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Simmons Says

Crime Line: How To Know What You Need To Know (Simmons Says #169)

Published 4 months ago • 1 min read

Welcome to my newsletter!

The game's afoot!

CSI is on the scene, and you're a lead detective.

Or ...

You're standing in the shadows, watching the police fumble about clues.

Somehow, the safe's been cracked. Was the combination used? But no one knew the combination. And who was the dead man found in the vault?

​

Greetings, Reader,

No matter how you look at this as the sleuth charged with unraveling the mystery, where do you start?

As a writer, in order to know what the detective must seek and find and figure out, you have to know how the crime was committed in the first place. And in order to know that, you have to commit the crime … in writing.

You have to become The Mastermind, the desperate Criminal, the master plotter and planner of the nefarious deeds. Once you take on that task, you must walk the path, location by location, step by step, to understand how the crime was committed.

Example:

The crime is to steal a rare stamp, the star of an expensive collection. In order to pull it off, you have to know …

  • The location of the stamp.
  • What kind of security is there to protect it?
  • The timing of everyone who is anywhere near the stamp 24 hours a day.
  • What are you going to do with the stamp once you get it?
  • Your getaway plan.
  • How do you avoid getting caught when you take it?
  • How do you delay people finding out about it if that's part of your getaway plan?

If you want to delay people finding out about it, you'll have to steal it at a time when no one will notice it's gone for a prolonged period of time. So that might involve having a duplicate stamp to substitute for it.

Or you have to steal it on a day and time when no one will go near it for a day or two after that.

Mapping out all of this will show you what mistakes your villain may have made and so much more.

What comes next?

I'll tell you next time.

Best,

Alex Simmons

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Simmons Says

Go Write For It

Hi, Alex Simmons here. I've taught 100s of aspiring and struggling writers how to overcome their fears and frustrations and create compelling plots, characters, and stories that appeal to a broader audience. Over the years, I've been honored to be a professional author (award-winner), writing coach/teacher, and consultant. I’ve written for many mainstream publishers, Marvel/DC/Archie Comics, and penned plays, interactive games, and video and animation scripts. And I’ve been a global speaker on empowering people through the arts. I have much to share, starting with my Simmons Says Newsletter.

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