Freelance Writing

Great Tips to Find Story Ideas

As a freelance writer, the story is your life -- it's what pays the bills month after month, after all. However if you're anything like me, sometimes it might be difficult coming up with a great story idea you can use for your next piece. Listed below are the sources I turn to when I need a bit of help coming up with a new concept to write about; I hope they help!

You've probably been told time and again to "write what you know," am I correct? Well, there's some merit in the saying. Drawing from your own personal experiences can give you great ideas for your next story. What's more, most magazines and newspapers have space available for editorials or personal essays, so writing about events that have happened in your own life can be a great way to break into the field. In any case, your past holds a wealth of experiences you can draw from to create a really smashing article.

Your friends are possibly the second best source you can draw information from to create a story. As a freelance writer, it's important to keep your social connections as broad and varied as possible because this gives you more opportunity to network. Not only may your friends be able to get you a lead you may not have gotten elsewhere, but events that have transpired in their lives or things that affect them can be a great way to brainstorm ideas.

Obviously, one of the best tools we have as writers is the internet. By running a simple search in Google or another search engine, we can get hundreds of links to great ideas we can feed off of and create our own spin on the topic.

These are just a few ways I'm able to come up with story ideas when my mind's just not up to the task. Please feel free to share your own creative ways you come up with ideas in the comment box below :) I'd be happy to hear your suggestions.

Have a GREAT weekend,

Denise

posted by Denise @ 9:14 AM