An Introduction to Crime Writing (12-week course)
Explore the themes and appeal of crime fiction; looking at creating credible worlds and characters, developing and structuring story and building page-turning, tension-filled scenes. Led by Julia Crouch.
Early bird discount will end on Monday 9 November at 10am GMT.
Ready to take on the complex world of crime writing?
Crime fiction is the biggest-selling genre in the UK and this course will help you to incorporate its building blocks into your own writing. Join us for an online creative writing course that will teach you how to write crime fiction.
Through a combination of inspirational lessons, engaging exercises, and practical assignments, you’ll explore the crime fiction genre’s themes and appeal; looking at creating credible worlds and characters, developing and structuring story and building page-turning, tension-filled scenes.
In this course, you will…
- Explore what crime fiction consists of and why it is so popular
- Build a bank of story ideas
- Understand what sub-genre of crime fiction interests you, and why
- Explore the structure of crime fiction and how to build a plot
- Learn the building blocks of good writing
- Discover how to create believable characters
- Develop an understanding of point of view
- Explore the importance of setting
- Learn about creating suspense.
This course is ideal for people who have done no formal training or courses who want to learn the basic skills of structuring and writing crime fiction. Your tutor, Julia Crouch, will read up to 5,000 words of your writing, and towards the end of the course you will have a one-to-one tutorial with her to discuss your writing and potential next steps.
Start date
Monday 22 February 2027
Location
Online
Length
12 weeks (please see course schedule below)
Price
£495 £445* early bird discount
*Payment plans available. Drop us a line at academy@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk to find out more.
Course format
This course is delivered across six fortnightly modules (see course programme below). The majority of the content is presented in text form via Teachable, allowing you to progress through the material chapter by chapter at your own pace. You will have two weeks to complete each module, after which you will submit an assignment directly to your tutor for personalised feedback and guidance.
The course also includes up to two live Zoom sessions: a welcome session in the first module, followed by a one-to-one tutorial with your tutor later in the course.
Click to find out more about the course structure and the equipment you may need.
Course programme
Please note, the module order and/or content of the course may be subject to change.
Module one – The Starting Point
What is the appeal of crime fiction? In this module, you will look at some thoughts on this and develop your own point of view in group discussion. On the craft side, you will generate material using news stories, developing a writer’s magpie instinct, and start to use a writing notebook. For your assignment, you’ll showcase the skills you’ve learned to submit up to 500 words for personal feedback.
Module two – The Elements of a Crime Story
In this module, you’ll read short crime fiction stories that showcase some of the important elements of crime fiction, and in group discussion, you’ll identify these. Through exercises, you will start to learn how to use them to approach story structure, and for your assignment, you’ll submit a story about disruption of up to 500 words.
Module three – Endearing Monsters
This module investigates the role of character in crime fiction and the thorny issues around likeable/identifiable characters. The exercises here will be about developing living, breathing characters, and your assignment will ask you to write one scene from three different points of view.
Module four – Genre and Detail
In this module, you will look at the various sub-genres of crime fiction, their identifying characteristics and how these translate into story detail. The exercises in this module are about finding the devil in the detail – from research to sensory detail, to the difference between telling and showing. Your assignment will be the beginning of your final piece of work.
Module five – Crime Story Structure
This module focuses on the plot dynamics of crime fiction. You’ll look at plotting methods and the whole plot/pantser issue. The practical exercises here are about nailing one of the stories you’ve been developing and making a wide range of structural decisions, and your assignment will be the first draft of your 2000-word final assignment.
Module six – Ethics and Edits
This module, will look at some of the ethical issues facing authors of contemporary crime fiction. You will also explore methods to hone your work and make it better. Finally, you will look at critical assessment and the task of self-editing. Your final assignment will be a completed short story of up to 2000 words.
Live sessions
There will be two live sessions for this course, which will take place over Zoom. Timings to be confirmed.
Hear from our former students
Meet the tutor
Your tutor will review up to 5,000 words of your assigned writing, as well as providing guidance and support. You will also have a one-to-one tutorial with Julia towards the end of the course to discuss your potential next steps.
Julia Crouch
Julia is the author of ten internationally published crime novels: Cuckoo, Every Vow You Break, Tarnished, The Long Fall, Her Husband’s Lover, The New Mother, The Daughters, The Perfect Date, The Wrong Child and The Surprise Party. She also writes (and reads, given the opportunity) slightly chilling, off-beat short stories, which have been published in various collections.
Unable to find a sub-genre of crime writing that neatly described her work, she came up with the term Domestic Noir, which is now widely accepted as the label for one of the most popular crime genres today.
Julia has been a Visiting Fellow on the UEA MA Creative Writing Crime Fiction and teaches online for Faber Academy and the National Centre for Writing. She co-runs the Brighton Crime Wave, a bi-monthly crime fiction night.
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Read more about writing crime fiction
Expert tips, tricks and advice from established crime writers and NCW tutors.
How to structure a crime novel plot
Crime writer and tutor Julia Crouch, author of Her Husband’s Lover and The Daughters, shares her advice for structuring a crime novel plot.
9 January 2026
Podcast: In conversation with bestselling crime writer Ian Rankin
In this episode of The Writing Life podcast, we speak with bestselling crime writer Ian Rankin about his new standalone short thriller ‘The Rise’.
6 November 2023
Planners vs. Pantsers: Two types of crime writers
Crime writer and NCW tutor Elizabeth Haynes (Into the Darkest Corner, Under the Silent Moon) looks at two different types of crime writers: those who meticulously plan before writing and those who jump straight in and find the story along the way.
2 September 2025
Five building blocks for writing gripping crime fiction
In this article, writer and NCW Academy tutor Nicola Upson shares the five key elements to consider when writing gripping crime fiction stories.
4 April 2024
Writing contemporary crime fiction: Val McDermid on Past Lying
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, award-winning writer Val McDermid shares insights on writing contemporary crime fiction.
11 August 2025
Crime fiction: How to plot a crime novel
Crime writer and NCW tutor Nicola Upson explains how to plot crime fiction novels with her top tips and tricks for crafting thrilling crime stories, characters and building suspense.
30 July 2022
Got a question?
If you still have questions, get in touch with the Academy team by emailing academy@nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk or phone (+44) 01603 877177 between our working hours of 9am–5pm BST, Monday to Friday. We’re here to help!