Crime writer Nick Anthony Zamucen’s debut novel, My Family Business, follows the life of a man born into a wealthy family. As he grows up, the protagonist of the book learns the truth about his family’s wealth, getting tangled up in a web of lies, crime, murder, and betrayal. His morals and life are at stake here. In an unfortunate turn of events, he has to decide for his and his family’s future. Delving deep into the world of mob families, Zamucen explores a different aspect of being born into a life of crime.
Crime fiction has always been a popular genre in the literary world. The suspense and thrill this genre offers are unmatched. But spinning up a story like that can be quite tricky. The characters need to be three dimensional to make the story seem alive and an engaging plot keeps readers invested. As per MasterClass, here are several elements that will add suspense and intensity to your story:
· A compelling protagonist: Whether you’re writing a detective story or a psychological thriller, any crime novel worth reading has a good guy (or antihero) that readers actually care about.
· A point of view: Before you start writing, decide what message you want to have conveyed by the end of the book. Make sure that point of view is represented from the first page onward.
· Set pieces: In novel writing, a set piece is a key element that you build the rest of your narrative around. In good thriller writing, a set piece often exists as a crime scene. Peppering a few good crime scenes throughout your novel, short story, or screenplay will keep things suspenseful for your reader or viewer.
· Red herrings: Red herrings are misdirects—people or events in crime stories that seem far more important than they really are. Suspects who turn out to be red herrings may, in fact, be interesting characters, but they won’t help the good guy solve the mystery.
· Plot twists: A good mystery, thriller, or crime novel must keep a reader on the edge of their seat, and that means things can never get too comfortable. The best thrillers come loaded with plot twists so that the reader never knows too much about what lies ahead.
· Something to fear: When writing crime fiction, always be mindful of the reader’s experience. People don’t seek out the crime genre in order to feel relaxed and comfortable. They want to experience the suspense of a lurking murderer or marauding cop went rogue. Scare them a bit … or a lot.
· Cliffhangers: Whenever possible, a good mystery book leaves its reader in suspense. Use cliffhangers to end chapters, or even to end entire books within a series.
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