In many situations throughout life, getting started can often be the most difficult part. For young journalists like myself, good story ideas can seem elusive. Even when I am assigned a project or beat, drawing out at the right story idea can seem like a daunting task. How do professional journalists come up with such riveting stories?

I have been reading Investigative Reporting by Marcy Burstiner and Photojournalism: The Professionals’ Approach by Kenneth Kobré and compiled a list of effective methods to draw out stories.

Ditch the headphones

A simple way to start finding stories is to simply be observant to what’s going on around you.  Listen to gossip and don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Although all gossip isn’t true, there may be some clues to a real story hidden among it.  Appalachian State University professor Gregory Perrault teaches that journalists need to ditch their headphones when they’re outside of their house to hear what people are talking about. This can lead to relevant stories.  

Start small

Paying attention to statistics, news briefs, and fine print can lead to big stories. If these bits of information leave you wondering why or how, they are probably avenues worth pursuing.  Burstiner writes about how Barbara Ehrenreich wrote a best-selling book called “Nickel and Dimed” after purchasing a high-priced lunch and wondering how people could live on a minimum-wage salary.

Know the news

When looking for a story that hasn’t been covered before, it may seem counter-productive to read the news, but it is important to know what is being covered around you.  Radio, television, and social media sites give more current updates, and you may find something interesting in the mundane that could inspire a new story. By reading news from across the world, you may be able to replicate an investigation from another city in your own community. Whether you find similar or different results, it may still be a relevant story.

Emergency scanners

To know when news is happening, Kobré recommends monitoring scanner radios from emergency services like fire, police, coast guard, etc.  Breaking news can never be more timely than learning about the story as soon as the emergency services learn about it. Journalists that pay attention the scanners on their phone or radio can arrive at the scene as quicker than anyone else, and break the story themselves.

Learn your territory

Being familiar with the people and places around your area or beat can come in handy for finding stories. Find the hot-spots for activity in town, and befriend people who always seem to be “in-the-know.” If you establish a strong relationship with important community members, they will instinctively reach out to you with potential story ideas. You can also familiarize yourself with frequently updated local calendars of events.  Appalachian State University professor Philip Holman suggests Todd’s Calendar for happenings in the High Country.

 

Featured image titled blank dossier by theirl under CC BY-SA 2.0