Writing is an ongoing creative process. You shouldn't expect to get rich, but you should expect to have a lot of fun.

Contrary to what most writing "how-to" articles say, you don't have to write every day or even at the same time every day. I write for several sessions per week, but when I write depends on what else is going on--family visiting, teaching demands, current research (n.b. writing is not my day job, so I can get away with this).

Writing a mystery is like digging an archaeological site: you work in layers, with the most visible (top) layer being what the hero is doing and the hidden (deepest) layer being the actions and motivations of the villain.

Do you need a plan? Many authors say they write without knowing what's going to happen. I prefer to have a least an outline (a separate computer file) and an erasable board nearby to chart out the main plot points. "Erasable" is key: give yourself permission to change your mind--often--and to allow your characters to take off on their own.

Where and when to do the best ideas surface? When I'm on a long walk or in the shower.I also bounce ideas off my husband Charlie, and he almost always suggests something I never would have thought of on my own.