I love a good bank robbery story. I think short stories have the advantage when it comes to these stories. Has anyone read Bullet in the Brain by Tobias Wolff? Or any other short stories about bank robberies? What are the elements of a good story about a robbery? I've written a few, but only one of them I'm still actively submitting for publication. Maybe it's the framework and focus that make or break these kinds of stories. But they do seem harder to pull off than other short stories. Does anyone else find that to be true? So, what's the answer to this million dollar question? What makes a good bank robbery story?
An offbeat motivation for the robbery helps. Like when Pacino robs a bank to pay for his boyfriend's sex change in Dog Day Afternoon. Not that "I want money" isn't reason enough, but if you can tie in something for the character it'll give it an extra bump. Everyone has thought about robbing a bank before, so there's some expectations there you can probably riff off of too. Getaway vehicle/method is key too. Something obviously has to go wrong there. There was something I saw somewhere where the robbers got to the waiting car and the driver had died of a heart attack while they were inside. And I think the razzle-dazzle of the actual robbery can be overplayed. I mean, it's cool and necessary, but you can't lean on it too much. Ooh, ooh... and then there's the dumb ass stickup kids who think they've been hired for a smash and grab but it turns out they've actually set an international plot in motion that will destroy the world! Cheesy, but highly entertaining!
not forgetting the nickelback tune which may be the best short short story of a bank robbery ever "I just wish that one of us had known, it was sunday and the goddamn bank was closed"
Sometimes though, the motivation isn't that important. Like in From Dusk Till Dawn 2, where the MC asks, rhetorically, "Why do vampires gotta rob a bank?".
I read that story and it didn't seem really about a heist but more about the MC's memories. I haven't read many stories about it but I've seen movies like 'The Killing' and 'Heat' and 'The Place Beyond The Pines' and 'Dog Day Afternoon' and 'Reservoir Dogs.' Most of these movies set up the plan with every last detail being laid out in advance. Then we get to see the heist, where often something goes wrong. Then there is the escape where our heroes may or may not get away. It's a good chance to write a character who is extremely competent. But there has to be a flaw. Often it is depending on the wrong people. On the flip side, it can be fun to write a 'sloppy' heist where everything goes horribly wrong. One thing I've seen in a few of these movies is you see one heist where everything goes perfect and then a subsequent one where something goes wrong. Might be too much for a short story though!
I guess I'm more talking about talking about a literary heist, specifically how that's pulled off when it comes to the short story. And my example is exactly what I'm talking about. It's a bank robbery story that quickly comes to mind if you think about good bank robbery short stories. I'm not writing movies. I, mean, this is the short story section of the forum. But since you've also read the short story, I'm wondering what your thoughts are on this one. I mean often good stories about anything are really about other things, aren't they not? You know the story, why did you bring up movies? Just wondering, have you ever tried to write a bank robbery short story? I think they can be quite tricky, butI'm very drawn to a good robbery in short stories. Every now and then I try to pull one off. What about you?
I just brought up movies because they were my only frame of reference for heist stories. I know movies are a different medium but perhaps we can still learn something about the storytelling or characterization used in them and apply them to short stories. I actually thought it was a great short story and one that made me think really about storytelling. They say all short stories are about change and so I wonder what change in the character do we see here? In a way we see the character after the change and before the change. It's not a conventional arc. My interpretation is that it's this guys sarcastic cynicism has completely detached him from enjoying anything in life and it's ultimately this which gets him killed, without caring even about that. But in his dying moments he is reminded of a time - a totally random seeing one - before this side of personality had utterly consumed him and where he was able to feel alive. In a sense, this gives some gravitas to his death and gives humanity to a ridiculous seeming character. It was very unconventional and reminded me how literature can do things that movies cannot! What do you think about the story? I'm sure it's more complex than my interpretation! Also, do you have anymore recommendations? It's funny you ask me this question because I wrote a heist story recently and the basic plotting for me was to have the character think they were doing the heist for one reason but in the moment of doing the heist they realise that they actually want something else - to feel alive etc.... Yeah it wasn't original I was ripping off many things from movies in that story too. I will admit that sometimes I crib story arc ideas from movies though often by the time I have written the story it is quite different. It's more like 'ohh I wanna write a descent into depravity type arc' or 'I wanna write an overcoming an obstacle thing' or 'I wanna write a story of breaking some social rules' or whatever. Movies always come to my mind when I'm thinking of ideas.
Great post, @Zeppo595! I think you nailed it with your interpretation of the story. And, I think the character change is there. I'm not talking death, but maybe some of it's happening off the page. I mean imaging these things in your dying moment might change an asshole, right? I've read a few in recent years in a few journals. I don't think these ones were ever online, and I no longer own the issues. I was trying to think about what other big-writer stories about a bank robbery might pop up for discussion here so if anyone has recommendations that can be read online, that would be great. @Zeppo595 -- You want to do a story trade with our recent heist stories? I can do it next week if you're up for it. Massage me if interested.
Well, I've been meaning to do a story trade with @Zeppo595 so I guess you could say our courtship has taken place through private messages. I just thought since we both had robbery stories, it might be the perfect time. Didn't mean to put anyone on the spot.
