Writing Conflict In Crime Fiction With Detective Adam Richardson




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Writing Conflict In Crime Fiction With Detective Adam Richardson






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Want to write a crime-fiction story but not sure where to start? Are you between drafts and feeling stuck? Do you feel that you just don’t know enough about police work to write a believable police detective protagonist?

In this conversational and fact-filled handbook, veteran police detective Adam Richardson answers the criminal investigation questions most frequently asked by authors and screenwriters. Unlike many other writing guides about “the cop stuff,” the Writer’s Detective Handbook addresses police procedure and criminal investigation from the storyteller’s perspective.

The Writer’s Detective Handbook: Criminal Investigation for Authors and Screenwriters equips storytellers with the ability to tell a great story while keeping the police-work aspects believable. Reading this book will empower you to write the crime-fiction story you’ve been dying to tell!


Available August 18, 2019 Preorder now



Writer”s Detective Bureau Facebook Community



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The Importance of Setting in Historical Fiction

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I had opportunity to interview some great historical mystery writers, asking them about the importance of setting; Denise Domning, Lee Strauss, and Rhys Bowen. Here’s what they said…


From Denise Domning author of The Servant of the Crown series.


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How important is setting in historical fiction versus the setting in other genres?

I can’t say that setting is any more or less important to historical fiction than any other genre as every genre has its conventions. What makes or breaks a novel is how deft an author is at conveying the expected milieu. In that, historical fiction can be unforgiving. Readers who love this genre already know their history. Beware the author who doesn’t check her facts for she will suffer the slings and arrows of critics who remind her that sycamores are an American tree and potatoes come from the New World. For the record, neither of those were my errors but I have heard from readers protesting facts that in other genres would be deemed unworthy of comment.

In historical fiction it’s not enough to be comfortable with the details of your chosen time period. You also have to get that information from your brain through your fingers and into the book in a way that doesn’t stop the flow. For me that requires writing out all the details I think I’ll need for a particular scene, say a meal in a merchant’s house. How many tables are there and how are they set? What’s on the floor? Where are the windows, if there are windows? Is there a newfangled chimney or is there a central hearth? What colors/designs are painted on the walls? What

furniture might there be besides the tables? Is there crockery? How does it smell? What sounds fill the air from nearby homes or their own workshops? Are they close enough to hear the bells from the nearest church? Are there regraters outside in the street selling goods? Is the neighboring merchant shouting out to passers-by about his wares?

Once I’ve answered those questions, I go back and tighten, tighten, tighten, eliminating this, shortening that, until there are just enough details to describe the scene without slowing the action. This is very hard to do for someone who writes history textbooks disguised as novels to educate unsuspecting readers. I want to share every cool fact I’ve learned. To protect my readers, I employ this mantra: “If I love it, take it out.”



From Lee Strauss author of the Ginger Gold and Higgins & Hawke mystery series.  


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*How important is the setting in historical mysteries?

I would say very. The historical backdrop is almost like a character in itself. Readers love the details and historical trivia. Otherwise, you might as well stick to a contemporary setting.



From  Rhys Bowen author of the Royal Spyness mystery series.


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How important is setting for historical fiction writers?

Rhys: for me setting drives many of my stories. NAUGHTY IN NICE. TIME OF FOG AND FIRE. Etc etc

And it’s important to get every detail right. I read biographies, accounts of battles, diaries, study old maps.


Rhys Bowen

Lee Strauss

Denise Domning


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Six Indie Mistakes to Avoid with Alessandre Torre




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Six Indie Mistakes to Avoid (The Self Publishing Show, episode 169)







Resources mentioned in this episode:

PATREON: Self Publishing Formula Show’s Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/selfpublishin…


CONFERENCE DISCOUNT: Go to https://www.inkerscon.com/dawson to save on conference registration, including the digital conference, from Inkers Con


LIVE EVENT: Mark will be speaking in June at Slaughter in Southwold – https://www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/ev…





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How To Pitch Your Book For TV and Film With DJ Williams





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How To Pitch Your Book For TV and Film With DJ Williams & Joanna Penn















How to Sell More Books Through Reader Engagement





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How to Sell More Books Through Reader Engagement









HANDOUT: Five Ways to Immediately Connect with Readers courtesy of Dan Blank




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Autopsies For Authors with Geoff Symon & Joanna Penn




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Autopsies For Authors with Geoff Symon







About Geoff Symon


Geoff Symon is a 20-year Federal Forensic Investigator and Polygraph Examiner. His participation in high-profile cases includes the attacks on September 11, 2001, the War in Iraq, the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion, the 2002 bombings in Bali and the Chandra Levy investigation, among countless other cases.

He has direct, first-hand experience investigating cases including murder (of all types), suicide, arson, kidnapping, bombings, sexual assault, child exploitation, theft and financial crimes. He has specified and certified training in the collection and preservation of evidence, blood-spatter analysis, autopsies and laboratory techniques. You can reach him at GeoffSymon.com.




Autopsies for Authors



Want to add an autopsy that won’t kill your story? Death swings its scythe in every genre, from family funerals to crime scenes to creatures that won’t stay buried. This user-friendly, illustrated reference digs into all things posthumous and postmortem.

Presented as a research manual for the experienced writer, this “Forensics for Fiction” title offers practical approaches and realistic details by covering:

¤ Terms and techniques used during autopsy procedures
¤ Different postmortem professionals and their specialties
¤ The stages of decomposition in different environments
¤ Methods used to estimate the time of death
¤ Case studies in which autopsies cracked the crime
¤ Examples of how to use autopsies in any popular genre

Whether you’re writing about dissection or resurrection, this guidebook covers it all from cadaver to slab as an easy-to-understand resource for dead-on storytelling.


Amazon | Goodreads | Website



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How To Write A Compelling Villain




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How To Write A Compelling Villain (The Self Publishing Show, episode 163)













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The First Act with Author Emily Elaine

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The First Act of Writing with Emily Elaine


How do you introduce your story?


I always begin my books with a catastrophic event in the prologue that directly affects both the protagonist’s internal conflict and the entire plot. For Example, in my upcoming novel: The Born Weapons, my protagonist is the first “natural-born” of his kind and his birth is an act of Rebellion against “the Maker.” The Maker makes a deal with my protagonist’s mother that if she kills the Rebel Leader, who is her honorary brother, than her baby can live.


What’s your process of creating characters?


I base my characters off a theme such as truth or innocence. There after, I build their backstory, psychology, personality, appearance, and quirks. The themes I choose correspond to the plot work. For example, my protagonist is based on truth and the catalyst to the climax is the event in which he tells humanity the truth about why his kind was created.  



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How do you introduce the main conflict?


I design the main conflict and my protagonist’s identity to be symbiotic. In my current novel, the main conflict is that the ‘Alma’ (a type of cyborg) are subject to the oppression of their Makers and Humanity. Since my protagonist is an Alma, he and the conflict are introduced simultaneously.


How do you approach writing the first Act, or 25% of the book?


I love to hit the ground running. I believe that characterization and world building are best shown and not told, so I throw my MC into peril from the first chapter and introduce settings, characters, etc… in pace with the plot.  




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Do you use a certain number of scenes per Act?


Nope! I actually don’t pay attention to anything regarding quantity such as pages, scenes, or acts until I am revising. I only concern myself with following my outline to ensure I cover all my plot points, sub plot points, character development milestones, ect….


What’s the hardest part of developing the setup?


I assume that by ‘setup’ you mean world building and primary conflict. I often struggle to include world building details while drafting because I tend to focus on plot and character development. I’ve learned to let these details go and add them in while revising.


What has helped you develop your writing skills?

I have to say that the process of trial and error has been most helpful. I’ve been writing books since I was eight years old. Also, reading has helped improve my writing voice over the years.  



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A Word with Kate Rhodes on Writing

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A Word with Kate Rhodes on Writing



What’s your creative approach to writing?




Outlining or pantsing?  





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How do you get to know your characters?





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What’s the hardest part of writing for you?









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Did you write poetry before novels?




What do you enjoy most about poetry?





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Can you share one of your poems?




What next for you?




Hell Bay

Ruin Beach

Burnt Island




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#Bookstagrammars: How to reach Readers through Instagram








#Bookstagrammars How to reach Readers through Instagram





Do you use Instagram? Why or why not?



Benjamin Thomas