My writing process – how to write a crime novel?

Satu Rämö — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:07:20 +0000

“What does it take to write a crime novel?” I get asked often. Before a single word is written, the story and its characters are already taking shape in the background. From the first idea to a finished book, the process takes hundreds of hours of planning, writing, rethinking, and proofreading. In this blog, I take you through my process step by step.

Building the story starts months before writing begins

Long before writing the first words, I’m already working on the story. The first months are spent shaping the characters and the plot that will eventually carry everything forward.

A new story rarely starts with a grand idea. More often, it begins with a small detail I’ve come across somewhere. It might be a brief news item, a sentence overheard at the supermarket, or a story I was told while I was working as a tour guide or a journalist.

From these observations, the characters and the plot begin to take shape. They grow gradually, layer by layer. Behind them lies what I call the invisible mass – memories, imagination, and even some fragments of folktales. Most of this never appears directly on the page, but it shapes how the characters think and how they act.

Little by little, the main lines of the plot begin to form: what happens, to whom, and why. When the overall structure starts to feel stable, I discuss the idea with my editor, Hanna Pudas. These conversations help me see what the story truly needs.

Only after that do I write the synopsis, which becomes a kind of map for the writing process. Then it’s time to open a blank document for a first draft of the book.

From a raw draft to a structured story

Once I start writing the first draft, I follow the structure laid out in the synopsis, but I also leave room for the unexpected. I am not trying to write anything polished or clean at this stage. On the contrary, the first version is quite messy. The only goal is to get everything on the page.

This phase usually takes about two months, and I write between four and nine pages every single day – without days off. When the first version is complete, I send it to my editor for comments. Together, we go through what works and what doesn’t, what needs more depth, and what should be removed.

Writing the second draft is my favorite part of the whole process. This is where the story begins to come together. Themes start to connect, and the early roughness gives way to a more defined shape. The raw draft finds its own voice, and the events begin to unfold in a way that supports both the emotional and narrative arc. This phase usually takes about two months as well.

The third draft follows after the second round of feedback and usually takes about four weeks. At this stage, I focus on rhythm: the balance between dialogue and narration, the rise and fall of tension, and the way each chapter moves the story forward.

Refining the details

By the end of the third draft, the novel has found its true form. The next stage is about precision – refining details and making sure the world of the story feels complete and consistent.

This phase usually takes about two weeks. I go through practical elements, such as the weather, the seasons, and the rhythm of light and darkness, and check that everything in the story world makes sense. Do the sunrises and the hours of daylight or darkness match the time of year? I also check the spelling of Icelandic names and place names.

By the fifth version, the manuscript is usually already typeset, looking much like the book readers will eventually hold in their hands. At this stage, I go through every sentence, every paragraph, every word. In addition to me and my editor, an external proofreader also reads the final version. This is where the book is finally finished.

From idea to a book

From the first idea to the finished book, the process usually takes between nine and twelve months. What the reader sees is only the final result. Much of the work remains in the planning, the revisions, and the invisible layers that hold the story together.

I really take pleasure in crafting the stories and writing them down. It is absolutely fantastic!

Thank you for reading. If you want to know more about crime writing and HILDUR’s world, you’ll find more posts on Substack!

The post My writing process – how to write a crime novel? appeared first on Satu Rämö.

It all starts with a motive – how to build a crime novel?

Riikka Vepsä — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:50:57 +0000

At the heart of every crime plot lies a single question: why. That is always where I begin. Before I can decide who dies and how, the motive must feel real — something that could truly drive a person to the point of no return. Most often, that reason comes from real life: from social injustice, lived experiences of unfairness, and from the stories people have shared with me

First comes why – who, when, and how will follow

As a character-driven reader and writer, I love books with complex, multi-dimensional characters with their strengths and flaws. When I write a crime novel, I spend a great deal of time getting to know my characters.

However, in a crime novel, the crime plot itself is essential. At the center of the plot lies the motive – which is always where I begin.

Who dies, who is responsible, and how the crime is committed only becomes clear to me much later. Before any of that, I need to understand why someone ends up committing a murder – in other words, what the motive is.

I need to understand the murderers I create – even at some level

For me, a motive like “a mentally ill but brilliant individual who commits ritual murders for fun” is not enough. The motive has to be logical, understandable, and grounded in reality. After all, I do write realistic crime novels.

My rule while writing is simple: if things were to happen, this is how they would happen. The story must feel real. That is why the motive must be something that allows me, at least on some level, to understand the murderer I have created.

The first spark for the motive usually comes from real life

The motives behind the crimes grow out of everyday life, society, and real experiences. The events are often tied to real-world situations. I usually get the first spark for a motive by listening to people’s stories.

During my years as a tour guide and later as a journalist, I heard hundreds of them. When you stop and truly listen, people are often willing to open up. In journalism, the most interesting part of an interview often came after it was officially over. When someone began with the words, “This isn’t for publication, but…”, I knew something truly interesting was about to follow.

Motives are rooted in society in the Hildur series

Often, the inspiration comes from following the news and paying attention to the pressure points of Icelandic society. One recurring theme in my books is social inequality and the gap between the wealthy and the poor. It is not always just about money, but also about access to social safety nets and language skills.

In the Hildur series, these starting points show up in very concrete ways. One example is a crime that takes place on a cruise ship, where some people profit from the exploitation of others – taking advantage of the fact that victims of forced labor often lack the resources to seek justice through official channels. A similar pattern can be seen, in its own way, in the events surrounding the mare blood industry.

Experiences of injustice can also shape a motive. In my novels, this theme runs through the unfairness linked to Iceland’s fishing quota system.

For some characters, violence becomes the only way they feel they can be seen.