For the love of community

by Julie Tollefson

For the last few months, I’ve been slogging through revisions on both a novel-length manuscript and a short story. Some days, I read a bit of something I’ve written in the past and cringe. Some days, I think, “Hey, that’s not half bad.” But the process of revision is daunting and, to be honest, not as much fun as drafting something new. Add in a couple of big life events, and my energy for the work was seriously flagging.

Then last week, I had the pleasure of spending an entire day with a terrific group of writers and readers at an event organized by the Border Crimes chapter of Sisters in Crime. Thanks to the grant writing efforts of past president Lisa Harkrader, support from the national SinC organization, and hard work of a team of local members, Border Crimes hosted a one-day workshop with prolific award winning author Rhys Bowen (you might know her as the author of the Royal Spyness series, the Molly Murphy mysteries, the Constable Evans mysteries…). 

Rhys, charming and witty, shared her deep knowledge of the mystery business, from the basics—“Mystery, thriller, suspense: What the heck am I writing?”—to more concrete methods for crafting plot or conveying the nuances of time and place.

Power panel (from left): Lisa Harkrader, Nancy Pickard, Sally Goldenbaum, and Rhys Bowen.

At the end of the day, I had notes filled with good advice. 

Some made me laugh: If you love your character, make her suffer. 

Some made me think: If you’re writing about your own time and place, you have to work harder at observations. It’s much easier for outsiders to see the unique qualities of setting.

Some warmed the heart of this former copy editor: Double check even the things you think you know.

And to my great pleasure, I won first place in a “Mystery Starts” contest held in conjunction with Rhys’s visit. Writers were invited to submit the first 250 words of a mystery. Judges Lisa Harkrader, Nancy Pickard, and Sally Goldenbaum narrowed the entries down to four and Rhys made the final judgment. What a confidence booster!

My excellent raffle prize,
donated by author Denise Osborne.

But the biggest gift of the day came not from the talks or the formal afternoon tea (though the scones were delicious) or the raffle (though I won a terrific set of reference books), but from the energy and enthusiasm of spending a day among people who love to read and write mysteries. There’s a kinship in the mystery community that is hard to beat. I returned home in the evening physically tired but mentally rejuvenated, ready to attack my continuing revisions with a renewed vigor.

And that, to me, is the greatest benefit of belonging to the mystery community in general and Sisters in Crime in particular.

While I’m gushing over my love for Sisters in Crime, I’ll put in a plug for the organization’s Report for Change, the 2016 Publishing Summit Report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Mystery Community. This document combines stories and research with resources and concrete action steps. For an easy, practical step toward supporting diversity in the mystery community, check out “Frankie’s List: Diverse Mystery Writers” (Appendix A in the report).