motive, or a trusted ally’s betrayal.
- Complications: Romantic tension peaks, suspects provide alibis (or contradict each other), and the sleuth faces self-doubt.
- Daily Activities: Introduce a ticking clock—someone else is at risk, or a deadline forces the sleuth to act.
Inspired by: Death by Darjeeling by Laura Childs, where each suspect and clue seems plausible but misleading, until the true pattern emerges.
Act 4: The Big Reveal and Resolution (Days 22–30)
Goal: Deliver a satisfying reveal and tie up loose ends. The sleuth unmasks the culprit with flair.
- Showdown: The sleuth confronts the villain—whether it’s a dramatic standoff or a public unmasking.
- Resolution: The sleuth resolves both the personal and criminal conflicts. Order returns to the town, with hints at future mysteries.
- Daily Activities: Final confrontation, big reveal, resolution scenes, light edits, and setup for a sequel.
Inspired by: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, where the final twists feel clever and earned, leaving readers both satisfied and eager for the next book.
CozyWriMo: 31 Days of Cozy Mystery Writing
Week 1: Planting Seeds (Days 1–7)
- Day 1: Meet Your Sleuth – Introduce quirks and motivations.
- Day 2: Cozy Up Your Setting – Build the charming town.
- Day 3: Introduce the Victim – What secrets did they hide?
- Day 4: Set the Crime Scene – Create intrigue and first clues.
- Day 5: Sleuth Takes the Case – What compels her to investigate?
- Day 6: Suspect #1 Appears – Is this one too guilty to be true?
- Day 7: Drop the First Red Herring – Mislead your sleuth and readers.
Week 2: Stirring the Pot (Days 8–14)
- Day 8: Suspect #2 Enters – A nervous newcomer with secrets.
- Day 9: The Sidekick Arrives – Add humor and heart.
- Day 10: Clue that Changes Everything – Shake up the investigation.
- Day 11: Introduce a Personal Problem – Subplot complicates life.
- Day 12: Gossip Creates Chaos – Misunderstandings abound.
- Day 13: A Second Crime Emerges – Now what?
- Day 14: Midpoint Twist – Nothing is what it seemed.
Week 3: Raising the Stakes (Days 15–21)
- Day 15: Sleuth Faces Self-Doubt – Time to rally her back.
- Day 16: A New Suspect Arises – Hidden motives surface.
- Day 17: Rumor Has It – Gossip spreads faster than butter on toast.
- Day 18: Romantic Tension Peaks – Does love complicate the case?
- Day 19: A Ticking Clock – Urgency propels the sleuth forward.
- Day 20: Confront the Wrong Suspect – Oops!
- Day 21: A New Clue Sparks Hope – The finish line draws near.
Week 4: The Grand Finale (Days 22–30)
- Day 22: A Race Against the Clock – Time is running out!
- Day 23: False Confrontation – The villain isn’t quite caught yet.
- Day 24: The Final Clue Appears – Everything falls into place.
- Day 25: Grand Reveal – Unmask the true culprit.
- Day 26: Tie Up Loose Ends – Resolve subplots and characters’ fates.
- Day 27: Emotional Reflection – What has your sleuth learned?
- Day 28: Tease the Next Mystery – A hint of future adventures.
- Day 29: A Cozy Checklist – A quick review of cozy mystery components.
- Day 30: Celebrate Your Success – You wrote a mystery!
Bonus Newsletter
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