"An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea."
~ Gautama Siddharta
If you're a long-time follower, you know I am a fan of Suzanne Pitner's writing articles. She is full of great tips, strategies, idea starters, and information. I read this article recently and loved it, and I can't help but share one of the awesome tips she suggested.
Keep a File of Writing Prompts from News Reports
This idea has been mentioned many times, and the reason is because it works. Read the newspaper with an eye for unusual or interesting articles. In a recent week, these articles appeared:
- A respected man robbed three banks.
- Sea turtle eggs were moved to safer shores.
- A Druid celebration occurred at Stonehenge.
- Thrill seeking teenagers jumped off moving cars on a bridge into a river.
These articles could all be turned into stories. Why would a respected community member turn to bank robbery? What if something unusual happened at Stonehenge this year? How would a teenage driver deal with his buddy slipping and falling into oncoming traffic?
34 comments:
I love this idea. I heard radio-news story where I man was hit head-on by a train, and walked away. I have the entire 'after-the-event' story in my mind. Thanks for the links.
That's a great idea. My idea for my next book comes from a news story.
hi miss shannon! wow that a cool idea for sure. i didnt ever think on writing news stuff down for doing a story. now im gonna be looking for some cool stuff.
...hugs from lenny
That is a great idea!!! Thanks for posting it Sharron! Have a great weekend. =D
I do like practicing to writing prompts - so thank you for these wonderful and unusual headlines and the link too!!!
I'm having fun already - the Druid one caught my attention! Take care
x
Oh, what a cool idea! And now I want to read that news article about Stonehenge. :)
I'm glad you mentioned Pitner's articles - I hadn't seen them...hopping over now. :)
This is in fact, just as your title suggest, a great idea. I just wrote it down for future reference if the imagination well is to ever run dry, there is a ton of inspiration in the world, but this is just a really cool idea. I can already plot a few of those!
Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!
Neat! I have a notebook full of little ideas like this, and I do get inspired by the news sometimes.
Great post, and cool quote! Have a good weekend, Shannon!
A super fantastic idea. Bookmarking away, bff. Love you and hope you have a wonderful weekend. (I'm still in the bed.)
I love this idea and am off to read the full article. Thanks for sharing this.
An interesting idea, I love it! I'm getting inspired already.
Thanks for posting the idea on keeping a file of clippings ands stuff to jog the memory for ideas.
Inspiring! Great ideas! Love love love love love!
Man, ideas are EVERYWHERE. All we have to do is look with an open mind! Great writing prompts, Shannon!
Cool idea - I keep an idea file but have never thought of doing it like this - thanks :)
Such a good idea! This is why I keep a journal with me at all times--there are so many little inspirations out there!
I started doing this recently after I was running up and down the stairs (it was too cold to run outside and I don't have a treadmill). On the table was the newspaper from the day before with the huge headlines staring at me. By the time I had finished working out, I had an idea for part of the plot and characterization for a romantic supsense. :D
I'll surely be putting this idea into practice. Great quote up there too.
Never thought of this--great idea!
Great article!! Thanks for the tip!
Great article!! Thanks for the tip!
I love the quote. Writers are like detectives. We dig deeper to find the motivation. We seek stories in the details.
Happy birthday, Shannon! xo
Great idea and great article! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Shannon .. great thoughts - I was doing that for my Mum .. but cutting snippets out of things I'd read - then I could chat to her in hospital about them .. and hence positive letters hatched.
Some little birdie tells me there's a birthday around now .. hope you're having a great weekend and being treated royally as an elder would be??!!! Cheers - happy days .. Hilary
I used to clip ideas from the newspaper, but we haven't bought one in quite awhile. Earlier this morning I was thinking of picking one up tomorrow for the coupons. Now I know what else I'll be looking for.
: )
Great tip! I hardly ever read the news, even though I know I should for story ideas if nothing else. That stonehenge one sounds very intriguing!
That is a great idea. Keeping (and maintaining) a file might be way too organized for me. But a little notebook should work.
Makes sense. News articles often inspire blog posts, so why not a story or book?
Wow, what a simple thought...but SO true. This really would give you amazing story ideas. I know I'd personally read a story that deal with number 4 somehow.
-Lauren
great idea and great prompts. I use newspaper headlines in the classroom for creative writing. I like the robbery one - it reminds me of a talk I heard on 'The Creative Penn' about a man that wrote his 'stick-up' note on the back of deposit slip - complete with his name and address.
This may help, the real Stonehenge, no druids thank heavens.
http://www.solvingstonehenge.co.uk/
Awesome quote!
I can see 4 would be a good YA book. We did crazy stuff like that here.
I love this idea! And I sort of do this... I tear out articles that pique my interest and scribble notes/idea fragments in the margins. But then they sit around on my desk in a pile. I should really file them. *rolls eyes at self*
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