Reflections on ProWritingAid’s Crime Writers’ Week 2024

I don't write crime novels, but in my paranormal series, The Empath Series, my character helps the fictional California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) solve murders. Therefore, I studied the details of crime fiction. I also love learning about storytelling, character development, and world-building.

My highlights from Crime Writers’ Week

Lori Puma's “Building the Puzzle Behind Your Mystery's Plot” was one of several memorable sessions at this year's Crime Writers’ Week. Puma explained how to keep both the sleuth and readers guessing until the very end.

Despite the technical nature of her presentation on plotting and story structure, she offered many tips to help mystery writers keep their readers guessing. One aspect that stood out to me was her statement that authors “don’t just have clues and suspects to build your puzzle. You can also manipulate the life cycle of the clue so that you can control when a clue is understood within your plot.” It's a simple idea, but writers still have trouble knowing when and where to drop clues, and when to reveal whether they’re genuine or red herrings.

Twists don’t suddenly happen

In “Writing Twists and Reveals for Maximum Impact,” Samantha Skal discussed what twists and reveals are, and how to plan them before and even during writing your novel. The key takeaway was that twists don’t just happen out of nowhere. “Twists are not a hard left turn with no previous clues. They’re not some random new plot point to make it twisty. They’re not a secret that the POV character has been keeping from the reader the whole time. That’s a true reveal,” she explained.

A successful twist is always foreshadowed earlier in the story. For instance, in Wicked Seduction, I dropped subtle clues about the true mastermind behind the vicious murders from the beginning. Conversely, a twist can also serve as a red herring. In Wicked Hunt, I suggested that one victim was the actual target of the sniper attacks. Although it was true, the twist was that the individual who hired the hitman erred in his motivations for wanting the other man dead. Ultimately, the killings were unnecessary.

What Hollywood should learn

A special shout-out to Graham Bartlett for his presentation on “Creating Credible Crime Fiction”, whose tips and insights are invaluable for making crime fiction authentic. As a former chief superintendent of Brighton and Hove police, Bartlett’s expertise shows in the way he talks about crafting investigations for novels. 

I try my best to be accurate in my writing. It drives me nuts when I see investigators sipping coffee in his casual clothes while they examine the corpse. That’s a forensic and legal nightmare!

The business of writing crime fiction

The right tools and services reduce an authorpreneur’s workload. I also use Reedsy and Publisher Rocket, which were at Crime Writers’ Week.

On Reedsy, authors can access a network of pre-screened editors, cover designers, ghostwriters, and marketers. In addition to the marketplace, I also use their free writing tool. It may not offer hundreds of features like some other programs, but it lets me write in the software or import your manuscript. I can also easily export your manuscript to ePub and print-ready PDF, simplifying the formatting process.

Ricardo Fayet, Reedsy’s co-founder, packed his presentation, “The Strategies Behind a Successful Book Launch,” with practical and actionable insights on crafting and executing a launch strategy. His free book, “How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market” offers fundamental knowledge authorpreneurs should have.

Importance of keywords and categories

Kindlepreneur’s David Chesson created Publisher Rocket, an app for keyword and category searches. For authorpreneurs aiming to boost visibility and sales, Publisher Rocket is an essential tool.

In his session, “The Art of Crime Keywords and Categories”, Hank Marcacci explained how to find profitable keywords and use categories to attract casual shoppers organically on Amazon. He argued that authorpreneurs should choose keywords wisely and use Publisher Rocket. I use it, and it has saved me hours of tedious research.

Missing opportunities

For authorpreneurs, ProWritingAid’s “Crime Writers’ Week” and similar events are great opportunities to gain insights into publishing, learn new skills, and network. While I enjoyed learning about writing crime novels and book marketing, I missed the sessions with fellow authors. ProWritingAid should have more sessions with authors like Wanda M. Morris and Louisa Luna. Listening to other writers' successes and struggles provides helpful advice and motivation for all authors.

Buy "The Empath Series"

“The Empath Series” follows empath Nathaniel Colt as he rejoins the world and the people he left behind. It is a riveting tale of suspense, emotion, and the resilience of the human spirit. As the empath grapples with his inner demons, the pulse-pounding action and the unpredictable twists will keep you on the edge of your seat.

If you enjoy stories with a psychic investigator, serial killers, and an insolent dog, then you will love “The Empath Series”.