Mystery Monday #5

It's Mystery Monday!
Welcome to our regular Monday feature, where you'll find different kinds of writing prompts and exercises. Each week, we'll give you something to help exercise your mystery-writing muscles.

It's October and that means creepy, scary, spooky stories may be on your mind. Here are a few photos and some questions to get your imagination cranking!

Pick a picture below that you like  (or do this exercise with several of the pictures) and then ask yourself the following:

1. Imagine you are in that photo. Where is this place? What does it smell like? What sounds do you hear? Look around you. What do the items around you feel like? Is it damp? Dark? Foggy?

2. Now imagine who might be in that place (it can still be you, if you want, or it can be the main character of your story). Is that person alone or with someone else? Is there someone or something there too lurking out of sight? Do your characters know he/she/it is there? Can they sense it? Why are your characters there? How did they get there?

3. Got an idea of what is going on in your story? Good! Now ask yourself what will happen next?And then, get writing!

Photo by JR Goleno

Photo by Gavin Mills

Photo by Simona Dumitru

Photo by Terri Heisele

Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/OGGHOO

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We are giving away a copy of COLD CASE autographed by Julia Platt Leonard! To enter the contest, simply comment on any of the Sleuths Spies and Alibis posts between Tuesday October 4 and Friday October 14. Contest closes October 14 at midnight, EST. The winner will be announced on Monday, October 17. One comment = one entry in our drawing; limit one per day.