True Crime is one of the more popular types of nonfiction. Readers expect you to write about death, violence, and suffering but with a focus on facts and accuracy.
However, it also needs more consideration and finesse than your usual writing. You’re not just writing about real events but real tragedies.
What is True Crime?
True Crime is a genre that examines real-life crimes. It delivers the nitty-gritty details of a crime through a compelling, emotionally charged narrative.
To be true crime, it needs to be based on objective facts. Readers expect you to be as accurate as possible in discussing real people, places, events, and results.
It can be about a single crime or the collective acts of one criminal or more. Sometimes, you need to assume information, especially with older or poorly documented crimes. However, you need to stick to the facts as much as possible.
Tips on Writing True Crime
True crime writers must be objective and accurate. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
1. Do your research.
Nonfiction will always be more about the research than the writing. The more accurate and complete your research is, the more powerful your storytelling will be.
Interview experts or people involved with the crime. Attend trials if they’re ongoing. Get your information from reliable sources and always double-check your facts.
If you add untrue details to your work, intentionally or not, people will read the whole thing with skepticism. They won’t be able to immerse themselves in your story and possibly your future ones as well.
2. Never forget you’re writing about real people.
Unless you’re writing about your own experiences, it’s easy to forget that the story you’re weaving involves real people. What you write and how you write it will make an impact on them whether they’re dead or alive.
You’ll be tempted to make assumptions, changes, and additions that will make the narrative more exciting but aren’t necessarily true. That’s no longer true crime.
Write the facts as they are. You can create a compelling narrative without resorting to sensationalism. Be clear on any assumptions you add to the story.
3. Figure out your goal.
If your readers want a generalized account of a crime, they’ll just read the news. Figure out your goal and focus on how you can deliver it best to your audience.
Two writers can research the same topic and write completely different books. They focus on different characters, highlight contrasting themes, and arrive at separate conclusions.
- Why should people read your book?
- What angle has yet to be explored with this topic?
- Who are the characters you want to focus on? The criminal or the victims?
- What is the truth as presented by the facts of this event?
- Do you want to warn others of an emerging criminal trend?
- Are you trying to understand the mind of the criminal?
- What are the effects of this event?
- Who’s perspective are you using?
These are only a few questions you must ask yourself to figure out your goal. The truth is, while it would be great to include everything you can, it only dilutes the message you want to send.
4. Are you part of this story?
Some writers write true crime due to their trauma. You might be directly involved with a crime or were close enough to it to affect you.
Ann Rule’s The Stranger Beside Me details her personal relationship with Ted Bundy before he was revealed to be a serial killer. Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter is about his experience as the prosecutor in Charles Manson’s trial.
Maintaining objectivity will be difficult if you’re personally involved. However, this is also one of those situations where readers would be interested in your perspective.
Just remember who you are, your role in the event, and the extent of your experiences. You’re still writing true crime; facts need to be at the forefront of your narrative.
5. It doesn’t have to be murder.
It is true that murders—whether singular or sprees—make up the majority of true crime writing. It is equally true that murders are some of the most shocking, speculative, and scandalous of crimes.
However, there are a lot of other crimes that people might find interesting. Provide a more nuanced view of the genre by looking at white-collar crimes, missing persons cases, and cybercrimes
But if you’re that set on murder, consider taking on historical or cold cases. The people involved are either long dead or far removed from the situation. Research is going to be tougher though, particularly as you delve further into the past.
6. Focus on the five senses.
Immerse your readers in your narrative through sensory details. Make them feel the despair, horror, and shock that should be present in such a tragic story.
Describe the gory or violent details if necessary, but don’t go overboard. Do too much and you risk disengaging your readers. Always show, don’t tell.
Humans are visual creatures and you’ll tend to describe scenes visually. Don’t miss out on the other senses. Provide your audience with a more complete description using taste, smell, and hearing.
Why Is True Crime Popular?
Though it is nonfiction, true crime’s narrative framing creates that mystery element that has always been popular in novels. And because it’s about a real event, your readers become more invested in seeking the truth.
That combination of facts and mystery also engages your audience’s senses. Write well enough and you’ll make them feel as if they’ve participated in the investigation first-hand.
One last possible reason is that true crime puts people into situations they’ve never experienced but may encounter. Reading about such things makes your readers feel better prepared if something ever does happen.
Ethics of True Crime
True crime’s difficulty in writing is its potential to be harmful and unethical, even if you have good intentions. You’ll often work without consent from those involved. You might even glamorize the criminals while discrediting the victims.
But it can also draw positive attention to a case, raise awareness of the truth, and give the victims the justice they deserve. For example, author Michelle McNamara’s (I’ll Be Gone in the Dark) investigation of the Golden State Killer directly contributed to his arrest.
There is yet to be a definite answer as to whether there is an ethical way to write true crime. Especially since biases and prejudices, explicit or not, play a role in both the author’s and reader’s perspectives.
What are your tips for writing true crime? Share your thoughts below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 7 Common Nonfiction Writing Mistakes to Watch Out For
- 10 Tips to Writing Children’s Nonfiction
- 7 Tips to Writing Excellent Historical Nonfiction
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
