I just wanted to mention that nos4a2no9 turned me onto the "Howdunit" series. All of the books in the series are written by experienced police or private investigators. They are aimed at crime writers, and are a terrific resource. (Somewhat uneven in quality, though - read the reviews.)
Wondering about investigative procedures at a burgulary scene? How the FBI profiles killers? What stake-outs are really like? How welcome PIs are at crime scenes? Interrogation techiniques for suspects? What kind of handgun your killer might use? How street gangs are organized? These books have it all.
frankly, I think if it's got a fandom, there's probably people wanting to write crime-based plots for it.
Yes! If it's not an investigative fandom on the face of it, there are more genre issues to think about (omg HARD, as you can see by the non-appearance of that Marlow crossover I keep talking about), but then genre-crossing is fun. And stress is always a good way to show character and progress relationships quickly.
(Speaking of improbable technology, I really want the CSI labs' graphics setup. PRETTY. I would use it for watching giant displays of TV shows, not solving crime, but never mind that!)
Are there certain shows which lend themselves more to a particular type of crime? With Due South, at least, I find myself wanting more of the sort of crimes we see on the show - not unimportant or without emotional effects, but treated with about the same level of heaviness and harrowingness (if that was a word) as a murder in a Dorothy Sayers novel. The grittier, harrowing fics can be wonderful, too, but they kick me out of the happy
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Here via Metafandomemily_shoreMarch 31 2007, 08:23:05 UTC
A great topic. I will be very interested to see what people have to contribute.
I can recommend an excellent book that I stumbled across in the Bodleian Library while researching an X-Files fanfic. It is called "Illustrated Guide to Crime Scene Investigation," is by Nicholas Petraco and Hal Sherman, and offers an exhaustively-detailed and copiously-illustrated resource for exactly what it is that investigators do at crime scenes. You could never in a million years use all of these details in your stories.
Re: Here via MetafandomastridvMarch 31 2007, 12:42:34 UTC
Thanks for the tip! I'm toying with the thought of writing Bones/NCIS of all things, and would like to avoid messing up the forensic facts and procedures (about which I know nothing). This book sounds useful.
Re: Here via MetafandomastridvMarch 31 2007, 14:58:49 UTC
Let alone what will happen if you put Gibbs and Booth in the same room...
Though I try not to speculate too much yet about how the characters will interact, before I got the setup all ready. I'll want their reactions to be fresh and spontaneous, if that makes any sense.
Of course the setup, in this genre, is the tricky part. I admire those writers who can write a plausible casefile. Much easier in fandoms like Buffy or Supernatural, where you can create some demon or prophecy or whatnot, and you got the setup for a plot.
Bones is set in a Smithsonian knock-off, and I'm telling you right now the gov't doesn't give enough cash to repair the buildings, let alone cough up the kind of bling that show uses on a regular basis.
I agree that the hi-tech stuff on this show is mostly unbelievable, however they have made it clear that the Jeffersonian gets part of its funding from generous non-government donors. Jack Hodgins' family business is its biggest supporter I believe. So with that in mind, I can see Jack secretly supplying money so they can have the best bling in town.
ah, I was too hard on poor Bones. That's a great point. I think what I was trying to express (badly) is that the limitations of budget can be an interesting plot point for your characters - knowing that they might be able to work faster or better if they had more money; having to find ways around it. Especially if this is a more local agency (city or town police vs. big metropolis like NYC) say.
ANother thing I forgot to add is that many local police agencies have to send their evidence to larger labs; so this adds to the time. Not all police agencies have their own forensic unit.
Having our characters make mistakes - both in handling the evidence and in interpreting it - what can this add to a story?
I think this can be a great character point, if done well. Cops are human too - they get tired, they make mistakes. And these mistakes can mean the difference between catching a criminal and another death; or once you have the suspect in custody, it can be the difference between conviction and a killer going free. Or, conversely, it can condemn an innocent person.
Also, science can easily be misinterpreted - forensic tests give you a lot of raw fact, but don't always point to a clear cut answer. So the interpretation of the raw data is just as important as securing said data.
Adapting existing crimes from real life/other sources - how can this be helpful, and how can it be dangerous? (With outright plagiarism of other fiction excluded, since I think that's usually pretty clear.)This is an excellent question to ponder. As writers we can be plot magpies. And shows like CSI and
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Comments 22
Wondering about investigative procedures at a burgulary scene? How the FBI profiles killers? What stake-outs are really like? How welcome PIs are at crime scenes? Interrogation techiniques for suspects? What kind of handgun your killer might use? How street gangs are organized? These books have it all.
Reply
Yes! If it's not an investigative fandom on the face of it, there are more genre issues to think about (omg HARD, as you can see by the non-appearance of that Marlow crossover I keep talking about), but then genre-crossing is fun. And stress is always a good way to show character and progress relationships quickly.
(Speaking of improbable technology, I really want the CSI labs' graphics setup. PRETTY. I would use it for watching giant displays of TV shows, not solving crime, but never mind that!)
Are there certain shows which lend themselves more to a particular type of crime? With Due South, at least, I find myself wanting more of the sort of crimes we see on the show - not unimportant or without emotional effects, but treated with about the same level of heaviness and harrowingness (if that was a word) as a murder in a Dorothy Sayers novel. The grittier, harrowing fics can be wonderful, too, but they kick me out of the happy ( ... )
Reply
I can recommend an excellent book that I stumbled across in the Bodleian Library while researching an X-Files fanfic. It is called "Illustrated Guide to Crime Scene Investigation," is by Nicholas Petraco and Hal Sherman, and offers an exhaustively-detailed and copiously-illustrated resource for exactly what it is that investigators do at crime scenes. You could never in a million years use all of these details in your stories.
http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Guide-Crime-Scene-Investigation/dp/0849322634
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Though I try not to speculate too much yet about how the characters will interact, before I got the setup all ready. I'll want their reactions to be fresh and spontaneous, if that makes any sense.
Of course the setup, in this genre, is the tricky part. I admire those writers who can write a plausible casefile. Much easier in fandoms like Buffy or Supernatural, where you can create some demon or prophecy or whatnot, and you got the setup for a plot.
Reply
Reply
I agree that the hi-tech stuff on this show is mostly unbelievable, however they have made it clear that the Jeffersonian gets part of its funding from generous non-government donors. Jack Hodgins' family business is its biggest supporter I believe. So with that in mind, I can see Jack secretly supplying money so they can have the best bling in town.
Reply
ANother thing I forgot to add is that many local police agencies have to send their evidence to larger labs; so this adds to the time. Not all police agencies have their own forensic unit.
Reply
You're absolutely right about that. I love the long X-Files police procedural fics, in some ways almost more than the show.
Reply
Having our characters make mistakes - both in handling the evidence and in interpreting it - what can this add to a story?
I think this can be a great character point, if done well. Cops are human too - they get tired, they make mistakes. And these mistakes can mean the difference between catching a criminal and another death; or once you have the suspect in custody, it can be the difference between conviction and a killer going free. Or, conversely, it can condemn an innocent person.
Also, science can easily be misinterpreted - forensic tests give you a lot of raw fact, but don't always point to a clear cut answer. So the interpretation of the raw data is just as important as securing said data.
Adapting existing crimes from real life/other sources - how can this be helpful, and how can it be dangerous? (With outright plagiarism of other fiction excluded, since I think that's usually pretty clear.)This is an excellent question to ponder. As writers we can be plot magpies. And shows like CSI and ( ... )
Reply
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