As a fan of crime novels, writing a detective story has always been one of your biggest dreams. Indeed, you are sure to be able to develop a plot worthy of the best detective novels. However, writing a detective story worthy of those published by the famous novelist Agatha Christie, for example, is not done lightly.
Indeed, it is a particular creative act that requires a set of complex methods that you will have to master in order to build a captivating and, above all, coherent plot. In this article, we’ll give you some tips to help you move forward with your writing project.
Writing a detective novel: training courses and adapted writing software
First of all, it is important to remember what a detective novel is. In fact, it is a kind of novel focused on solving a crime through investigations by an amateur or professional detective.
At first glance, defining a detective novel or a rompol may seem fairly easy. However, when you get into the details, things start to get tough. Indeed, there is not just one kind of thriller, but a multitude of them, including spy novels, thrillers, whodunits, noir novels, historical detective books and many others.
In general, the differences between all these types are quite significant. Therefore, if you want to become a rompol writer, you will have to do extensive research on the characteristics of the crime novel types to choose the one that speaks to you the most.
On the other hand, if you don’t have any experience in the writing field, you should know that there are tools such as Boutiquedecriture.com’s software that can help you with your writing project. You will also be able to train yourself in this field in order to know how to write on the net, how to write a novel or even a training concerning the publication of a novel on the net.
For the little story, you should know that the detective novel represents a late genre of literature, because it only appeared in the West around the 19th century. Nevertheless, in Ancient China, there is a work of the detective novel type called Dee GoongAn, which was written in the 18th century. However, it should be noted that this book had no influence on the course of European literature.
Knowing which is the first detective novel in Europe is not really easy, because some say it is The Murders in Tue Morgue by Edgar Poe in 1841, while others think it is Emma by Jane Austen in 1815 or Das Fräulein von Scuderi by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann in 1819.
In any case, it is certain that this type of literature developed with the appearance of the great crime novel characters such as Sherlock Holmes or Arsène Lupin.
How do you write a detective novel ?
The ingredients of a good rompol consist in determining the crime, the characters in the story, the motive, the environment of the action and above all a good dose of suspense to keep the reader alert throughout the reading.
Generally speaking, the course of a detective story is built around the resolution of the murder of a protagonist in the story. The goal of this narrative is to constantly surprise the reader and to arouse in him an impression of astonishment and anxiety.
Defining the starting idea for the novel
The first thing to do when writing a book, which all readers will devour, is to come up with an original idea before thinking about writing the first word of your novel. Be aware that the search for that idea can take place over an indefinite period of time. Be aware that writing a novel that will arouse strong emotions in the public requires preparation.
To find inspiration, don’t stop reading.. There are lots of ideas in the news and in the works of other crime writers that will help you come up with the best idea. So don’t stop reading.
Also listen to the news to discover information that will trigger your creative process and, most importantly, practice every day by writing down every idea that comes to mind.
Select the type of crime novel
Once you’ve come up with the idea that will define the plot of your novel, it’s time to get down to producing your manuscript. But before you do that, you’ll need to decide what kind of thriller you want to publish. As stated earlier in this article, there are several categories of novels, including :
- the mystery novel, characterized by the elucidation of a mystery through investigation,
- the black novel which represents the thriller set in a specific social reality and which carries a critical or protestant discourse on this reality,
- the thriller or thriller novel. This type of novel seeks to provoke maximum tension in the reader. Usually, the main character is drawn into a plot or into a dangerous situation,
- the historical crime novel. Here, the author combines an earlier era with a detective story in which fictional or real characters evolve.
Creating the characters of the novel
In a thriller, several protagonists, including the murderer, the victim and the investigator, are involved. It is necessary that each of your characters be described in a very precise way to make the story more credible. It will therefore be necessary to make a physical description, but also a moral description so that the reader can understand the character.
This will also have the effect of leading the reader to try to solve the investigation at his or her level and to continue reading the work to see if his or her conclusions agree with yours. In addition, imagine a past with your characters so that the reader can identify with one of them. Remember that success is the result of a multitude of well-placed details.
Choose the location of the crime novel’s action
All your protagonists must evolve in a very specific environment. It can be a remote or austere place. Think about moving to the selected place (if you can of course) to note all the details you will notice in order to make your story more real. Don’t hesitate to take information and pay attention to the chronology of events.
Remember that improvisation has no place in a thriller. For your book to be appreciated by all, it is important that it is very close to reality.
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