| How to Speak Hindi Posted: 18 Apr 2016 05:00 PM PDT Hindi (मानक हिन्दी) is an official language of the Union of India[1] and the lingua franca of North India. Hindi shares its roots with other Indo-Aryan languages such as Sanskrit, Urdu, and Punjabi as well as Indo-Iranian and Indo-European languages spanning Persian to Kurdish to Russian to Gaelic.[2] Learning to speak Hindi can be challenging, but you can start by learning simple words and phrases. You should also practice your Hindi with others in a class, on your own using online tools, or with a language partner. EditLearning Hindi Grammar - Familiarize yourself with Hindi nouns. In Hindi, all nouns, which are words for objects, places, and people, have a gender: masculine (M) or feminine (F). Make sure you remember the gender or every noun in Hindi as the gender of Hindi nouns is essential for proper grammar and communication of the language.[3]
- You can apply a general rule to determine the gender for a noun. Words that end with the vowel आ aa are usually masculine and words that end with the vowel ई ee are usually feminine. Keep in mind there are many exceptions to this rule. To be on the safe side, you should still learn the gender of all nouns by memorizing them and lots of practice using them in Hindi sentences and phrases.[4]
- For example, the noun for boy is: लड़का ladkaa (M) and the noun for girl is: लड़की ladkee (F). The general rule of gender applies in the case of these nouns.
- But nouns like मेज़ mez - Desk (F) or घर ghar - House (M) are all exceptions to the general rule of gender.
- Learn Hindi pronouns. To communicate effectively in Hindi, you will need to learn simple pronouns like "he, she, I, we, they". The pronouns in Hindi are:[5]
 - First person singular: मैं main - I
- First person plural: हम ham - We
- Second person singular: तू too - You (Intimate)
- Second person plural: तुम tum - You (Informal), आप aap - You (Formal)
- Keep in mind each pronoun is used based on the level of politeness in a conversation. You should use the formal आप aap when you are meeting someone for the first time, talking to an elder or if you wish to show respect to the person whom you are speaking to.
- The informal तुम tum is used when you are talking with your friends or close relatives. The informal तू too can be used when you are having an informal or intimate conversation, such as a conversation with your partner or with your young children. Do not use the informal तू too when speaking to a stranger or someone you do not know well, as this is considered as very rude remark.
- Third person singular: यह yah - He / She/ It / This
- Third person plural: वह vah - He / She/ It / That
- In spoken Hindi these words are pronounced slightly differently: यह is pronounced yeh and वह is pronounced voh. You should use यह yeh when speaking about someone or something close to you. For example, if someone is standing next to you, you would use यह yeh.
- You should use वह voh when speaking about someone or something further away. For example, if someone is standing across the street, you would use वह voh.
- When in doubt, use वह voh.
- Third person plural: ये ye - These / They
- Third person plural: वे ve- Those / They
- You will often hear वे ve being pronounced as the singular "voh". The third person plural pronouns follow the same rules: ये ye for people / things close to you (in the distance sense) and वे vo for people / things further away.
- Note that both यह yeh or वह voh could mean either "he" or "she". In Hindi, the third person pronoun is not based on the gender of the person you are talking about. To determine if the person is talking to a "he" or "she", you must consider the context of the sentence.
- Study Hindi verbs. Start by learning Hindi verbs in the infinitive form (in English, "to ___"), as verbs are conjugated in Hindi by removing the infinitive ending and adding other suffixes. Hindi infinitives end in ना naa.[6]
- Examples of Hindi infinitives include: होना honaa - to be; पढ़ना pahrnaa - to read or to study; बोलना bolnaa - to speak; सीखना seekhnaa - to learn; जाना jaanaa - to go.[7]
- Practice conjugating verbs. You must conjugate verbs in Hindi to reflect grammatical categories such as number, gender, tense, and mood.[8]
- For example, the infinitive verb होना honaa- to be, conjugated for number becomes:[9]:
- मैं हूँ main hoon - I am
- हम हैं ham hain - We are
- तू है too hai - You are (intimate)
- तुम हो tum ho -- You are (informal)
- आप हैं aap hain - You are (formal)
- यह है yah hai - he/she/this is
- वह है voh hai - he/she/that is
- ये हैं ye hain - these/they are
- वे हैं ve hain - those/they are
- There are three conjugations for gender in the present verb tense:
- For masculine singular subjects, drop the infinitive ending ना naa and add ता taa.
- For masculine plural subjects, drop the infinitive ending ना naa and add ते te.
- For feminine singular or feminine plural subjects, drop the infinitive ending ना naa and add ती tee.
- Hindi verbs have many tenses so you will need to use reference materials such as textbooks and language guides to learn how to conjugate verbs beyond the present tense. You can also use a good reference dictionary to assist you in conjugating new verbs.
EditLearning Simple Words - Practice basic greetings. "Hello" and "Goodbye" are the same word in Hindi, "namaste", pronounced nuh-MUS-stay. Often, you will greet someone with "namaste" at the beginning of a conversation or as a casual greeting when you meet them in passing.[10]
- Study the days of the week. Practice the days of the week to expand your Hindi vocabulary. It can help you to hear the days of the week pronounced by a fluent speaker, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD9serDDbY8#t=17.[11]
- Sunday: RaveevaaR
- Monday: SomvaaR
- Tuesday: MangalvaaR
- Wednesday: BudvaaR
- Thursday: guRoovaaR
- Friday: shukRavaaR
- Saturday: shaneevaaR
- You can also practice saying "yesterday", which is "kal", and today, which is "aaj".
- Recite the numbers in Hindi. Another easy to learn list is the numbers 1-20 in Hindi. Learning the numbers can be a good way to expand your vocabulary further and get comfortable with the sounds of Hindi words.[12]
- Zero: shunya/sifer
- One: eyk
- Two: do
- Three: teen
- Four: chaa
- Five: paanch
- Six: chey
- Seven: saat
- Eight: aat
- Nine: no
- Ten:das
- Eleven: gyaaRah
- Twelve: baaRah
- Thirteen: teyRah
- Fourteen: chodah
- Fifteen: pandRaah
- Sixteen: solaah
- Seventeen: satRah
- Eighteen: ataaRaah
- Nineteen: nunees
- Twenty: bees
EditLearning Simple Phrases - Practice saying "what's your name?" Once you feel comfortable with Hindi words, you may try out simple phrases like "what's your name?", which is "Aap ka nam kya hai?", pronounced "aap kaa NAAM kya hai."[13][14]
- You can also learn how to respond when someone asks you your name in Hindi by saying, "My name is…" or "Mera nam...hein", pronounced "MAY-ra naam...hay." For example, if your name is Mindy, you may say, "Mera naam Mindy hein."
- Learn how to say "how are you?". To keep your Hindi conversations going, you may then ask "how are you?" or "Aap kaisey hain?" pronounced "aap KAY-se hain."[15]
- You may then respond to the question with "I'm fine, thanks!" or "Mein theek hoon, shukriya!"
- You can also practice saying "thank you" or "Dhanya vaad", pronounced "DUN-y e vaad." You can respond when someone thanks you in Hindi by saying "your welcome" or "Shukriyaa."
- Try the phrases in a short back and forth conversation. Once you feel comfortable with several words and phrases in Hindi, you may want to string them together in a short back and forth conversation with a fluent friend or a language partner. You can also practice conversational Hindi on your own. An example conversation may be:
- "Namaste!" (or "Arrey, Dost!" which is "Hi friend!", a less formal greeting)
- "Namaste!"
- "Aap kaisey hain?" (How are you?)
- "Mein theek hoon, shukriya! Aur aap?" (I'm good, thanks. And you?)
- "Theek-thaak." (Good)
- "Alvida!" (Good bye!)
- "Namaste!" (Bye!)
- Practice basic traveler phrases. If you plan to travel in India or an area where Hindi is spoken, you may want to brush up on several traveler phrases to help you speak to locals during your trip. You should practice these phrases with a Hindi fluent friend or a friend who is also learning Hindi so you can master the pronunciation of these phrases and terms.[16]
- "I'm lost": "Hum kho gaye hain"
- "Can you help me?": "Kya aap meri madad kar saktey hain?"
- "Where is the bathroom?": "śaucaghara kahaan hai?"
- "How much is this?": "Yeh kaisey diyaa?"
- "Excuse me…" (to ask for something): "Kshama keejeeae…"
- "Excuse me…" (to pass by someone): "Kshama keejeeae…"
- Learn how to order food in a Hindi restaurant. You can also practice ordering food in Hindi, which is a good way to also practice certain Hindi phrases and terms. Audio recordings of these Hindi phrases and terms can be found on the Audible Hindi website.[17]
- "Would you like a …?" : "kya aapako … pasand hai?"
- "What would you like to drink?": "Aap kya pina pasand karenge?"
- "I would like to …": "main … lena pasand karunga."
- "I don't eat meat or fish.": "Main macchi ya maas nahin khata."
- "I don't drink.": "main shrab nahin pita."
- "It's awful!": "yah bhayankar hai!"
- "It's delicious!": "yah swadisht hai!"
EditPracticing Your Hindi - Join a Hindi language class. One of the best ways to learn a new language is to sign up for an in person class, where you engage with an instructor and other students at least once a week. You will be able to practice your Hindi in face to face conversations with your instructor and get hands on instruction on pronunciation and intonation.
- It can also be useful to be surrounded by other students who are also learning the language, as you can all act as supports for each other and practice the language together. Look for Hindi language classes at your local college or university, or at an Indian community center in your area.
- Use online tools like videos and podcasts. There are many online learning tools available for beginner Hindi speakers that focus on basic words and phrases, as well as more complex elements of the language, such as conjugation, verbs, adjectives, and Hindi sounds.
- Read and recite Hindi children's books. Hindi children's books can be a great way to learn basic words and phrases in a fun and accessible way. Many children's books are also good for getting better at conversational Hindi and provide visuals to reinforce the vocabulary.
- You can find over 60 Hindi children's books here: http://www.learning-hindi.com/, some with accompanying audio recordings of the books to get better at pronunciation.
- Practice your Hindi with a fluent friend. If you have a friend who is fluent in Hindi, you may want to arrange weekly meetings where you get together and practice conversational Hindi. Use simple subjects like the weather or how you're feeling that day, and try to progress to more complex subject matter.
- You can also reach out to meet up groups in your area to see if there is a Hindi group where you can practice your Hindi with a more fluent speaker.
- Watch Hindi films. India has a huge movie industry, popularly known as "Bollywood" and over 1,000 films are released per year.[18] You can find Hindi films online through streaming services or through a content provider like iTunes. Watch Hindi films in the comfort of your home to get better at conversational Hindi. You can watch them with the subtitles on or off to practice listening to Hindi spoken by native speakers.
- You may want to start with popular films in Hindi cinema like Mughal-e-Azam (frequently ranked the greatest Bollywood movie of all time), the comedy Golmaal, and the drama Kahaani.[19]
- Attend Hindi cultural events in your area. Many large metropolitan areas and even smaller cities or towns will have an Indian population, who will then hold Hindi festivals and cultural events. This will give you the opportunity to meet new Hindi friends and learn more about Hindi culture. Look out for Hindi events at your local Indian cultural center or do an online search for Hindi events in your area.
EditCommon Hindi Phrases EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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| How to Form an LLC in New Jersey Posted: 18 Apr 2016 09:00 AM PDT If you're starting a business in New Jersey, you may be interested in organizing it as a limited liability company. LLCs formed under New Jersey law have similar tax treatment and ease of operation that sole proprietorships do, but shield owners' personal assets if the company has legal or financial problems. This gives an LLC many of the benefits of a corporation, but without the complications and extensive record-keeping requirements of formal incorporation.[1] EditChoosing a Name - Come up with a business name that reflects the products or services you offer. New Jersey law requires your name to include the words "Limited Liability Company" or the initials "LLC."[2]
- Search the NJ business name database to ensure your name is distinct.
- Your name must be distinguishable from any other name currently in use or reserved in the state. [3]
- The online search system is available for free. If you need additional help, you can call the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services at (609) 292-9292. However, you will be charged a fee for this assistance.[4]
- Name availability checks also are done automatically when you file your LLC formation documents online.[5]
- Reserve your name. If the name you want to use is available in New Jersey, but you are not yet ready to file formation documents for your LLC, you can reserve your name by filling out a paper form and mailing it to the NJ Division of Revenue, Corporate Filing, PO Box 308, Trenton, NJ 08646. You can also fax it to (609) 984-6851.
- Your reservation form must be accompanied by a $50 filing fee.
- If you plan on forming your LLC in New Jersey, your name will be reserved for 120 days.[6]
EditCompleting the Public Records Filing - Appoint a registered agent. New Jersey law requires all LLCs registered in the state to have an agent for service of process in the state.
- The agent may be an individual resident or another company authorized to do business in the state.
- The registered agent must have a physical street address in New Jersey.[7]
- File Certificates of Formation and pay filing fee. New Jersey allows you to form an LLC online by answering a few questions about your business and paying the $125 filing fee.
- If you're forming a nonprofit company, the fee is only $75.
- The form must include your LLC's name and address, and the name and address of your LLC's registered agent. It also must include the purpose of your LLC and the names and addresses of all members or managers of the company.
- If you don't want to file online, you can download the state Business Registration Packet, print the required forms and mail them to the Division of Revenue.[8]
- Prepare an operating agreement. Although state law doesn't require LLCs to have an operating agreement, having one in writing ensures all the members of your company understand their rights and responsibilities.
- Your operating agreement governs the relations of the members of your company, to each other and to the company itself, and describes their rights and duties. It also details the activities of the company, how they are conducted, and how decisions are made.
- Without an operating agreement, the default rules set out in the New Jersey LLC statute will apply to your business's operations. Before you decide to forego an operating agreement, read the state law and make sure you understand how those rules will govern your business. [9]
- File annual reports. State law requires all LLCs operating in New Jersey to file a report with the Division of Revenue each year.
- The report must include the name and address of your LLC, your LLC's registered agent, and all members or managers of your LLC.
- Each report must be accompanied by a $50 filing fee.[10]
EditComplying With Tax and Regulatory Requirements - Obtain an Employer Identification Number from the IRS. If you plan on opening financial accounts in the name of your business, have more than one member, or have employees, you'll need a federal EIN.
- The EIN is used for your business the same way you use your Social Security number. It is a unique identification number for your LLC that can be used to open bank accounts, apply for loans, or file taxes.
- Use your EIN to register with the state. All business must register for employer and tax purposes. Most businesses also have a federal EIN, and New Jersey uses that number for state tax identification as well.
- If you don't have a federal EIN, you can apply for one as you fill out the form online to register with the state.
- You can file the tax form at the same time you form your LLC. However, if you choose to file separately, the tax registration must be completed within 60 days of registering your LLC.[11]
- Acquire all necessary state or local business licenses. Some types of businesses require additional licenses, registrations, certifications or permits to operate. You may be charged a fee for these licenses.
- For example, if you're opening a beauty shop, you must get a license and registration, and pay the $130 fee.[12]
- If you already formed an LLC in another state but want to do business in New Jersey, you must first register with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and appoint a registered agent for service of process.
- To register as a foreign LLC, you file the same form as a new business entity and pay the $125 filing fee. You must also include a certificate of good standing or similar document from the state where you formed your LLC.[13]
EditSources and Citations EditRelated wikiHows
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| How to Write a Mystery Story Posted: 18 Apr 2016 01:00 AM PDT A good mystery story will have fascinating characters, exciting suspense, and a puzzle that keeps you turning the pages. But it can be difficult to write an engaging mystery story, especially if you have never tried to before. With the right preparation, brainstorming, outlining, and editing, and character development, you can create a page turning mystery of your own. EditPreparing to Write - Understand the distinction between the mystery genre and the thriller genre. Mysteries almost always begin with a murder. The major question in a mystery is who committed the crime. Thrillers usually begin with a situation that leads to a major catastrophe, like an assassination, a bank robbery, a nuclear explosion, etc. The major question in a thriller is whether or not the hero can prevent the catastrophe from occurring.[1]
- In mystery stories, your reader does not know who committed the murder until the end of the novel. Mysteries are centered on the intellectual exercise of trying to figure out the motivations behind the crime, or the puzzle.
- Mysteries tend to be written in the first person, while thrillers are often written in the third person and from multiple points of view. In mystery stories, there is usually a slower pace as the hero/detective/main character tries to solve the crime. There are also less action sequences in mysteries than in thrillers.
- Because mysteries are often more slower paced, the characters are usually more in depth and well rounded in a mystery story than in a thriller.
- Read examples of mystery stories. There are many great mystery stories that you can read to get a sense of a well plotted, well developed mystery.[2]
 - The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. The 19th century mystery novel was originally written in serial form, so the story moves forward in measured steps. Much of what became standard in crime fiction was done by Collins in this novel, so it is an engaging and instructive introduction to the genre.
- The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Chandler is one of the genre's greatest writers, creating engaging stories about the trials and tribulations of private detective Philip Marlowe. Marlowe is a tough, cynical, but honest P.I. who becomes in entangled in a plot with a General, his daughter, and a blackmailing photographer. Chandler's work is known for its sharp dialogue, great pacing, and riveting hero, Marlowe.[3]
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Doyle Conan. One of the genre's most famous detectives, along with his equally famous sleuthing partner Watson, solves a series of mysteries and crimes in this collection of stories. Holmes and Watson inject their unique character traits into the stories along the way.[4]
- "NANCY DREW' by Carolyn Keene .The whole series is situated in United States.Nancy Drew is a detective.her close friends Helen Corning,Bess Marvin and George Fayne appear in some mysteries. Nancy is Carson Drew's daughter. Carson Drew is the most famous lawyer in River Heights,where they live.
- "Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon.This is similar to Nancy Drew.It is is about two brothers:Frank and Joe Hardy, who are talented detectives.They are the sons of a very famous detective,and they sometimes help in his cases.
- A Crime in the Neighborhood by Suzanne Berne. This recent mystery novel is set in 1970s suburban Washington. It centers on the "crime" in the neighborhood, the murder of a young boy. Berne intersperses a coming of age story with the mystery of the death of the young boy in bland, boring suburbia, but manages to make the story anything but bland or boring.[5]
- Identify the main character in an example story. Think about how the author introduces the main character and how the author describes the main character.
- For example, in The Big Sleep, Chandler's first person narrator describes himself through his clothing on the first page: "I was wearing my powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display handkerchief, black brogues, black wool socks with dark blue clocks on them. I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn't care who knew it. I was everything the well-dressed private detective ought to be."[6]
- With these opening sentences, Chandler makes the narrator distinct through his way of describing himself, his outfit, and his job (private detective).
- Note the setting or time period of an example story. Think about how the author situates the story in the setting or time period.
- For example, in the second paragraph of the first page of The Big Sleep, Marlowe places the reader in the time and setting: "The main hallway of the Sternwood place was two stories high."
- The reader now knows Marlowe is in front of the home of the Sternwoods and it is a larger home, possibly wealthy.
- Consider the crime or mystery the main character needs to solve. What is the crime that the main character has to solve or deal with in some way? This could be a murder, a missing person, or a suspicious suicide.
- In The Big Sleep, Marlowe is hired by General Sternwood to "take care" of a photographer who has been blackmailing the General with scandalous pictures of the General's daughter.
- Identify the obstacles or problems the main character encounters. A good mystery will keep readers hooked by complicating the main character's mission (to solve the crime) with obstacles or problems.
- In The Big Sleep, Chandler complicates Marlowe's pursuit of the photographer by having the photographer killed in the early chapters, followed by the suspicious suicide of the General's chauffeur. So Chandler sets up the story with two crimes that Marlowe has to solve.
- Note the resolution of the mystery. Think about how the mystery is resolved at the end of the story. The solution to the mystery should not feel too obvious or forced, but it also should not seem too out of left field or implausible.
- The resolution of the mystery should feel surprising to your reader, without confusing them. One of the benefits of a mystery is that you can pace the story so the solution unfolds gradually, rather than in a rushed or hurried manner.
EditDeveloping Your Main Character and Outlining the Story - Create your detective or sleuth. Your main character can also be a private citizen or innocent bystander to a crime who gets drawn into solving the mystery. Brainstorm specific details of your main character, including:[7][8]
 - Body size and shape, hair and eye color, and any other physical characteristics. For example, you may have a short female main character with dark hair, glasses, and green eyes. Or you may want a more typical detective character: tall with slicked back hair and a five o'clock shadow.
- Clothing and dress. Your character's clothing will not only create a more detailed image for your reader, it can also indicate what time period your story is set in. For example, if your main character wears heavy armor and a helmet with a crest, your reader will realize your story is set in medieval times. If your character wears a hoodie, jeans, and a backpack, this will tip off your readers that the story is likely set in modern times.
- What makes your main character unique. It's important to create a main character who stands out to your reader and feels engaging enough to sustain many pages in a story or novel. Consider what your character likes and dislikes. Maybe your female sleuth is shy and awkward at parties, and has a secret love of reptiles. Or perhaps your detective is a complete klutz and doesn't consider himself a strong or smart person. Focus on details that will help to create a unique main character and don't be afraid to draw on details from your own life or your own preferences and tastes.[9]
- Determine the setting. Place the story in a setting you know well, like your hometown or your school. Or do some research on a setting you are unfamiliar with, like 70s California or 40s Britain. If you use a setting you have not experienced first hand, focus on specific settings, like a suburban home in 70s California or a boarding house in 40s Britain.
- If you decide to set your story in a time period or location you are unfamiliar with, conduct research on the time period or location through your local library, online sources, or interviews with experts in a certain time period or location. Be specific with your research and during your interviews to ensure you get all the details of a setting or time period right.
- Create the puzzle or mystery. Not all mysteries need to have a murder or major crime. But the bigger the crime, usually the higher the stakes in the story will be. High stakes are important because they engage your reader and give her a reason to keep reading. Possible sources for mystery could be:[10]
- An item is stolen from your main character or someone close to the main character.
- A person close to the main character disappears.
- The main character receives threatening or disturbing notes.
- The main character witnesses a crime.
- The main character is asked to help solve a crime.
- The main character stumbles upon a mystery.
- You can also combine several of these scenarios to create a more layered mystery. For example, an item may be stolen from your main character, a person close to the main character disappears, and then the main character witnesses a crime she is later asked to help solve.
- Decide how you are going to complicate the puzzle or mystery. Build up tension in the story by making it difficult for your main character to solve the puzzle or mystery. You can use obstacles like other people, or suspects, false leads, misleading clues, or another crime.[11]
- Create a list of possible suspects your main character may encounter throughout the story. You can use several suspects to point the detective and/or the reader in the wrong direction to build suspense and surprise.[12]
- Write a list of clues. Red herrings are clues that are false or misleading. Your story will be stronger if you include several red herring clues in the story. For example, your main character may find a clue that points to one suspect, but it is later revealed the clue is actually tied to a different suspect. Or your detective may find a clue without realizing it is the key to unlocking the entire mystery.[13]
- Use cliffhangers to keep the story entertaining. A cliffhanger is a moment, usually at the end of a scene, where the main character is in a situation that traps her or places her in danger. Cliffhangers are important in a mystery because they keep your reader engaged and propels the story forward. Possible cliffhangers could be:[14]
- The main character is investigating a possible lead alone and encounters the murderer or killer.
- The main character begins to doubt her abilities and lets her guard down, allowing the murderer to kill again.
- No one believes the main character and she ends up trying to solve the crime alone,and she ends up getting kidnapped.
- The main character is injured and trapped in a dangerous place.
- The main character is going to lose an important clue if she can't get out of a certain location or situation.
- Create a resolution or ending. Wrap up the story with the solution to the puzzle. At the end of most mysteries, the main character has a positive change or shift in her perspective. Possible resolutions include:[15]
- The main character saves someone close to them, or an innocent person wrapped up in the mystery.
- The main character saves herself and is changed by her courage or smarts.
- The main character exposes a bad character or organization.
- The main character exposes the murderer or person responsible for the crime.
- Write a story outline. Now that you have considered all the aspects of your story, create a clear outline of the plot. It's important to map out how exactly the mystery will unfold before you sit down to write the story, as this will ensure there will are no loose ends in the mystery. Your outline should be in the order the events or plot points are going to occur in the story. It should include:[16]
- Introduction of main character and setting.
- The inciting incident, or the crime.
- The call to adventure: The main character gets involved in solving the crime.
- Tests and trials: The main character finds clues, encounters potential suspects, and tries to stay alive as she pursues the truth.Close ones might be kidnapped as a threat
- Ordeal: The main character thinks she has found a key clue or suspect and believes she has solved the crime. This is a false resolution, and is a good way to surprise your reader when it turns out the main character got it wrong.
- Major setback: All seems lost for the main character. She found the wrong suspect or clue, someone else is killed or harmed, and all her allies have abandoned her. A major setback will amp up the tension in the story and keep the reader guessing.
- The reveal: The main character gathers all interested parties together, lays out the clues, explains the false leads, and reveals who the murderer or guilty person is.
EditWriting the Story - Use the five senses to describe the setting. One of the best ways to create a setting or atmosphere is to focus on the five senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Descriptions of sensory details can also create backstory for your character. For example, rather than tell the reader your character had cereal for breakfast, you can have the character taste the remnants of cereal on her tongue. Or she can smell the cereal she spilled on her hands.[17]
 - Think what your main character might see in a certain setting. For example, if your character lives in a home much like yours in a small town, you may describe her bedroom or her walk to school. If you are using a specific historical setting, like 70s California, you may describe your character standing on a street corner and looking at the unique architecture or the cars that drive by.
- Consider what your main character might hear in a certain setting. Your sleuth may listen to the birds chirping and the sprinklers on the lawns on the way to school. Or your detective may hear the roaring of cars or the crashing of ocean waves.
- Describe what your main character might smell in a certain setting. Your main character might wake up to the smell of coffee being made in the kitchen by her parents. Or your detective may be hit with the smell of the city: rotting garbage and body odor.
- Describe what your character might feel. This could be a light breeze, a sharp pain, a sudden jolt, or a shiver down her spine. Focus on how your character's body might react to a feeling.
- Think about what your character might taste. Your main character may still taste the cereal she had for breakfast in her mouth, or the drink from the night before.
- Start the action right away. Skip long paragraphs of description of setting or character, especially in the early pages. You want to hook your reader by starting right in the action, as your main character is moving and thinking.[18]
 - Think about being concise with your language and description. Most readers continue reading a good mystery because they are invested in the main character and want to see her succeed. Be brief but specific when describing the main character and her perspective on the world.
- For example, Chandler's The Big Sleep starts by situating the reader in a setting and gives the reader a sense of the main character's perspective on the world. "It was about eleven o'clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills. I was wearing my powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display handkerchief, black brogues, black wool socks with dark blue clocks on them. I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn't care who knew it. I was everything the well-dressed private detective ought to be. I was calling on four million dollars."[19]
- With this beginning, the story starts in action, with a specific time, date, and description of the setting. It then presents the main character's physical description and job title. The section ends with the main character's motivation: four million dollars. In three lines, Chandler has covered many of the essential details of the character, the setting, and the story.
- Show, don't tell. If you tell your reader, "the detective was cool", the reader will have to take your word for it. But if you show your reader the detective was cool by describing the clothing she wears and the way she walks into a room, the reader can see how cool the character is. The impact of showing your reader certain details is much more powerful than simply telling the reader what to think.[20]
 - Think about how you would react in a situation if you were angry or scared. Have your character react in ways that communicate angry or scared, without telling the reader about the character's emotions. For example, rather than "Stephanie was angry," you could write: "Stephanie slammed her water glass down on the table so hard her dinner plate rattled. She glared at him, and started ripping the thin, white napkin into shreds with her fingers."
- Showing, rather than telling also works well for descriptions of setting. For example, in The Big Sleep, rather than tell the reader the Sternwoods were wealthy, Chandler describes the luxurious details of the estate: "There were French doors at the back of the hall, beyond them a wide sweep of emerald grass to a white garage, in front of which a slim dark young chauffeur in shiny black leggings was dusting a maroon Packard convertible. Beyond the garage were some decorative trees trimmed as carefully as poodle dogs. Beyond them a large greenhouse with a domed roof. Then more trees and beyond everything the solid, uneven, comfortable line of the foothills."
- Surprise your reader but don't confuse her. When creating a mystery, it's important that the resolution does not feel abrupt or cheap. Try to always play fair and aim to surprise, rather than confuse, your reader. The clues presented in the story should lead to the solution in a logical and clear way, despite any red herrings or false leads. Your reader will enjoy the ending if you make her think, "It's so obvious, I should have known!"[21]
- Revise your first draft. Once you have created a first draft of your mystery story, go through your pages and look for key aspects, including:[22]
- Plot. Ensure your story sticks to the outline and has a clear beginning, middle, and an ending. You should also confirm your main character shifts or changes at the end of the story.
- Characters. Are your characters, including your main character, distinct and unique? Do all the characters sound and act the same or are they different from each other? Do your characters feel original and engaging?
- Pacing. Pacing is how fast or how slow the action moves in the story. Good pacing will feel invisible to the reader. If the story feels like it is moving too fast, make the scenes longer to draw out the emotions of the characters. If it feels like the story gets bogged down or confusing, shorten the scenes to only include essential information. A good rule of thumb is to always end a scene earlier than you might think or want. This will keep the tension from scene to scene from dropping and keep the pace of the story moving.
EditMystery Story Help EditThings You'll Need - Paper and pen and/or a computer with a word processor (like Word)
- Mystery books/stories
- An idea/plot for the story
- Thesaurus
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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