Forget about cardboard-cut-out villains, easy targets, and painted-on scenery. In the best crime novels, the who, the why and the where are inextricably linked.

In this one-day workshop led by celebrated crime author Wendy James, you’ll explore essential questions of character, plot and place through discussion and targeted writing exercises. Where, for instance, should readers’ sympathies lie? Why is place so important in crime fiction? And what happens when your hero or heroine is also the bad guy? Writing exercises will help you to develop an outline of a compelling plot along with authentic and engaging characters, and to synthesise backstory into a forward-moving narrative.