How to Find a Story as a Reporter

To stay ahead of the pack, a reporter constantly needs to be on the lookout for compelling stories.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Briefcases
• Address Books
• Dictionaries
• File Cabinets
• Magazine Subscriptions
• Newspaper Subscriptions
• Laptop Computer
• Word-processing Software
• Cellular Phones

1. Read everything you can get your hands on. Story ideas can germinate from the most unlikely places.
2. Ask non-writer friends for ideas; everyone always has one or two, and unlike writers, these folks won't be concerned about sharing their ideas.
3. Talk to editors and find out what kind of stories they look for and assign.
4. Go back to old magazines and check for riveting stories that haven't been covered in the press recently, or look for ways to update old stories.
5. When you do come across something that might lead to a solid story, make sure the subject will be of interest to both you and the reader.
6. Be sure no one else has written about it somewhere else, and protect your idea from inquiring minds.
7. Pitch your story to the appropriate publication.

Tips & Warnings

• By using connections or ingenuity, find an angle that no one else could possibly get.
• Know the publication you are pitching the story to and make sure the pitch is written in that publication's voice.
• Keep in mind that an interesting fact isn't necessarily a story - look for a hook.

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