Writer's Handbook Guide to Crime Writing - Softcover

Turner, Barry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1405000996 ISBN 13: 9781405000994

Publisher: Pan Books, 2003

Synopsis

The first in a new series of practical, in-depth guides on different areas of writing, from the bestselling Writer's Handbook team

Drawing on the expertise of top crime writers, including Ian Rankin and Val McDermid, this book looks at how to write a successful crime novel - from the critical points in the development of the book, including story setting, creating characters, building suspense, use of sex and violence, the importance of research and the basic rules of story construction, to how to get published. It carries advice from leading publishers, agents and booksellers in the field, looks at legendary figures in crime fiction, and has an extensive, comprehensive listings and information section.

About this title

Review:

So you've written your article about sword dancing in Northumberland. You think it's publishable but have never published before and have no contacts. Where do you start? Enter The Writer's Handbook 2003 with its usual detailed listings and helpful advice about the marketing of words.

First published in 1998 the annual handbook includes long alphabetical lists of magazines and newspapers, contact details for book publishers, relevant website addresses and essays to entertain you even when they can't encourage. This year, for example, Mick Sinclair's contribution "Up, Up Away" tells you unequivocally that: "writers hoping to break into travel authorship by recounting a thrill-a-minute tale of death-defying adventure will probably find swimming the Atlantic with a pack of sharks or crossing Antarctic on a toboggan to be much easier than convincing a publisher to commission an account of the exploit."

Of course The Writer's Handbook isn't just for article writers. This is a book for writers in the widest sense so novelists, playwrights, screen writers, and radio "scripters" are all catered for. Neither is it a book just for beginners. There is plenty of useful information here for anyone active in the writing business whether he or she is an established practitioner, a raw recruit or somewhere in between.

Particularly useful are the contact details of festivals from The Round Festival in Wimborne to the well-known Cheltenham Festival of Literature. The organisation listings are good value too. They range from the Big Boys such as Society of Authors and Chartered Institute of Journalists to the Outdoor Writers' Guild and the Association of Christian Writers.

So, back to your sword dancers. Search the magazine and newspaper indexes in The Writer's Handbook for suitable titles, read the advice and try your luck.--Susan Elkin

Review:

"'This is the book no writer should be without,' The Times; 'A wise and witty book, packed with useful information,' The Society of Authors"

About this edition

• Publisher: Pan Books
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1405000996
• ISBN 13: 9781405000994
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160