On Writing: The Heist

I love a good heist story. I love a group of competent (or even not) characters getting together, going over, here’s the target. Here’s why it’s impossible. Here’s what’s in there that we have to get hold of, so we’re going to do it anyway.

I love them, but I haven’t written one. I’m not sure I could be subtle enough when I set up the exploits… and given my usual genres, yes, I’d be the one setting them up. I tend to lean toward fantasy, even if it’s often modern fantasy. And this is one of those kinds of stories that’s easier to write in a modern “real-world” setting than either science fiction or fantasy.

In short, we already have a clue about what “normal” and “high security” defense measures look like, and what normal modern people can do. So when our law-bending (or breaking) protagonists show they have clever ways to get around these measures… it feels much more plausible.

In a fantasy or SF setting, unless the writer has done a lot of setup and background detail work, we don’t know what “normal” security looks like. Is every wizard’s library protected by anti-fire wards that can be exploited as a distraction? Is the space station’s secure databank hub protected by advanced genetic analysis, or the “antique” sneaker-net access? Unless we already know the basics, we as readers won’t be impressed by how thorough and scary the security is, or how ingenious the characters are to get past it.

…Then again, the problem with laying out the basics is that unless you have very solid worldbuilding for the whole story, you may make it very obvious where you’ve left weak points the characters can exploit. Sigh.

Though you can work with that. If there’s an obvious weakness – say, people have to access this database to do their jobs, so data has to have ways to get in and out – then the people in charge of the area should know there is a weakness. And have taken measures to mitigate the problem. Those countermeasures should be the real stumper!

And it helps if you’ve shown us through the story that your characters have, shall we say, certain skills. Knowledge, odd talents, a particular sideways way of looking at the world that lets them find and exploit vulnerabilities that don’t exist for anyone else. Things like, say, being able to hold your breath for six minutes and free-dive….

Why yes, I do advise checking out Mission Impossible for heist inspiration. The shows, both series, as well as the movies. Also Leverage. You might also check out Red’s Trope Talk on Prison Breaks; the dungeon itself is the villain! And a Prison Break is another kind of heist. You’re just stealing yourself out….