Writer Mini Clinic: Finding Ideas

What’s on the iPod: It Doesn’t Matter Anymore by Linda Ronstadt

Taxes are done. Amen. Alleluia. Am I done paying? Ha. Ha. Hahahaha… If you asked me right now who I’d vote for in the next presidential election, it would be the first person to simplify (fairly) the tax process. I’d even switch parties — that’s how much I hate tax season.

Over on the About Writing Squared Freelance Writer Forum, a member posted her frustration over a course she’d dropped recently. The course promised to show how to generate ideas for magazine queries, but once she saw the content, she realized it wasn’t going to deliver. She cancelled and got a refund.

Good thing. I don’t think you need to pay good money to know how to recognize an idea. It just takes a little detective work and a bunch of curiosity. Ideas are everywhere. I know you hear that all the time, but I’m going to show you a few ways to find them. Here are just a few places your ideas are hiding:

News articles. If Stephen King gets his inspiration from news, why not you? Let’s look at today’s news feed on Bing. You can pick any story at random, but I like to go for ones that make me click on them. This one from the BBC: New whale species found? The article says scientists have heard a whale song in the Antarctic that they can’t identify, suggesting a new species. You could go straight to how many new species have been discovered in the past five years (plenty) and why. Also, why not a story on the advanced technology scientists use to identify various mammals/fish? How has that helped them understand the ocean population? Then that makes me wonder how climate change has affected the oceanic ecosystem and what species are now endangered. Or I could write a profile of a scientist who studies marine life for a kid’s magazine (neat jobs type of angle).

Press releases. Often overlooked, press releases have hidden gems in them at times. Okay, sometimes they’re nothing more than “Joe Smith has been promoted to Manager” but even those seemingly mundane ones might have ideas. But for this exercise, I’ll take one I just received yesterday. “National Electronic Vehicles Sweden (NEVS) (formerly Saab) has exited reorganization. The District Court of Vänersborg has today, April 15, 2015 decided that the reorganization of Nevs shall cease as the purpose of the reorganization is fulfilled.”

Where the idea is — Saab (my car, and a favorite brand) went out of production despite multiple buyers and attempts to get some money behind it. New owners are concentrating on making it electronic. A million ideas here! What’s the market currently for electronic cars? How can this company change the market for the better (can’t you just see that on a cover of Fortune?), or the economics of bypassing fossil fuels. You could go into how to reinvent a brand or what US automakers are doing to compete with foreign automakers. Will your next minivan be electric? Should your family own a green car? Let the idea take over.

Studies and surveys. I love a study. Nothing gives you instant access to statistics to back up your query better than a study with facts and hey, statistics. I just typed “study” into Bing News — up came this: Study: Acetaminophen reduces not only pain, but pleasure, too. Go no further than the headline, and you have plenty of ideas. Six Side Effects of Common Medications, Libido Killers in Your Medicine Cabinet (is Your Acetaminophen Taking Away Your Sex Drive?), Managing pain without side effects, natural supplements that can replace your over-the-counter drugs, when to talk to your doctor about chronic pain….

A conversation. I’ve found so many ideas just talking with people. My husband is a great source for topics as he’s always mentioning something he’s read or heard on NPR. But I have had conversation with people that have led to articles (sort of like this one, right?). One guy wrote to me about an article I’d written. In his one note were two ideas that became sold articles, and he went on to call me on occasion with other ideas. Another post — Tuesday’s — was a direct result of a phone call from a woman with questions following an article of mine she’d read. Or it’s the questions surrounding the current sex offender laws that label 18-year-olds who date 16-year-olds. Or maybe it’s the safety of the chemicals your neighbor just had sprayed on their lawn (and the over-spray that’s floating into your yard). Or it’s how to tell a reputable offer from a scam, or when to fire your doctor and why.

TV and radio.  Or NPR One (their app). Ted talks. YouTube videos. Facebook posts. Twitter links. Anything you see is a source of ideas. Here’s something from my Facebook feed right now – Beechnut recalls baby food, a video of tips for improvising while on vacation in a hotel… Food safety – how many recalls this year/last year, and what does that say about the safety of our food supply? How to ensure your meal tonight is safe, creating a safer, healthier kitchen… video – simple ways to pack less, most useful hotel perks /least necessary, the essential travel guide for non-travelers, Easy, affordable weekend getaways, Life hacks that save you thousands a year….

Trade shows, course descriptions, workshops. I love looking through conference session lists for ideas. If they’re talking about it to an audience, then there’s an idea that needs some more attention brought to it. The same goes for courses you see online, at colleges, in seminars, etc. Even a workshop can be a springboard for at least one article idea.

Your own imagination. Read your next article and watch your next video with the goal of finding at least two questions you want answers to. Those could lead you to larger questions, which could become your next article ideas. How and when to force tulip bulbs, how to upholster arm chairs, easy fat-cutting switches you can make to your meals…..look at what you do all day and ask yourself what you’d like to do differently or learn to do.

Or just use a random idea generator and try to come up with three questions on whatever idea appears on your screen.

Writers, what’s your process for locating ideas?
Do you have a process or do they come to you naturally?
Where have your best ideas come from?