--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most difficult part of any crime…" description: "\"The most difficult part of any crime novel is the plotting. It all begins simply enough, but soon you're dealing with a multitude of linked characters,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dac/ian-rankin-7748_books_the-most-difficult-part-of-any-crime-nov_1409873.jpg" --- # The most difficult part of any crime novel is the… ![“The most difficult part of any crime novel is the plotting. It all begins simply enough, but soon you're dealing with a multitude of linked characters, strands, themes and red herrings - and you need to try to control these unruly elements and weave them into a pattern.” quote by Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dac/ian-rankin-7748_books_the-most-difficult-part-of-any-crime-nov_1409873.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dac/ian-rankin-7748_books_the-most-difficult-part-of-any-crime-nov_1409873.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dac/ian-rankin-7748_books_the-most-difficult-part-of-any-crime-nov_1409873.jpg) > “The most difficult part of any crime novel is the plotting. It all begins simply enough, but soon you're dealing with a multitude of linked characters, strands, themes and red herrings - and you need to try to control these unruly elements and weave them into a pattern.” [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Crafting a crime story requires managing many interwoven plot threads and characters to create a coherent mystery. **In simple terms:** Plotting a crime novel is complex. Key Takeaway Focus on organizing story elements. Themes writing structure complexity Mood analytical determined Type instructional reflective When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - game design - teaching storytelling Key Concepts Narrative design character arcs misdirection Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize plot threads? - What techniques keep readers engaged? A Different Perspective Balancing many threads can overwhelm the writer. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Crime Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime-novel-807778/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-crime-4966175/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Linked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linked/) [Multitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitudes/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novel Plotting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-plotting-4966174/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Plotting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plotting/) [Plotting Begins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plotting-begins-4966176/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Theme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theme/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Unruly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unruly/) ## Related quotes > [The most difficult crime to track is the one which is purposeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/the-most-difficult-crime-to-track-is-the-one-which-is-purposeless/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [I am a master of fiction. 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Every Friday, the pay packet money would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/my-mother-worked-in-a-school-canteen-then-worked-in-the-canteen-of-a/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [I am, of course, a frustrated rock star - I'd much rather be a rock star than a writer. Or own a record shop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/i-am-of-course-a-frustrated-rock-star-i-d-much-rather-be-a-rock-star/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [I don't want the books to become PR exercises for the police; I want to have the freedom to write about cops who cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/i-don-t-want-the-books-to-become-pr-exercises-for-the-police-i-want/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [“...despite rumors to the contrary, you're on the side of the angels. (...) Whether you like it or not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/despite-rumors-to-the-contrary-you-re-on-the-side-of-the-angels/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [Rebus was eating breakfast in the canteen and wishing there was more caffeine in the coffee, or more coffee in the coffee come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/rebus-was-eating-breakfast-in-the-canteen-and-wishing-there-was-more/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [I would have loved to have been a rock n' roll star. 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Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most difficult part of any crime novel is the plotting. 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