If you are writing a crime novel, then planning the death scene is of the utmost importance. Not only should it be written creatively but with careful attention to detail. As a writer, you should not be short on imagination and should be able to picture those crucial final moments quite vividly in your mind’s eye. This visualisation process is important because in order to hook your reader and to be able to write convincingly, you need to be able to describe the scene in detail. Planning your crime story initially is important too because this will help you to be able to build the tension leading up to the murder and draw the reader along with you. Writing with a sense of confidence and purpose will also have the reader believing in the plot and help them to become absorbed in the storyline as it unfolds.
When writing a crime novel, consider how many death scenes you are planning to have and whether your antagonist has a certain macabre style or whose murderous acts might be designed with a meticulous edge. Either will create tension and add all -important dimensions to the plot but consistency is useful so that the reader feels a sense of credibility with your character. Knowing why the antagonist kills will help you to plan the perfect murder scene, for example:
- The antagonist has a fear of women and finds himself in a situation where a woman is aggressive in her behaviour towards him and he reacts violently from panicking.
- The female antagonist was previously raped and is out for revenge against all men.
- The antagonist feels invisible and unimportant so murder is a way of achieving notoriety and fame.
It will help too if you know your character’s foibles when writing these scenes.. There would be no point creating a blood bath at the scene of crime if your character is squeamish and would be ill at the sight of so much blood. This immediately would make the plot seem unrealistic to the reader and you do not want to give the reader any opportunity of putting your book down. If you want to get your book published, it is crucial that you consider these aspects fully and through careful consideration and your connection to the character will grow much stronger.
Other points to consider are:
- Will there be any witnesses?
- How did the murderer leave the scene of crime and was any evidence left behind?
- What is the murder weapon and where is it now?
- Was death instantaneous?
- Did the murderer enjoy the act and has a serial killer been born?
All of these questions are ones that you need to be aware of and to be able to answer prior to planning your crime scene. When writing a crime novel, you need to live and breathe the plot and any complex twist and turns if you wish your book to be successful.
