Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Tips For Writing And Self Publishing FBI Books

By Jaclyn Hurley


Do you have a fascination with criminal justice and law enforcement? Do you read mystery novels and crime stories, and constantly watch police procedural dramas on television? If these things captivate you, you are certainly not alone.

If you are also a writer, consider capitalizing on the fact that many people share your interest in crime stories. Try your hand at authoring FBI books or crime/ mystery novels. This type of writing is often formulaic, which helps to make the process of coming up with ideas easier. Because you already follow the genre, it will be easier for you to transition into writing.

One technique that crime and mystery writers often use to help keep the stories flowing is the use of series. For instance, you could invent a particular fictional FBI agent, and write several books about the same person. He or she could be working on a different case each time, but you would already have some of the basics established.

Another idea is to use real-life stories and adapt them to make them fictional. This technique is used constantly in Law & Order and all of its spinoff shows. Using a true story will give you a basic framework for the plot line of the case in your novel. Be sure to change around the details, however, because there are legal issues involved with using a real story if it is not altered enough to make it truly fictional.

After you have done some writing, you will probably start to think about how you can publish your work. You have several options in this decision. Changes in the publishing industry that have taken place over the past decade have presented new choices in this area.

Some authors still choose the traditional route of seeking publication. Some also still seek out literary agents. An agent can advocate for your book, and can help you through the process of submission, which usually involves sending a query letter and a sample chapter before the publisher agrees to take on your book.

Self-publishing in print is another option. There was a time when this was looked down upon as an easy route and a lesser form of publishing. However, that view has begun to change, and more and more people are bypassing publishing companies in favor of this option. There are companies designed to help people self-publish. These companies handle the print and design aspects, for a fee of course. However, if you have designing and printing knowledge and resources, you could always do that yourself.

A third option is to digitally self-publish. This is not only simple, it is often free. All you have to do is upload your work to a seller, such as Amazon, and set a price. The prices charged for digital copies are very low, and it can take some time for your sales to pick up, so you might not make much money with digital publishing right away. But the longer you remain active as a writer and seller, the more lucrative the digital market becomes.




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