Writing Crime Fiction

Here is the short version: a rejection is a decision about one manuscript, one editor and one month, not a verdict on your talent. … Read more

What editors look for in a crime short story comes down to a handful of testable things: a clear promise about what kind of … Read more

A short story cover letter is a brief note that travels with your manuscript and tells the editor which piece they are holding, how … Read more

A kidnapping plot works because it takes something away. Someone who was safe, known and busy becomes isolated, and every hour costs them more. … Read more

Short crime fiction goes to magazines unsolicited: you match the story to a publication’s stated word limit, format the file the way that editor … Read more

Learning how to write a short story with a twist comes down to one rule: the ending has to be surprising in the moment … Read more

To write a revenge story, find the specific wrong done to your protagonist, give them a motive that justifies extreme action without excusing it, … Read more

Most literary crime short stories land between 1,500 and 3,000 words, with 3,000 a useful working target. Flash pieces run far shorter, novelettes and … Read more

A corrupt cop character is a police officer whose misconduct — bribery, graft, perjury, planted evidence, or covering for someone — is a repeated, … Read more

Learning how to handle real crimes in fiction ethically comes down to four things: deciding why the case matters to your book, researching it … Read more