Former Journalist and Academic Henry Sutton has moved into the world of non-fiction with a new book, Crafting Crime Fiction. To celebrate the publication of the book, which draws on Henry’s experience developing the world’s first MA in crime fiction, I spoke to him about his work and what led him to create this insightful guide.
Tell me a bit about how you came to write Crafting Crime Fiction. What was your previous career path and education background, and how has this influenced your work?
Crafting Crime Fiction is in many ways the culmination of my various careers – a journalist/critic, a creative writing tutor/academic and a fiction/crime fiction writer. I studied/ trained to be a journalist because I wanted to write. It was a great training, not least in how to spot a story and how to tell it accurately and succinctly. As time went on I shifted into features and reviewing, and was for quite some time the Books Editor of the Daily Mirror. This job brought me into direct contact with the world of bestsellers and the world’s most popular crime writers. I loved it, but also discovered the vast array of sub-genres and talent out there. Some was to my taste, some not.
But that was not the point. I learnt what fiction worked well for multiple audiences, and all the extraordinarily hard graft that went into. I was writing and publishing my own fiction also by then, and became more focused in and knowledgeable of the type of fiction I wanted to write. Put it another way, I began writing fiction not knowing what I was doing or who I was doing it for (except perhaps myself), and moved to a place which was much more considered, knowing and fulfilling. It wasn’t necessarily easier, but it seemed more logical, rational, and doable. I then moved into the academy, directing UEA’s world-renowned Prose Fiction MA. I liked to think I brought an unusually wide perspective of writing possibilities and resource – from the highly literary to highly popular genre work – to my teaching and professorial outlook. The academy was not then so keen on genre or popular fiction. However, I was allowed to develop the world’s first Creative Writing MA in Crime Fiction. From there I began to fine tune my approach to the genre, my lessons, my resource, my expertise, if you like. And Crafting Crime Fiction is the result!
What is it that you like most about crime fiction? What drew you to that genre?
Its dynamism, its inclusivity, its pertinence. For sure, crime fiction can take you to places that are not always comfortable, but such stories can take you there with real engagement, insight, and writerly skill. While the genre is multi-formed and faceted, it has such purpose and energy. However, what drew me too it initially was the writing, the syntactical skill of authors such as Chandler, Cain, Highsmith, Himes, and much more recently Leonard, Mina, Abbott, Braithwaite. The other thing that makes it so attractive is the range. It never sits still. There are no rules, no boundaries, despite endless preconceptions and misconceptions.
Talk to me about Crafting Crime Fiction. What made you decide to write this book and why now?
I’m always reluctant to engage in longform critical or non-fiction work, because I view myself primarily as a fiction writer. However, there came a point when I felt, when I hoped, that I might be of some use, some help, some inspiration to others. The classroom is an exacting and demanding space, but also one that’s hugely fulfilling. I love teaching, I love the discourse with both beginning writers and those who are at the top of their game. Simply, I wanted to try to share some of this more widely. In reality, Crafting Crime Fiction is the sum of its parts – which is all that I’ve read and learnt about the genre and other forms of fiction, my own practice, as well as all the many, many conversations I’ve had with students and writers at all stages of their careers. It’s a long journey, but it doesn’t have to be a lonely one. It can be fun as well. Indeed, I’ve always believed that writing should be enjoyable, rewarding, and certainly not a struggle . . .
What do you hope readers will get out of the book? If there was only one lesson they could take away, what would it be?
Planning and thinking first can save you a huge amount of time later on. But there are structured and more practical and considered ways of doing this. In other words you have to know how certain things work to make planning effective. For instance, it’s good to know the difference between story and plot (as explored and explained in CCF).
Who, in your opinion, is the most underrated crime fiction writer and why?
There are too many to mention. Becoming known, popular, successful is in part luck. Right now I’d like to see the work of the late Catalan writer Manuel Vázquez Montalbán and his Pepe Carvalho series better known, or at least revisited. Only a few of the 19 novels have been translated into English, for instance.
Similarly, who do you think is particularly overrated? Anyone you can’t understand the hype around?
I couldn’t possibly say. The publishing industry works in mysterious ways, let’s put it like that. Plus taste is such a personal thing. I’m much more concerned about the right books not being properly recognized, than the wrong books perhaps grabbing all the plaudits and awards.
What elements does a novel HAVE TO INCLUDE to be classed as great crime fiction in your opinion?
So here’s the thing: the genre is so dynamic, a new work will come out and suggest a new direction and way of thinking about the form, and what might make it ‘great’ and need to be included. Fernanda Melchor’s Hurricane Season and its multi-voiced, sprawling part mythic, part epic narrative about systemic societal crime; or S A Cosby’s All The Sinners Bleed and its wrought, ever wrong-footing and bloody dissection of paternal love, are both hinged on craft/practical elements I wouldn’t previously have thought intrinsic to great crime fiction. My thinking on this changes all the time. However, I do believe in pace and purpose, menace and motivation – these concepts go far. I used to believe in the purity of a well-constructed narrative. Now I’m not so sure. I’m not so sure what that is. First and foremost, nevertheless, I believe in good writing.
What other styles of writing do you enjoy reading yourself? Are there any particular writers you admire?
I’ve always read very widely. I certainly gravitate towards new work by Margaret Atwood, Kazuo Ishiguro, Richard Powers, Zadie Smith, Rachel Cusk. Poetry is a big love too. Paul Muldoon is a favourite, along with, very recently, P J Harvey, and her beautiful collection Orlam.
If you could collaborate with any person, living or dead, on a writing project, who would it be and why?
I tried a collaboration once – First Frost under the pseudonym James Henry, with my great friend, the editor James Gurbutt (who went on to write other crime novels under that pseudonym). I’m not sure writing a tightly plotted crime novel with someone else is the most logical way of doing it. Though Nicci French do a good job, and I love the seminal Martin Beck series by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö. If I absolutely had to collaborate, it’d be with the late great Ruth Rendell – she was so wise.
Have you got any projects coming up that you are particularly excited about?
Yes! I am just starting a new crime series. I have the characters, the setting, something of a plot. I’m going to try to stick to my advice in Crafting Crime Fiction . . .
Are there any new books or writers that you are looking forward to going forward?
S A Cosby is on a roll. I can’t wait for Gillian Flynn’s new novel, and also Margot Douaihy’s follow up to the wonderfully subversive Scorched Grace, Blessed Water, out next spring. I’m really looking forward to Callum McSorley’s Squeaky Clean, which just won The McIlvanney Prize/ Scottish Crime Book of the Year. Great title, and sounds right up my street.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Crime writing is not all darkness. There’s plenty of light, and much humour. Elmore Leonard’s Get Shorty is one of the funniest crime novels I’ve read. It’s also a great account of the writing process, and how to construct a compelling script!
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions Henry; it’s been great to hear about how you crafted Crafting Crime Fiction.
