Where to Find Story Ideas

WHERE TO FIND STORY IDEAS

- BE CURIOUS. WALK THROUGH YOUR DAY. LOOK AROUND.
- READ WIDELY: NOT JUST THE GLOBE, BUT TRADE OR SPECIALTY MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS, UNIVERSITY RESEARCH, SMALL REGIONAL OR LOCAL PAPERS, NEWSLETTERS AND PRESS RELEASES. MINE THE BLOGOSPHERE.
- GET ON PEOPLE’S RADAR SCREEN, SUBSCRBE TO LISTSERVS OF ADVOCACY GROUPS ON BOTH SIDES OF ISSUES YOU WANT TO COVER.
- EXAMINE EVERY PURCHASE YOU MAKE OR TAX DOLLAR YOU SPEND: WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? WHERE IS THE PRODUCT MADE? IS IT SAFE, EFFECTIVE?
- EVERY PERSON YOU MEET IS A GOLDMINE OF POTENTIAL STORIES: WHAT DO THEY DO? WHAT MAKES THEM TICK? WHAT ARE THEIR HOBBIES, PASSIONS, HOT BUTTON ISSUES?
- GO OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE TO MEET PEOPLE UNLIKE YOU: TAKE A WALK IN A PARK, OR EAT AT A RESTAURANT FAR FROM BU AND TALK TO FOLKS, WHAT ARE THEY THINKING ABOUT, WORRYING ABOUT, DOING FOR FUN, GETTING MAD ABOUT?
- CHECK THE AP DAYBOOK ON ENPS, SEARCH UNDER “MASSACHUSETTS DAYBOOK”. LISTS EVENTS COMING UP THAT DAY.
- DO NOT REGURGITATE THE FRONT PAGE OF THE GLOBE. TELL ME SOMETHING I DON’T KNOW. IT IS THE NEWS BIZ, AFTER ALL.