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by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills Mystery and suspense writers value the challenge of a red herring, a clue designed to deceive and mislead the characters and readers.  For the writer, developing a red herring takes time and imagination.   For the protagonist, discovering the real culprit requires skill and insight.   For the reader, absorbing details becomes a challenge of wit.   Incorporating a red herring into a plot isn�t a series of misunderstandings that label the protagonist as ill-equipped to investigate a crime. Instead, the technique adds an additional level of complexity for an unpredictable story. The following 10 tips will help the writer successfully create a red herring. Incorporate the red herring character into the fabric of the story. The technique isn�t an add-on when the plot lacks tension, stress, and conflict.   The red herring is an innocent character who has motive to commit a crime, while the real culprit has nothing established pointing to his...