5 Tips for Writing Authentic Criminal and Legal Fiction

Writing on a very technical topic, like crime or the law, can be intimidating. In the world of criminal law there are innumerable rules, practices and procedures. Criminal lawyers speak their own language. To write a good criminal or legal story, a writer needs to have credibility.

Credibility comes from working within the rules of criminal law and speaking the language of criminal law. But you don’t have to be a police officer or a lawyer to write about crime or criminal law authentically. Here are some tips to get started:

1. Brainstorming: As in any genre, a good story with interesting characters and plot twists should be the starting point. Physically write down the brainstorming ideas without regard to order, quality, or completeness. Just start writing and let the ideas flow.

2. Get Inspired – Inspiration often comes from outside sources, often unexpectedly. Read good books and watch good movies, especially about crime and legal dramas. Read about crime in the news. Follow interesting essays. Watch true crime stories on television and read true crime books. You never know when a little detail will spark a story in you.

3. Scheme: Everyone has their own methods and opinions about the scheme. Whether organized by chapter, act, scene, character, or plot point, the outline is an essential tool for organizing a story. The more complex the story, the more important an outline can be. Description can be especially important in a crime novel or legal drama because your story must fit within the rules of the criminal law world.

For example, if you want exculpatory evidence uncovered at the end of Act 2, you will need to know where the case is in the legal proceedings to help determine how the evidence could realistically come to light.

4. Get Informed – Read about actual criminal laws on the internet and in books. Look for information specifically directed at people who are not attorneys. See real trials when they are televised. Watch real crime shows. Although they often cut out a lot of details, especially procedures, they generally get it right. Read real crime news and books. The same caveat applies to these fonts: they are generally accurate, but they often omit details that you might want to know.

Don’t trust the talking lawyer commentators on television. They usually speak from the top of their heads and are often wrong. They also tend to have an agenda that they are pushing and they talk about things from that point of view. Finally, do not rely on other fictions of criminal law. Crime fiction on television, in movies, and in books is often completely out of place.

5. Consult an expert: When in doubt, ask a question. As you brainstorm, outline, and draft, take notes of the questions that come up. Consulting an expert, usually a criminal attorney, can be expensive, so try to find out what you need guidance on before contacting someone. Also, make sure you speak to someone who can explain things simply and clearly, and is willing to admit when they don’t know something.

Following these tips will give a writer the confidence to create within the world of criminal law and to begin writing criminal and legal stories with authenticity.