Inside a Notorious Criminal's Mind
Dive into the psyche of a historical figure known for their criminal activities. Explore their motivations, the societal context of their crimes, and how they were eventually brought to justice—or if they escaped it.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- State your main point in one sentence before you start.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
- Cut every sentence that only repeats the one before it.
Writing true crime books
A real crime, investigated on the page.
True crime reconstructs real crimes and the investigations that followed. The best of it is serious journalism that asks what a crime reveals about a place, a time or a justice system.
What readers expect
- Deep reporting and research
- Suspense, even when the ending is known
- Victims treated as people
- Questions about justice
A tip before you start
The victims are real people with families who may read your book. Respect earns readers' trust and keeps you on the right side of the law.
More True Crime prompts
- The Cold Case WitnessDescribe the intense investigation process of a decades-old cold case that suddenly cracks wide open due to a new witness coming forward. Dive into…
- The Unsolved Hometown CaseWrite a piece exploring a minor criminal case from your hometown that still remains unsolved. Investigate the impact on the community and the theories…
- A Local Crime RevisitedWrite a detailed account of a lesser-known true crime story from your local area. Research newspaper archives and interview residents to piece…
- The Wrongful ConvictionInvestigate a controversial judicial error where an innocent person was wrongfully convicted. Explore the implications of this mistake, how it was…
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