Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder

Candice Fox bring death to life with killer techniques and real cases

This course is ideal for: Writers who want to tell crime stories in a more realistic way

You’ll discover:
Everything you need to write about murder
Examples from crime fiction and real life
Key insights from law enforcement
Creative writing exercises and research methods
And much more.

“Anatomy of a Crime was compelling, with interesting insights into a fascinating topic. The case studies were great. Candice Fox is funny and clever and doesn’t pull her punches. You’ll love it.”
– Sarah Leov, Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder graduate

See more reviews
Key information
Key information:
This is an online self-paced course
Duration 1 This is an online self-paced course

Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away

Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away

Course Creator:
Candice Fox
Course Creator:
Candice Fox

$245

You’ll learn about:

  • the facts you need to know about each step of the murder process
  • examples from true crime
  • examples from crime fiction
  • how YOU need to write about each part of the process.

And if you're really keen to flex your crime writing muscles, we provide you with exercises that will show you how to:

  • research murder. We’ll suggest tasks ranging from attending a trial or reviewing police media releases and much more
  • improve your writing. You’ll receive creative exercises that will get you into the right frame of mind to write about murder.

From crimes of passion to serial monsters, you’ll analyse real crime scenes, peruse real autopsy reports, watch real confessions and weigh the evidence to make your judgement.

You’ll see how top writers have drawn from real life to create lasting fictional monsters. The course encourages creative and analytical feedback through a range of discussion opportunities.

Candice Fox on the journey of Crimson Lake from novel to hit TV series

Still with us? In this course, you’ll learn how to:

  • approach homicide from an objective, investigative standpoint
  • consider the experiences of the killer, victim and the police teams throughout several real life cases
  • weigh the evidence, both forensic and circumstantial, to come to a conclusion
  • understand the legal, medical and psychological aspects of murder cases
  • feed your curiosity by analysing some of the world’s darkest characters by taking a close look at their ‘dirty work’
  • study the work of serial killers, police hunts and prison life.

Perhaps you’ve always dreamt of writing a cutting-edge thriller, following dark-eyed detectives down smokey alleyways. Perhaps you’re just curious about humanity at its worst. Whatever your motivation, this daring journey into the mind of a killer will have you wondering about your neighbours like never before!

Reviews of Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder

“Besides providing valuable facts and citing examples from true crime and fiction, Candice also offers suggestions for how to write like a pro, ideas for research and exercises. Many thanks to Australian Writers' Centre and Candice Fox for presenting this valuable resource.”

– Andrea Barton

“The course was extremely helpful with my current novel-in-progress as it gave me a lot of pointers for writing about murder. In particular, it made me more rigorous about research and thinking deeply about the extent to which the murderer pre-meditated his crimes.”

– Louise Bassett, author of The Hidden Girl

“There's no better way to learn the fundamentals of crime writing than deep diving into real life police investigations/trial documents/autopsy reports. It puts you on the fast track to sounding like you know what you're talking about!!”

– Leanne Fry

“This was a truly fascinating course. The material was presented in a matter-of-fact way, making it easy to deal with sensitive subjects. I was so engrossed, I completed the course over the weekend and now feel confident to tackle writing my next crime fiction novel!”

– Naomi Shippen

Dinuka McKenzie completed Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder. She is now author of three compelling crime novels: Tipping Point, Taken and The Torrent.

How our “self-paced courses” work

This is one of AWC’s 35+ “self-paced” online courses. But what does that mean? Allow us to explain:

What’s included in your online course?

  • 8 hours of content – access anytime at your own pace
  • 8 audio lessons
  • 34 practical exercises to solidify your new skills

Grisly fun for both sides of the fence

Whether you cheer for the baddies or your allegiance lies with the boys in blue, there is something in this course for everyone. (And knowing both sides of the story helps you to tell yours.) You’ll explore the personalities of some of history’s most compelling killers and the heroes who took them down.

It’s pretty simple really: this course is ideal if you’re writing or reading about murder. The unique perspectives of murderers, police officers, lawyers and victims will bring a whole new light to your fascination with evil. Being interested in this stuff is not about being a bad person; it’s about being a great writer.

About Candice Fox

Candice Fox is an award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling crime and thriller author. Her latest novel is Fire With Fire, an edge-of-your-seat police thriller set in Los Angeles. Her other recent novels include 2 Sisters Detective Agency, her seventh collaboration with iconic crime and thriller author James Patterson, and The Chase, an electrifying cat-and-mouse thriller set in the Nevada desert, which was the winner of the Best Crime Book in the 2022 Ned Kelly Awards. With James, she is also the author of Gathering Dark, The Inn, Hush Hush, Liar LiarFifty Fifty, Never Never and Black & Blue.

Candice’s Crimson Lake trilogy is a series of edgy suspense novels set in far north Queensland. The books were published by Penguin Random House Australia, starting with Crimson Lake in 2017 (now a hit TV series called Troppo – check out the trailer), followed up by Redemption Point in 2018, and the final instalment, Gone by Midnight, in 2019.

Candice lives and breathes the crime genre – and there's no one better to take you deep inside the world of murder.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Who is this course for?
A: It’s perfect for writers of crime fiction, thrillers, suspense, or any novel that involves criminal acts, police work, court scenes and prison. It's also ideal if you're writing true crime and want to uncover excellent research techniques and resources. You may simply have a fascination with crime and murder stories and regularly binge true crime podcasts etc. Or you'd just love to hear how bestselling author Candice Fox approaches her stories. There's something for everyone here.

Q: Will this help me write my crime or thriller manuscript?
A: It's a wonderful resource for authors in this genre, to inspire your stories and add layers of authenticity to your narrative. But for an in-depth course on writing techniques and publishing insights, we'd recommend also joining our Crime and Thriller Writing course – which breaks down the conventions of the genre and all the elements that go into commercially successful novels.

Q: Will this course keep me up at night?
A: Most likely – not just because the content within is so delightfully dark and fascinating but your mind will also start churning over new story ideas, characters and evil plots. It's certainly not a course for the faint-hearted.

Q: I can’t stop drawing chalk outlines of people on random pavements. Can this course help?
A: It may not help you with that specific compulsion, but it will certainly give you insights into creating realistic crime scenes and investigations – using plenty of real cases.

Ready to add more dark and chilling details to your stories? Gather all the clues and compelling evidence you need in our Anatomy of a Crime: How to Write About Murder course – get it today!

 

 

Key information
Key information:
This is an online self-paced course
Duration 1 This is an online self-paced course

Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away

Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away

Course Creator:
Candice Fox
Course Creator:
Candice Fox

$245

Nice one! You've added this to your cart

Request Course Outline

Please note: We’ll never sell or distribute your personal details. Any details collected will only be used by the Australian Writers’ Centre to notify you of relevant course information every fortnight or so. Read our full privacy policy.