Crime Writing Diploma

This course on crime writing is ideal for those with an existing interest in the crime fiction genre, as either a reader or amateur writer, who are looking to master the detailed and specific skills needed to begin a rewarding and successful writing career in this thrilling field.

The wide-ranging course is split into ten interactive modules and covers all of the knowledge and skills you need to get started and make an impact as an author in the crime fiction market.

What you will learn

This course covers these key areas in detail, plus much more:

• The qualities and characteristics of a great crime fiction writer, and some of the benefits and rewards you can enjoy as a writer in this varied field
• An overview of some of the key sub-genres within crime fiction, and a closer look at the careers and writing styles of some of the world’s best-selling crime authors
• Deciding on your own writing style and identifying your target readership groups
• Tried and tested techniques to plan and build a gripping plot for your crime story
• Great ways to structure and pace your story, including how to build suspense and intrigue using clues, red herrings and other techniques to keep readers guessing
• How to choose the setting of your crime novel, including the location and time period
• The importance of a thrilling and compelling start to your book, including the use of prologues and backstories
• How to create thrilling, believable characters, with a particular focus on detective characters
• The different roles dialogue can play in your novel, and how to write it well, both creatively and grammatically
• How to write thrilling descriptions using a variety of stylistic devices
• Factors to consider when deciding on your crime scene, and how to craft a superb ending
• How to generate new ideas for your story, including tapping into your own creative reserves and using automatic plot generators
• Choosing a title, front cover and blurb that will hook potential readers
• How to make mainstream and niche publishing houses take notice of your novel
• The rise of self-publishing and great ways to build a successful online presence for your e-book

The diploma is delivered across ten modules, with around fourteen hours of learning in total.

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