Crime Fiction Writing Guides
Craft guides on plotting, suspense, dialogue, and character — from Phillip Strang, author of 150+ crime novels. Practical techniques from the writing desk.
The first draft of a crime novel presents a unique challenge that separates it from other genres. You’re not just wrestling with character arcs and pacing, you’re constructing a puzzle that must resolve logically while maintaining tension throughout. Too many writers get lost in the labyrinth...
The authenticity of intelligence agencies in espionage fiction hinges on research that balances operational realism with narrative necessity. Too little research produces cardboard cutout agencies that insult readers’ intelligence, while excessive detail can bog down pacing and expose classified...
Financial crime presents one of the most challenging research territories for crime writers because the mechanics of fraud can be simultaneously labyrinthine and mind-numbingly dry. The writer must navigate complex regulatory frameworks, understand sophisticated schemes, and then transform this technical...
Every crime writer eventually faces the poisoning plot, and the moment you start researching toxicology, you realize how badly most fictional murders handle the science. The gap between dramatic necessity and medical reality creates one of the most challenging research territories in our genre.
Across...
Crime writers face a delicate balance when incorporating firearms into their narratives—too little research and you lose credibility, too much and you risk transforming your story into a technical manual. The challenge lies in achieving sufficient accuracy to satisfy knowledgeable readers while keeping...
Crime writers face a peculiar challenge when researching surveillance technology: the gap between what agencies actually use and what Hollywood depicts is vast enough to sink an otherwise credible thriller. The temptation to rely on flashy tech from spy films creates fiction that reads like fantasy,...
Researching prison life for crime fiction demands a delicate balance between authenticity and accessibility. Writers need enough genuine detail to ground their characters and settings without crossing ethical lines or compromising narrative momentum.
Across eighteen series and more than 150 novels, I...
Legal thrillers consistently stumble over the same courtroom procedural errors, transforming genuine legal drama into Hollywood fantasy. The gap between authentic legal process and what appears on the page undermines reader trust and reduces narrative tension. Writers who fail to understand basic courtroom...
Drug trafficking cases present crime writers with a deceptively complex research challenge that extends far beyond surface-level criminal activity. The multi-layered nature of drug operations, from street-level dealers to international cartels, requires understanding not just the criminal enterprise...
Cybercrime presents crime writers with a peculiar challenge: we must understand enough technical detail to avoid glaring errors, yet translate that complexity into prose that doesn’t read like a computer manual. The balance between authenticity and accessibility determines whether readers stay...
Researching organised crime for fiction presents unique challenges that separate it from standard police procedural research. The subject matter demands authenticity, yet the sources often exist in grey areas where legitimate journalism meets criminal activity, and where asking the wrong questions in...
The question isn’t whether crime fiction should include trigger warnings—it’s how we craft them without destroying narrative tension or insulting our readers’ intelligence. Crime fiction inherently deals with violence, death, and human darkness, yet the modern publishing landscape increasingly...