Thread: How do I start my crime novel

Hello Everyone, I am writing this because I am stuck how to start my crime novel. Its about this man called, Henry Vinci. One idea is he just started out as a outsider for a family. He is a hot head. I just need a bit of help of how to start the story. It is also going to be first person

I do not like first person, but when I read a first person story, I imagine myself sitting down with the narrator and listening to him tell me the story. Most story tellers begin a story at the beginning. If you are telling this story in past tense, the narrator has had time to reflect on the story before they tell it. Crime stories often begin when the narrator first became aware of the crime, for instance if the narrator is a detective the story begins when he or she is first sent out to the crime scene. If the narrator is the perpetrator, you can begin the story when the narrator first becomes motivated to commit the crime. This type of story might involve a lot of planning of the crime before the crime is actually carried out. If the narrator is the victim, the story might begin when the victim later realizes they first fell into the trap, even if they did not know it at the time.

Or are you looking for a hook, something that will grab the reader's attention and immediately draw them into the story? Try having the narrator share something deeply personal with the reader, something that has to do with the crime. Of all of the adventures in this narrator's life, why is he sharing this story with the reader and not some other story?

Whatever you do, don't start your story with "It was a dark and stormy night."

Good luck, CM

Originally Posted by C.M. Aaron

I do not like first person, but when I read a first person story, I imagine myself sitting down with the narrator and listening to him tell me the story. Most story tellers begin a story at the beginning. If you are telling this story in past tense, the narrator has had time to reflect on the story before they tell it. Crime stories often begin when the narrator first became aware of the crime, for instance if the narrator is a detective the story begins when he or she is first sent out to the crime scene. If the narrator is the perpetrator, you can begin the story when the narrator first becomes motivated to commit the crime. This type of story might involve a lot of planning of the crime before the crime is actually carried out. If the narrator is the victim, the story might begin when the victim later realizes they first fell into the trap, even if they did not know it at the time.

Or are you looking for a hook, something that will grab the reader's attention and immediately draw them into the story? Try having the narrator share something deeply personal with the reader, something that has to do with the crime. Of all of the adventures in this narrator's life, why is he sharing this story with the reader and not some other story?

Whatever you do, don't start your story with "It was a dark and stormy night."

Good luck, CM

Hello Aaron, let me tell you this, it is a mafia type story and Henry Vinci is a outsider. So what hook and opening should I have? This isn't a modan era and this like the 1950's.

It was a cold December night in 1951, Maria Callas had just finished her debut at La Scala, I Vespiri Siciliani would never be heard in the same way again. I mingled with the excited audience, still hoarse from crying encore over and over again; I doubted that I would meet with such approval at the Consigliere's birthday party....

You have now established time, date and place and that he is a member of a "Family" - Now you have to establish the who and why.

Start from there, when you've written your own stuff chuck it away and continue with your story.

Thanks for the help. I can now thing of a good start now.

Thanks again.

Mr M