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About October's Workshop
Kathryn Casey of the Boston Globe calls true crime stories “The ultimate human dramas and the most terrifying horror stories” What makes true crime compelling isn’t just the shock factor—it’s the universal storytelling techniques at its core.
Writers across all genres can learn from the true crime writer's craft: creating multidimensional characters, weaving suspense seamlessly into a narrative, structuring stories that demand attention, and uncovering deeper truths beneath the surface of a story.
Workshop Takeaways
Using pacing and foreshadowing to maintain a gripping narrative arc
Techniques for gathering and verifying factual information
Deciding when and how to reveal key information for maximum impact
Deciding when to let the facts speak versus when to dramatize for clarity or emphasis
Balancing journalistic integrity with creative storytelling.
Techniques to structure complex stories with multiple timelines or perspectives
This workshop begin’s on October 6, 2025. Paid subscribers will receive full access to this and all of our workshops for $10/mo
How It Works
David will publish a new lesson every Monday in October. If you're subscribed, they'll be sent directly to your email. Our workshops are self-paced, so you can take them anytime that works for you.
In the comment section of each lesson, writers taking the workshop do assigned exercises, swap feedback, and engage with each other.
At the end of the month, this workshop will be added to our collection, and a new instructor will take over to teach something else!
About The Instructor
David Bushman is the author of five traditionally published nonfiction books, including two on true crime; a writing coach at Write by Night; and a member of the board of the Mystery Writers of America New York Chapter. In his previous lives he was a TV curatoar at The Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television + Radio), program director at TV Land, and TV editor at Variety. As a reporter in Westchester County, New York, he covered numerous crime stories, including the disappearance of Robert Durst’s first wife, Kathleen, in 1982. His 2023 book Forget It, Jake, It’s Schenectady: The True Story Behind ‘The Place Beyond the Pines,’ was a runner-up for Killer Nashville’s 2024 Silver Falchion Award.