Are you looking for inspiration for your new crime novel? Do you want inspiration that's new, and similar to something that's been discussed in the media at present time? Then all you have to do is turn on the news or read through the recent crime stories that have surfaced online. Here, you're going to find plenty of inspiration for your new story. And while some of the stories are truly sad, especially if they involve children going missing, there's plenty of things that you can learn from the stories and learn about the criminal mindset that can help you as an author.

One of the recent stories coming out of Texas is that of a father who claimed he had left his little toddler outside one tonight because she refused to drink her milk. She completely disappeared and within a couple of days, her body was found. He then decided to change his story, saying that she choked on her milk in the middle of the night and when he realized she wasn't breathing, he decided to go dump her body. The story is still developing so it is possible that the story is going to change once again, but this is where the story is currently.

This crime proves one thing

Even though the story is still in development and the crime is still being worked out by investigators this story proves one thing: a story can change several times from a person who is under investigation.

If you are writing a story about someone who has committed a crime, you may realize that they may not be completely honest right off the bat. In addition, you may find that your suspect will change his story so many times that you don't even know what the truth is.

If you're writing a story without planning it out in advance, you may find yourself questioning which story is true.

If your murder suspect in your novel has given several stories to the police, you have the freedom to choose which one is the truth or even create a whole new story that's the truth. Maybe your readers are never told the truth from two suspects but learn the truth through evidence, or detective who simply won't give up.

Investigative techniques

Even though the story out of Texas is truly heartbreaking, there are definitely some criminal elements and some investigative techniques that you can take out of the story and bring to your novel. You have to remember that when you're writing your story, it's important that you keep things as realistic as possible. Many people believe what they read in crime novels and if you don't put enough time and effort into describing the investigation or even discuss the details of the crime, they may start to believe what you're writing is true - think about methods, collecting evidence, and such.

Just look at how people assume that investigations can be done and cleared out in a matter of a weekend thanks to television shows such as "Criminal Minds" and "CSI." This is simply not the Case.

Do you ever take inspiration from the news and what is happening? Are you surprised that the suspect in Texas changed his story?
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