Novel November Week Two
Word count: 25,364
Goal for November: 50,000
Week one is the easiest part of a month-long writing sprint. You’re full of enthusiasm, and the ideas are fresh. You’ve got the whole month ahead of you.
Week two is different. You’re still engaged in your plot, and the words are flowing on the page. But it takes a little more effort now. You’re reminded that writing can be work.
Week two is also when the calendar starts counting the days in double digits. And it’s when life steps in and says, “You’ve had your fun, but there are things that need to happen in the real world.”
This week, life wrote me a plot twist. On Sunday, a loved one ended up in the ER. Spending the day caring for them reminded me that my fictional detective isn’t the only one that needs attention.
It cost me a day of writing and a little bit of my equilibrium, but I’m still on pace for my goal.
Hit reply or comment below and tell me how your own creative goals are going. Or tell me a good ER waiting room story.
Why I can’t resist a good crime story
I grew up on a steady diet of The Rockford Files, Miami Vice, and dozens of other shows like them. They were filled with cool guys, who drove cool cars, and kept a cool head when things went sideways.
Once the TV went off, Poirot, Holmes, and Cadfael kept the entertainment coming off the page and into my imagination. These were smart guys, making smart moves, and saying smart things.
With stories like that feeding my imagination, it’s little wonder how I came to the decision to tell one myself. But writing about cool smart people doing cool smart things can only get you so far. So, I’ve listed some things that I think make for a good crime drama. It’s not an exhaustive list, but these are things I watch for, and things I’m trying to include in my book.
Is there something you look for that isn’t on the list? Let me know.
The puzzle
The clues, the red herrings, the big reveal. I love the “aha” moment, even when I don’t see it coming. And I usually don’t see it coming. I’m more Watson than Sherlock, just happy to be along for the story.
The investigator
Detectives are usually portrayed as modern mythic heroes. They wade into crime scenes, corruption, and moral rot, trying to pull some kind of order out of the chaos. They remind us that courage and curiosity still matter.
The villain
The crime needs a perpetrator, and the hero needs a foil. The best villains are those who have their own goals, motivations, and challenges. We don’t have to agree with the villain, but we should see they have a reason for their actions.
The rhythm of process
Crime dramas have a cadence we’ve come to expect: the body, the interviews, the evidence, the deduction, the confession. Those beats create structure and rhythm. It lets readers know what’s coming, without spoiling the story.
The balance of morality
Crime stories live in the gray. They ask where justice ends and vengeance begins, and what happens when good people bend the rules to do what’s right.
The thrill of danger
We’re all a little fascinated by the dark side of human nature. But most of us would rather explore it from behind a book cover than through a 911 call. Crime fiction lets us flirt with fire without getting burned.
The human heart
The best crime stories aren’t really about the crime; they’re about the people. What drives someone to cross a line? Who feels called to bring evil to justice? What kind of person can look into that darkness every day and not lose themselves?
Those are the things that keep me coming back to crime stories. And maybe that's why I'm writing one of my own. They start with mystery, but they always end with people.
“Crime fiction confirms our belief, despite some evidence to the contrary, that we live in a rational, comprehensible, and moral universe.”