As many writers purveying writing advice over the centuries have mentioned before, it is essential to write what you know, or at least to write what you know about. If you are into the mystery or crime genre, then it is probable that you don't have much first-hand experience in serious criminal activity. In lieu of actually participating in a murder or fraud or any of the various crimes that are typical fodder for mystery novels, there is another way that you can gain experience vicariously—just read the newspaper.
As a writer who has delved into the mystery genre before, I can say without hesitation that the best place to look for ideas for stories is out there in the Real World. I’m sure you've heard the expression, "The truth is stranger than fiction." And the most interesting stories or novels, the ones that really grab readers' attentions, are those that put forth a narrative that takes twists and turns that are at once both believable and still out of this world. If you look at various high-profile crime stories, you can instantly see the seeds of brilliant narratives that have much potential in becoming integrated into your novel or story in one way or another.
One of the best most recent examples is the Casey Anthony case. Of course, you cannot turn a real life story into a published narrative without running the risk of being sued for libel or another related crime. At the same time, however, you can integrate general story line elements to create a plot that and a set of characters that creates dramatic conflict. In the case of the Anthony trial, the story of a mother accused of murdering her child, whose trial was so filled with so much circumstantial evidence against her that the ending—the verdict being not guilty-- makes for a highly complex and emotional story. Another fascinating recent story that comes to mind is the Amanda Knox trial, in which, again, circumstantial evidence convicted a young woman of murdering her roommate during a study abroad trial.
The most famous narrative that was based on a true crime story was Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, a creative non-fiction work that dramatized a real trial in which the suspect had no immediate or apparent motives. The twists and turns in the real-life case enabled Capote to create a story with very conflicted and complex characters. So if you find yourself creating a mystery story or novel, and you do not yet have much direction or details laid out in your story, run a crime search in newspapers to look for inspiration. Even if you cannot take major plot points from these stories, if you do some research, you'd be surprised by how learning some details of different criminal proceedings can help enhance your story's conflict and believability. Trust me, it makes a word of a difference.
First, let's look at Stephenie Meyers and her book Twilight. On her website, she said, "Twilight was not the easiest book to title. When I started sending out queries, I called it Forks for lack of a better idea. The first thing my agent advised me was that the title was going to have to change. We played around with a lot of different titles, and nothing seemed to convey the right feel. We brainstormed through emails for about a week. The word twilight was on a list of "words with atmosphere" that I sent her. Though these words were meant to be used in combination with something else, the word twilight stood out to both of us. We decided to try it out, and, after a little adjustment time, it started to work for both of us. It isn't absolutely perfect; to be honest, I don't think there is a perfect title for this book (or if there is, I've never heard it)."
Second, we have Jane Austen and her popular book Pride and Prejudice. It is thought that she renamed the story Pride and Prejudice from First Impressions because she had in mind the final chapter of Fanny Burney's Cecilia, called "Pride and Prejudice", where the phrase appears three times in block capitals. It is possible that the novel's original title was altered to avoid confusion with other works. In the years between the completion of First Impressions and its revision into Pride and Prejudice, two other works had been published under that name: a novel by Margaret Holford and a comedy by Horace Smith. [Source]
Lastly, a book written by Val McDermid titled The Mermaid Singing. She says the title is part of a line from the poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me.
(1) Did you know killing someone with an ice bullet is impossible? They burn up before they reach the end of the barrel.
(2) Did you know if you shoot a gun in a plane, it doesn't blow anybody or anything through the hole? You would need to have explosives rigged to blow a huge hole and then maybe your arm will fall out.
(3) Cola does an okay job of cleaning blood but it does a better job of cleaning your chrome bumper.
(4) Quicksand doesn't sink you as fast as it does in the movies. Most people STUCK in quicksand will die of dehydration or exposure.
(5) It's just as bad OR WORSE to drive while talking on the phone than drunk!
(6) A bullet fired from a shotgun into water will breakup. It probably wont kill you. However, it is possible to shoot any gun (barring shotgun) underwater.
(7) Bullets fired STRAIGHT UP in the air WILL NOT kill you on descent, however, if your angle is off even slightly, you could be charged with murder. A true story: On New Years Day, my father went out to his car and found a bullet lodged in his front seat. It went straight down through the roof of the car. If he had been sitting in the driver's seat, he would be dead. Stop shooting your guns in the air, people!
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IRON HOUSESynopsis from Amazon:My Thoughts: In true thriller fashion, this book had me in its grips from beginning to end--I read the story in two days. Sure, some of it was a bit cliche and not very realistic, but it worked.
An old man is dying.
When the old man is dead they will come for him.
And they will come for her, to make him hurt.
John Hart has written three New York Times bestsellers and won an unprecedented two back-to-back Edgar Awards. His books have been called “masterful” (Jeffery Deaver) and “gripping” (People) with “Grisham-style intrigue and Turow-style brooding” (The New York Times). Now he delivers his fourth novel—a gut-wrenching, heart-stopping thriller no reader will soon forget.
HE WOULD GO TO HELL
At the Iron Mountain Home for Boys, there was nothing but time. Time to burn and time to kill, time for two young orphans to learn that life isn’t won without a fight. Julian survives only because his older brother, Michael, is fearless and fiercely protective. When tensions boil over and a boy is brutally killed, there is only one sacrifice left for Michael to make: He flees the orphanage and takes the blame with him.
TO KEEP HER SAFE
For two decades, Michael has been an enforcer in New York’s world of organized crime, a prince of the streets so widely feared he rarely has to kill anymore. But the life he’s fought to build unravels when he meets Elena, a beautiful innocent who teaches him the meaning and power of love. He wants a fresh start with her, the chance to start a family like the one he and Julian never had. But someone else is holding the strings. And escape is not that easy. . . .
GO TO HELL, AND COME BACK BURNING
The mob boss who gave Michael his blessing to begin anew is dying, and his son is intent on making Michael pay for his betrayal. Determined to protect the ones he loves, Michael spirits Elena—who knows nothing of his past crimes, or the peril he’s laid at her door— back to North Carolina, to the place he was born and the brother he lost so long ago. There, he will encounter a whole new level of danger, a thicket of deceit and violence that leads inexorably to the one place he’s been running from his whole life: Iron House.
AGNES GREYSynopsis from Amazon: Anne began Agnes Grey with the words "All true histories contain instruction", and wrote in a realistic, rather than the romantic style followed by her sisters. The title character is the younger daughter of a poor clergyman and sets out to earn a living as a governess. Anne drew strongly on her own life. Her rather plain first-person female narrator begins the story young, inexperienced, and idealistic, but strives for self-respect and independence.My Thoughts: I liked it. Her way of writing is personable but detatched. It's like she was more intent on telling the story correctly rather than her feelings, which, in my opinion, is good because we saw a real glimpse into the governess life.
Agnes Grey is a wish-fulfillment story in which patience and virtue are rewarded. It is also a quiet but sharply pointed critique of the life of a governess and the instruction of children at the time. Anne portrays her characters and their surroundings with the minute attention to detail of a camera eye, focusing on the direct experience of daily life in a constrained environment, and recognizing the importance of subtle impressions. Anne's understated humor and occasional satire also remind the reader of Jane Austen.
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| Catherine Pawsey |
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| Jenna Cooper |
