If your cash is running out fast and you have an incessant need to write, why not turn to crime?
No! Not committing crime, but to writing about crime. Crime is all around us, and people want to know about it. Don't believe me? Turn on the five o'clock news, Lifetime TV or USA TV Network. You'll see true crime stories run rampant across television schedules. True crime on television is the number two genre (next to romance). And guess what? Someone has to write those movie scripts--might as well be you.
Many movies are adapted from books. Again, someone has to write those books. It's legal, profitable, and downright intriguing.
You ever wonder, when you're watching the news, "How could she be so stupid?" or "Didn't they know they were living with a maniac?" I do, it's only natural. In fact, I think we feel it could never happen to us.
But, crime can happen to any one of us. That's where true crime writing comes in. It answers the questions in story form.
For instance, we have learned that kids believe 'strangers' are ugly and 'scary-looking'--like monsters. But we know that's not accurate, so we teach our kids that a stranger can be good looking, well educated, and considerate. We can tell them about Ted Bundy (without the violence) and show them a picture if we really want to make the point. Many surviving crime victims often say that the person was so nice; they never suspected he could be capable of such destruction. We know this because we were told a story either in verbal, written, or picture form.
If true crime writing interests you, begin by searching local newspapers for stories. Don't search across the country, unless you are independently wealthy! Anytime you see an article that looks interesting, clip it and put it in your 'true crime clippings' file. If there are more articles about the same crime, then you know it is intriguing enough to warrant your attention. Still... it does not mean it is enough for an entire book. To discover the answer to that question will take research.
Do you have a fascinating criminal? Is the crime random, or was the victim chosen for a reason? Is the place of action special (was it at Disneyland, for instance)? Can you write about a totally different lifestyle than what we know? Is the criminal a member of MENSA? Is she dressed up as a clown when she commits her crimes? Is the victim the first woman space rocket engineer? Perhaps the victim is a deaf child. All of these facts increase the story's public interest and can take us into a world we have never been in before.
Are there subplots in the crime (not only did he murder his best friend, he also barged into his friend's family life and became like another son, then he robbed them one night, and then...). These questions will help you decide if you have a story worth considering?
True crime writing is lucrative and actually a challenging kind of fun. It is about combining journalism with novel writing. Nonfiction with fiction. If you have what it takes -- determination, time, and a strong stomach -- you can take up this as a career and soar.
About The Author
Nithya K is a India-based writer who specializes in writing fiction and has tremendous interest in writing non-fiction related to science, technology and other genre. She is also experienced in creating technical documentation. Basically a BE graduate with an MBA degree, her main focus is still writing. Nithya is also interested in Ghost writing of books and articles in the areas of business writing, technical writing, science and technology writing and fiction.
The author can be contacted at tutor19us@yahoo.com and also invites readers to visit her webpage at tutor19us@yahoo.com
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAs writers, we initially tend to be either more cerebral... Read More
In one of the exercises in my "Getting Started as... Read More
Every writer knows that the urge to write is not... Read More
No matter what you are writing, the first priority is... Read More
Becoming an author is probably a lot easier than you... Read More
It's important to have a space set aside in your... Read More
~~~Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned,... Read More
One day in the mid-1970's a young man stumbled into... Read More
This is the ideal topic for us all to think... Read More
As a previous article ("Making Better Word Choices ? 4... Read More
Freewriting is a release from the prison of rules. It... Read More
All the famous writers I heard of could paper the... Read More
As a professional copywriter, not only do I do a... Read More
Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to... Read More
There are three ways to write a first draft. One... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
Every writer expends a great deal of creative energy developing... Read More
The rejection letter says: "Your story, on the surface, appears... Read More
These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will... Read More
May I tell you about a writing technique shared by... Read More
Boost Brain Power Through WritingHave you ever noticed what happens... Read More
Not all writers write good grammar. That's a fact. It's... Read More
Real Estate has "Location, location, location," and writing has "Clips,... Read More
What is this annoying, insidious angst that permeates my psyche?... Read More
Our Freelance Writing Needs DefinedWe must make freelance niche types... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..Hundreds of writing contests tempt screenwriters with the lure of... Read More
The greatest gift you have to give to yourself and... Read More
I started writing as a way of keeping safe memories... Read More
A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More
Far too many inexperienced writers create flat, stereotypical characters: the... Read More
1. Write it fast, fix it later.2. Commit to writing... Read More
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your... Read More
Creating incredible characters can be easy if you know of... Read More
When one population in one century survived five wars, two... Read More
Winning writing contests can provide several advantages to writers. For... Read More
Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper?... Read More
You are far more likely to successfully write and publish... Read More
The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in... Read More
Weather posting a page to your Website, writing a letter... Read More
Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored... Read More
Whether you're interviewing for a new job, trying to woo... Read More
As in all endeavors, toil is necessary to succeed and... Read More
It's a good idea to use TextPad because all opt-in... Read More
A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More
Writing is hard work, and like all hard work, one... Read More
(This excerpt is taken from my new writing workshop Writing... Read More
If you find your sentences filled with commas, and they... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
Have you ever had a student write to tell you... Read More
Writing |