Asking the Experts to Get It Right

Crime fiction writers pay slavish attention to getting the details accurate. Check the Acknowledgements section, and you'll find a roster of experts in their different fields who were consulted in the writing of the novel. The genre just works under this expectation.

I've used my share of experts from forensics science to firearms to the courtroom. The experts are generous with their time and knowledge. Of course the Web has provided all manner of reference materials at the writer's fingertips. The challenge is digging out the right information in a timely, efficient way. The drawback is picking up a nasty virus on your laptop. (Show of hands.)

One item drawing a lot of attention is the correct usage of firearms. Recently, I read a bestselling, award-winning crime novelist's title that used a shotgun and rifle interchangably in the same scene. They aren't the same thing, of course. Seeing those sorts of technical mistakes don't bother me that much or jar me out of the story if I like it enough. One aspect I like about Westerns is their authors' careful effort to ensure everything is as close to authentic as it can be.

I used to enjoy watching the CSI TV shows until I got tired of the glitzy science they use to jazz things up. I spend lots of time researching to get it right, so I don't find CSI to be entertaining. I understand the tie-in books are good reads, so I'll try one out instead.

Ed Lynskey
@edlynskey
Author of Lake Charles and Quiet Anchorage