… as your mystery of choice.
Hey-ho, it’s Rey. I’ve got the first post of “must dos” re specific categories of mysteries: police procedurals. My mother used to read them—Ed McBain, P.D. James, James Patterson, to name a few. That woman never threw any books away. We had stacks (!) in the basement. I was never much of a reader but, once in a while, I’d grab a paperback on a rainy afternoon. I have to admit, I kinda liked McBain’s books.
You’ll be happy to know that, although our boss gave me some insight/input, I did my own research as to what you need to incorporate in your story (pat on back to me). So, basically, the police procedural is police crime drama, which looks at how a member of the police or legal force handles an investigation. Evidence, warrants, forensics and legal procedures are must dos and are interwoven throughout the storyline.
Decide who your protagonist (main character) is and which agency/department he or she works for. The FBI, DEA, or a local police station maybe? Make sure to learn the rules/regulations specific to it. They all have their own, so have the right facts for the right place (i.e. setting). For example, what are gun regulations, laws, sentencing and penalties in your given location(s)? Research should become be your best friend . . . and that research can extend to chatting with those in the legal profession. Call the Media Relations department; they’ll point you in the right direction. Inquire . . . inquire . . . inquire. And if you’re in it for the long run, take some courses and/or attend a conference or two.
Incorporate the day-to-day duties of the office or agency. This is paramount to a good police procedural. You’ll be providing realistic details re ops and processes, and the like; keep them authentic and relative to the setting/location (crimes that occur in a cosmopolitan city may not occur in a rural farm-rich community). The procedural isn’t a cozy where poetic license is permissible if not desired (where having Neddy Hickenbottom, the antique dealer, suspended from a cherub statue in a eighteenth-century hedge maze is better [more thrilling] than having Nat Browne, the pizza guy, found at the end of a cul-de-sac in suburbia).
Give your protagonist depth. Don’t make him/her flat or one-dimensional. There should be a past (history), likes and dislikes, personal and professional quests, habits, and training/education among other things. The storyline is important, for sure, but readers do want to relate to your main character. Make him or her likable or have redeemable traits (nothing wrong with someone being mean-spirited or pessimistic, as long as he/she develops and changes, my personal opinion). There are rules to be followed and some can be broken, but for the most part, think “authenticity”. The Boss may have used this before, but I think it’s perfect . . . character development is like painting a portrait. Add layers and a variety of colors.
Something you might find in a procedural: different points of views. This will enable readers to become acquainted with facts the protagonist might not know. That’s fine. Word of advice, though: don’t have too many POVs or you’re going to confound readers.
Given this is a police procedural, you’ll be more limited in what the crime/storyline entails. Nevertheless, you can certainly still write a stellar and exciting story. As with all mysteries, provide clues as your protagonist investigates the crime (readers love solving the mystery with the hero/heroine), but don’t be obvious. Throw in a couple of red herrings, too.
Think about uniforms and routines, outlooks and processes. Remember, in the real police world, reports and record-keeping is rampant; it’s not just about following a suspect or solving a crime. Consider all the elements.
Sounds challenging? I say it sounds more like fun. Have at it, my friends.
The Writer's Grab-Bag 