Cri-Fi.com

Keeping it in the Family… Death that is.

John Barnett — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:44:39 +0000

Most true life crimes, especially murders are committed by someone close to or known by the victim. That’s why the Police always start with the closest relative first and work outward in an ever increasing circle through friends, work collegues and aquaintances before looking elsewhwere.

The random killing is not as prevelant as the film industry or indeed many crime writers would have us believe. So, the next time yopur character is investigating a murder, remember to start with the nearest and dearest.

The killing of brother or sister is not too common when the siblings reach maturity as childhood squabbles usually end up with one sibling leaving and having nothing to do with the other. An interesting plot point though, if the siblings share a deep, dark childhood secret.

Likewise, the killing of parents by children is not common unless one counts mercy killing by a distressed child.

Most murders are committed between husband and wife whether estranged or not and this is where the investigation should start.

With the obviouss.

Contrast the Mundane and The Extraordinary

John Barnett — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:31:12 +0000

The sun is shining, it’s the start of a beautiful day here in England. I’m sitting in my office preparing for a new day with a mug of Gold Blend in front of me. It’s all very mundane.

That’s got me thinking about dramatic effect. After all, what could be more ordinary these days than sitting at a laptop with a cup of coffee. My writing, reflecting this will be slow and languid. Long flowing sentences.

Crash…

A brick, a damn housebrick. Through the window. Broken glass. Everywhere.

I sit for a moment then I see the message. Write quick for dramatic effect. Short snappy sentences.

I slowly let the brick dissolve from view and go bck to staring at my laptop. Dramatic effect…

Now I know that some writing books will tell you to steer clear of the mundane and in general I agree, but there are times in your crime novel when you need to have a dramatic moment. Some say that your crime novel should be full of dramatic incidents. That’s also true. But, and it’s a biggie, you need something ton contrast these dramatic events against. So why not have your detective hero sit at their, laptop doing something ordinary? You don’t have to labour the point, a couple of longer sentences will do. Just make sure the contrast is a s sharply defined as you can make it.

Ideas versus Research

John Barnett — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:12:23 +0000

Some of you. seem to be stuck in the ideas stage in novel writing. Today, I thought I’d have a think about idea generation This is purely off the cuff and I have nothing planned so I’ll just sound off.

Where do ideas for a crime novel come from?

Most writers would say, “It’s in your head stupid.”

Well that’s true but the ideas have to get in there somehow and the art of observation is crucial. Above all, the writer has to be a student of life, an observer of the human condition, particulsrly the crim,inal miond relating to the human condition.

One of the places I look is in the Court Reports of my local newspaper. Also, believe it or not, I am a fan of Judge Judy. Although famous for its comedy element, the arguments between the parties and Judge Judy’s interjections are worth saving for ideas.

Places are good for ideas. The internet has lots of scenic pictures that will genersate ideas and personally I like to walk in the countryside. A lot of my writing is set in the English countryside and holidays taken in the past provide me with lots of inspiration.

So look around, make notes, any ideas that come to mind, no matter how stupid you may think them. Characters have strange ideas too. You never know when that idea may lead your hero to solve a case byu a bit of lateral thinking.

People and conversations are always good for ideas. A slip of the tongue or something said out of context can lead to all sorts of ideas.

Another thing to remember is that certain sections of people tend to slip int jargon that is associated with either their job or hobby. For instance, a middle aged lady who speaks of messages and the other side a lot could confidently be assumed to have an interest in Spiritualism. Compare this tio the middle aged man who talks of fuselages, flaps and aerofols. He is either a pilot or builds model airplanes for a living. If you are thinking of writing about these sorts of characters then buy the mags that go with their hobby. Psychic News or RC Airtcraft. TRhis gets you into the language and lets your character speak naturally as they would if they were really into the hobby or job.

Until next time.

Keep Writing.

How Can You Write About Crime When There Isn’t Any?

John Barnett — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:05:35 +0000

A difficult problem for the crime writers of New York it would seem.

Read about it in the New York Times

Duncan Lawrie Dagger Shortlist Announced

John Barnett — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:00:50 +0000

THE SUPREME ACCOLADE for crime fiction has its origins in the Crossed Red Herrings Award, invented for the Crime Writers’ Association in 1955 by John Creasey, whose centenary falls this year. Winston Graham won the first award. Five years later it was renamed the CWA Gold Dagger for Fiction.

The shortlist is on The Times Online’s Website

Harrogate Short Story Competition

John Barnett — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:57:00 +0000

IT’S time to let your imagination run wild again in the fourth annual Short Crime Story competition.

The Harrogate Advertiser series has once again teamed up with the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival to offer budding writers the chance to flex their creative muscles.

Harrogate Advertiser Short Story Competition

More fun at the Worlds Biggest Online Retailer

John Barnett — Fri, 23 May 2008 09:35:18 +0000

Turns out they’re threatening to take authors BUY NOW buttons away if they don’t use their Print on Demand Services.

Here come the lawyers.

Can You be Guilty of Murder if You Didn’t Shoot Anyone?

John Barnett — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:23:54 +0000

Yes, you can be guilty of murder even if you didn’t fire the fatal shot. Two strangers involved in a shootout were arrested. one has been released for lack of evidence, the other awaits sentencing after being found guilty of murder.

After the abolition of the double jeopardy laws in the UK, it is noe possible to be tried for the same crime twice.

Read the full story on the BBC News Website

New British Government Iniciative to Counter Gang Culture

John Barnett — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:17:20 +0000

Yet again, the British Government is targeting gang culture.

Time to get on my soapbox I think.

Why do kids or adults for that matter join gangs?

Experience from the US points to their being many underlying causes for gang membership.

A sense of belonging, usually stemming from lack of parental control due to the breakdown of the traditional family unit. Members feel that their gang brothers and sisters are more of a “family” than their own.
The opportunity to wield power. Some gang members feel a sense of powerlessness over their lives, lack of money and opportunities are cited as reasons for membership.
Race Hatred.Still alive and flourishing no matter what gloss the Government puts on a multi-culturall society, most gang members seek power over other race group. This is not exclusively a white thing either, thye “yardie” culture in Birmingham for example.
Rebellion against the establishment. Many feel as if the law is there to victimise them rather than protect society.
Boredom.
Access to illicit substances such as drink, drugs etc
Intimidation. The you join us or face the consequences scenario.
Easy money. Selling drugs or weapons, robbery where the victim is intimidated with threats of future violence.

Punitive sentencing may sound good and the public will obviously go for it as a fix, the Government will tout it as emphasising the fact that they are tough on crime.

Gang culture is nothing new, Victorians were plagued by it, read Oliver Twist for example or watch the magnificent Angels with Dirty Faces starring James Cagney nfor an example of 1930’s gang culture as seen through the eyes of Hollywood. The underlying causes of gang culture need to be addressed as well as sentencing policy or the problem will get worse.

Here’s the article.

After a spate of high-profile teenage killings in London, Home Secretary Jaqui Smith will address the damaging impact of gang-related crime on local communities .

“My priority is to protect and support the victims and witnesses of gun and gang crime,” Smith said ahead of her keynote speech.

“If this means an early guarantee that their identities will be protected then so be it. And if law enforcement authorities need new powers then they will have them ,” she said.

Senior police officers have warned that criminals are escaping justice by threatening communities, and it is hoped that by offering witnesses protection at an earlier stage they can convince them to give evidence.

The proposal is one of many set out in the government’s Tackling Gangs Action Plan.

Another recommendation will see a cash injection in a number of towns and cities to tackle knife-related crime.

Smith is also thought to be considering allowing judges to restrict the movements of gang members.

The government will also outline suggestions for schools to monitor the computer activity of suspected gang members and photographing graffiti tags.

Writing a Crime Novel-The Hardest Thing to put on Paper

John Barnett — Thu, 22 May 2008 11:24:52 +0000

Did you see Gone in 60 Seconds? today I’m going to talk about one of the hardest things when writing a crime fiction novel. We see it in the movies all the time and we feel we have to have it in our novel to give us the ultimate action and drama.

What am I talking about?

The car chase.

Remember Starsky and Hutch and Chips?. Every week in these TV shows we knew that Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul were going to slide over the bonnet of their car or Ponch was going to make yet another spring crunching leap from an artificially created ramp cunningly disguised as a normal piece of Calafornia highway. It worked for them because it was highly visual. In the movies and on television that is what the audience react to. Visual stimului.

Can we create this in our novel?

There are only so many ways you can describe crunching gears and squealing, smoking tires. If you concentrate on the scenery, you slow down the action. The same for internal dialogue. The action has to be controlled by you the author sitting in the drivers seat.

A car chase takes longer to describe in a novel than it does to show on film. I normally steer clear of them in my writing and leave it to the film boys and girls who know how to deal with the subject.

If you can write a chase without using the words screaming (tires, passers by, passengers), smoking (tires) crunching (gears mut be a manual gearbox, those automatics like police cruisers just don’t cut it) then good luck. Me, I know when I’m beaten.