By Roger Rapel
I am fortunate in my writing as I have real-life
situations to draw from, albeit I have to fictionalise the work yet it always
has an element of truth.
Retiring as a detective sergeant after spending 30
years in the UK police I have served in many departments including tactical
firearms, drug squad, CID and Crime Squads–to name a few, but was always on the
front line. I’ve spent years investigating serious crimes including
murders, rapes, child abuse and many other criminal activities.
There is nothing like having experience to draw from;
it empowers you, but then you have to be careful not to go over the top; try to
find a happy medium. Using the theme, what would the readers like to read
rather than what you want to write about; it has to be interesting and semi
factual. Just look at CSI, it’s written mostly to reach an audience; but based
on some truth. My service in the police gave me an eye opener to real life
situations and the depravity that some people stoop to.
Writing with impact, I try not to use embellishment. I
draw on police report writing skills, being factual and to the point.
I read somewhere, (can’t remember for the life where)
‘Don’t write 20 words when 5 will do.’ So I keep to that theme. Plus another
quote from somewhere, ‘give the reader credit to work out who is speaking.’
Once the initial opening is over between two people, it is unnecessary to keep
on writing he said, she said.
I have learned by bitter experience to read and reread
what I’ve written. Words will hide from you, reread and there it is; a major
mistake hiding. Put it down, read again in a week and you will find more. Then
finally, after all the corrections, you are ready to submit to a publisher.
Finding one is not easy, but persist, they do exist.
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Roger Rapel is the author of Missing, which released in January
2016; Gift or Curse, Abducted and Cindy Where Are You. His social media links are:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_parle
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-parle
Publisher: Ravenswood publishing
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