#60 Pop-Up... Studying Mystery Openings

Basic Who, What, and How to Study Mystery Openings

The Pop-Up.

Over the last number of years, topics and fun things had come up that Kris and I wanted to talk about, but we had had no structure to do so. But now we do with these Pop-Ups.

These Pop-Up topics will just appear when something strikes us. No regular order or timing, but we hope to do more than one per month at least.

Each Pop-Up will consist of 10 or so videos on the topic. Maybe some extra stuff if the topic needs extra. And then one short story prompt.

The Short Story Prompt

Each Pop-Up will also have a short story assignment to a specific topic associated with the Pop-Up. If you decide to write the short story, you can send it to dean at [email protected]

Instructions for each will be in the assignment video. These are not required. Just fun.

We will suggest markets if we know of any. Also, if the story fits something either of us are editing at that moment and we like it, we might ask for you to send it back for that project. To send it back or not will be your choice. You are not submitting a story to anything by sending the story to us for feedback. You are just getting us to read it like a first reader. Only we are experienced editors.

Why would we do this? Because, honestly, we love reading short fiction and we would love to see what writers could do with some of these topics at hand.

Pop-Up #60.. Who, What, and How to Study Mystery Openings.

Part of a ten-part series on different areas of writing mystery fiction. The series runs from Pop-Up #60 through Pop-Up #69

And, of course, there is a fun story prompt with this one.



Your Instructor


Dean Wesley Smith
Dean Wesley Smith

With over twenty-three million copies of his books in print, USA Today bestselling writer Dean Wesley Smith now brings you original fiction every month for the past three years in his own magazine, Smith’s Monthly.

Dean wrote over twenty-five original Star Trek novels, the only two original Men in Black novels, plus Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man novels, and others. He wrote many gaming novels including Final Fantasy.

He wrote novels and stories under almost fifty pen names and did scripts for Hollywood as well as being an editor for various magazines. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife, writer Kristine Kathryn Rusch. You can follow his writing life at www.deanwesleysmith.com


Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
For lectures and classic workshops, the course starts now and stays on your dashboard for as long as you like! They are completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish. For the monthly regular workshops, each has a start date and each week's lectures will appear on the same day. After the course is finished it will remain on your dashboard for as long as you like.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
How do I contact someone about a course?
If you have any questions at all about anything in a course, simply email dean with the word "workshop" in the subject line. His email is [email protected]

Get started now!