Human Nature and Writing Crime Fiction
When I first delved into crime fiction, I thought I was simply crafting entertaining stories about murder, mystery, and mayhem. What I didn’t anticipate was that I’d be embarking on an intensive course in human psychology, one that would fundamentally change how I view the people around me and, a little uncomfortably, myself.
I found you need to inhabit three distinct psychological territories: the perpetrator, the investigator, and the victim. Each requires a different kind of empathy, a willingness to step into shoes that might pinch in unexpected places. Through this process, I’ve discovered that the line between "good" and "evil" isn’t the bold marker I once imagined, but rather a smudged boundary that shifts depending on circumstances, pressure, and perspective.
But this is exactly what makes it such a fun genre to work in. Here are some of my thoughts.
Thinking Like a Master Villain
Whether your antagonist is a small-time operator or Satan reincarnated, creating believable criminals means understanding how ordinary people justify extraordinary actions. I’ve spent hours crafting characters who steal, cheat, and kill while (sometimes) maintaining their self-image as a decent person. I realized how easily we all perform mental gymnastics to align our actions with our values.
Criminals just cross the boundary, and this is what makes them compelling, because there is a fine line between us and them sometimes.
The most chilling discovery was how naturally these justifications flowed once I understood the character’s motivations. It’s about them and them only.
We use a similar rationalization mechanism. Most people don’t wake up deciding to be evil, but there is a mindset. When you delve into the minds of serial killers, as an example, it’s clear that their minds are wired very differently.
Thinking Like a Detective
Inhabiting the investigator’s mindset revealed equally fascinating aspects of human nature, particularly our relationship with truth and bias. Detectives in fiction, like their real-world counterparts, must constantly battle their own assumptions and prejudices while seeking objective facts.
Yet bias operates in everyday life. We all have a tendency to notice evidence that supports our existing beliefs while overlooking contradictory information. But this is what gives us the greatest latitude to make stories compelling, because those biases inform the way we read a story. So play with the audience. There are affairs, financial troubles, and family dysfunction among the many human weaknesses, desperation, and opportunities we have at our disposal.
Thinking Like a Victim
This can be the hardest, at least for me. Although we all have our own challenges with resilience and the complex psychology of survival, I have to remember that my victims aren’t passive recipients of violence. They’re active participants in their own stories, making split-second decisions that determine their fate.
So I ask myself these sorts of questions all the time: How would I react under extreme pressure? What would I sacrifice to protect someone I love? When would survival instinct override moral considerations? These aren’t theoretical questions when you’re writing a character who must choose between revealing a friend’s location to an attacker or enduring further harm.
The Mirror of Fiction
I tend to think like one of those mirrors in a carnival show, distorting and amplifying aspects of human nature that are usually kept carefully controlled—hiding those things we all keep secret. The greatest lesson crime fiction has taught me is that understanding human nature isn’t about judging it. It really revolves around appreciating the full spectrum of human capability and responding with both appropriate caution and compassion. After all, the monster in your story might just be your neighbour, having the worst day of their life.
Resources
There’s a bunch of places I go to refresh my mind, get ideas, and just chill out seeing what others do. I follow a bunch of crime authors and join Facebook groups that have similar interests. There are also lots of blogs and websites that offer valuable insights for aspiring crime writers, including The Kill Zone, a favourite among suspense writers and publishing professionals, and National Centre for Writing’s writing hub, which provides tips and advice on plotting and crafting thrilling crime stories.
You’ve probably got your own, but here are some interesting ones:
The Kill Zone: A prominent blog for crime fiction, run by 11 top suspense writers and publishing professionals, offering articles and discussions on various aspects of crime writing.
National Centre for Writing’s Writing Hub: This resource offers practical advice, interviews, and articles on crime fiction, including tips on plotting, character development, and building suspense, according to the National Centre for Writing.
Murder and Mayhem: A podcast series supported by a blog, featuring interviews with crime authors who provide tips on improving crime and thriller writing, according to R L Smith.
True Crime Podcasts: There are a few for the Aussie and Kiwi crew, which explore true crime cases from Australia and New Zealand, offering insights into the genre, including Gary Jubelin and True Crime Sisters.
Publishing Sites’ Blogs: I don’t always love them, but publishing sites like IS offer specific guidance on writing and marketing true crime, including tips on setting the scene, immersing readers, and incorporating relevant details.
Self Publishing School: Provides articles on writing a short crime story, covering aspects like choosing the type of crime story, developing a premise and characters, and brainstorming the plot.
The Novelry’s Blog: Features tips from established crime writers like Mark Billingham, focusing on elements crucial for successful crime novels such as strong storylines, mystery, and suspense.
These are just a few. Search them out yourself.
The Basic Crime Novel Structure
I’ve gleaned many things from blogs and sites that focus on crime writing. These are some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way:
Starting Strong: Most say to begin with a gripping opening scene and establish the central mystery early on. Sometimes I do this, but other times there is a reason for a slower-paced start. It just depends on the story.
Character Development: Everyone says to craft complex characters and know your victim and antagonist thoroughly. It sounds simple, but it takes time to work it out.
Plotting and Structure: Some crime writers are die-hard ‘pantsers,’ but as a relative newcomer, I tend to outline a bit but let myself go when I feel it needs flexibility and nuance. It helps to have a good idea of my plot, the victim/s, potential suspects with motives and alibis, and twists, so I don’t get lost down some rabbit hole.
Suspense and Pacing: They say that incorporating red herrings, dropping clues, and varying pacing will help build suspense. Dual narratives can also increase suspense.
Obviously - Show, Don’t Tell: Place is important, and utilizing the setting for backstory is important. I often fall into the trap of too much exposition, so I need to control things! Making life difficult for your main character is always a must!
Inspiration: Draw inspiration from true crime stories, unsolved cases, historical mysteries, or local legends.
Happy crime writing
Des Brady Aussie Crime Writer
