Author Nick Anthony Zamucen’s latest novel, My Family Business, revolves around the protagonist, who learns the truth about his family’s business when he is old enough. He struggles with his morals and in a turn of events, is faced with making a life-changing decision. Zamucen brings this page-turner full of action, betrayal, suspense, and drama. It is quite refreshing to see young writers tap into their talents and produce such work. The story is one of the most unique ones I’ve read in the past year or so. It will definitely keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Reading a crime fiction is fun and entertaining, so is the writing process. A writer’s imagination plays one of the most important roles in setting up a drive that keeps a reader going. If you’re just starting as a crime fiction writer or an experienced one looking to brush up their skills, here are a few tips on how to write crime fiction, by MasterClass:
· Read the greats. Shore up your crime-writing skills by immersing yourself in the crime genre. Read every great thriller, murder mystery, whodunit, true-crime tale, or detective novel you can. Note how each book deploys point of view, plot twists, interesting characters, cliffhangers, and even clichés. More than other genres, crime fiction leans into a formula—learn what’s come before so you can find your own path forward.
· Write what excites you. Unless you’re a criminal or sleuth, the old axiom “write what you know” likely won’t apply here. But rather than study the bestsellers to see what other crime writers are (or aren’t) doing, write the crime stories that excite you. This is a genre driven by the power of unfolding logical deductions and the thrill of the chase. If you’re inspired to dash toward the big reveal, chances are your readers will be too.
· Do your research. Assume your readers know a good detective story when they read one. Even if they’ve only seen crime procedurals on TV, they probably have a passing familiarity with police departments, detective work, and crime scenes. So if DNA, serial killer profiling or computer hacking are vital to your crime novel, learn how they work. Just be wary of data-dumping more technical info than you need into the story.
· Begin with the crime. When writing crime fiction, the engine behind the narrative is the crime itself. The crime sets off a series of events that require investigation, point to unexpected motives, reveal interesting characters, and build toward a resolution. You want to pull your readers right into that drama in your first chapter. In Sherlock Holmes terms, the game should be afoot from the start.
· Create flawed heroes. Detective fiction and even nonfiction are full of gritty scenes and situations. Your main character, their sidekick, and especially any official investigators feel more realistic if they’re imperfect, or have conflicting motives. Are they making amends? Seeking vengeance? Selfless to the point of recklessness? Build empathy through complexity.
· Create complex criminals. Similarly, your mystery novel or detective story will benefit from a complicated bad guy. Maybe they do what they do because of a love interest. Maybe their warped view of reality leads them to think they’re helping humanity. As is often the case in real life, the bad guys see themselves as the good guys of their own story. Presenting them this way can help raise the stakes in a thrilling mystery story.
· Honor the victims. It can be easy to get caught up in advancing the narrative when writing detective stories, but it’s important to remember that dead bodies aren’t just plot devices. You want to respect your victims, and you can also enhance the realism, emotional impact, and impetus for justice within your own detective fiction by exploring the impact of violence on those left behind.
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