Pauline Rowson on writing crime fiction

When it comes to writing fiction it is often said that you should write what you know but I don't agree with this.  I believe that you should write what you are enthusiastic about because it will show in your writing, and even if you don't have first hand experience of what you are writing about then you will be keen to research it.

I find researching for my DI Horton crime novels and thrillers fascinating including all the forensic bits! I also believe in writing the kind of novel you like to read because not only will you enjoy the experience but again it will be apparent in your writing.


When you embark on a writing career it is not always obvious what you want to write. Some people begin with short stories, others throw themselves into a novel. But just as in painting when it takes the artist time to find his or her style so too is it the same for the writer.  This often happens by trial, error and experimentation.

When I first started writing I began with writing historical sagas. Over time I found that a criminal element kept creeping into these sagas and I also discovered that I preferred to write from the male point of view. It was a while before it dawned on me that I should be writing crime novels with a male protagonist. It should have been pretty obvious because I have devoured crime and thriller novels for years and am a great crime fiction fan. But that time spent writing wasn't wasted. I learnt a lot along the way.

The key to finding what you want to write about is simple, write and experiment, but most of all enjoy it..

Undercurrent, the ninth in the DI Andy Horton Marine Mystery Crime Series is published by Severn House.