A Local Crime Revisited
Write a detailed account of a lesser-known true crime story from your local area. Research newspaper archives and interview residents to piece together what happened, who was involved, and how the community reacted at the time.
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 Wrongful ConvictionInvestigate a controversial judicial error where an innocent person was wrongfully convicted. Explore the implications of this mistake, how it was…
- The Syndicate's Final TakedownWrite an investigative piece on the rise and fall of a crime syndicate, exploring the socio-economic conditions that led to its rise, the key players…
- A Criminal's Psychological ProfileExamine the psychological profile of a famous criminal. Discuss their background, the crimes they committed, and any known psychological assessments.…
- The Cold Case BreakthroughCreate a narrative that follows the journey of a detective who solved a cold case that had been dormant for decades. Highlight the breakthroughs…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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