Being a CSI for a Day
My earliest memories of crime fiction were the evenings spent curled up on the sofa with my mum and sister watching CSI. Every Saturday night (we have to record it, you see, as it was on too late for us kids), we’d be poised and ready for the latest investigation, and I can still remember the excitement with the drums of New York, those distinctive chords of Las Vegas, or the roar of ‘Yeaaaaaah’ for Miami! (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you have homework to do, now! It’s also my first introduction to The Who, so an added bonus!) We were totally hooked as the teams would use the evidence to uncover the truth; we loved the mystery of the story unfolding, the piecing together of the puzzle – so much so that my sister was actually going to study forensic science for a while before she decided to investigate some older bones and study archaeology. And then the next day, I’d rush into school to chat to my best friend about everything that happened in the show.
It’s safe to say, CSI captured my imagination a bit.
So, imagine my delight, stuck in Lockdown 2.0, when I discovered that The Crime Lab – run by former Scotland Yard detectives Steve and Kate Gaskin – was organising a whole day all about what it’s like to investigate a crime! True Crime Festival was an immersive day with forensics experts and former police officers, talking all things crime scene investigation (or scene of crime (officers) (SOCO) in the UK).
Continue reading “Getting it Right: Where Crime Fiction meets Real Life.”
One of the most effective ways of improving your skills as a writer is to research. And what does research involve? Reading! And lots of it. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to read around your genre, whether it’s police procedural or epic romance. Knowing your market not only helps improve your craft but also shows publisher and agents that you know what you’re talking about. You know the market you’re writing in to – it’s not a romantic image, but it’s the truth.
Rebecca Millar Editorial 