Writing a New Genre

Photo by TrisMarie at MorgueFile.com

For the past few months, I'd been trying to come up with a plot. I had two homicide detective characters, but no crime. A scroll down my Facebook page advertised a mini video course in writing a cozy mysteries. Why not? I'd been wanting to write a cozy for a while, having written a police procedural crime drama screenplay. I enjoyed reading cozies, as well as other subgenres of the mystery/thriller/suspense genres. Only problem? While I had a title in mind, I still had no plot. But I downloaded the three short videos and gave them a view.

First, although the videos were an introduction to a more detailed course, they were informative and well-done. And, not only that, they inspired a story idea. Soon after finishing the third video, I was jotting down my plot, the main characters, and notes I needed for research. The story is inspired by silent films and by an actress who grew up in the same area as my mother. (They didn't know each other, this actress being eighteen years older and already having moved to Hollywood.)

Of course, I won't be using the actress's name or description, as the story is not about her, but only inspired. Most of this month will be spent doing research. Hoping to write it in April during the bi-annual writing challenge I participate in, the other being in October.