Getting Inspiration From The News

Are you getting inspiration from the news?

The News

News stories can be a fantastic source of inspiration. Remember the phrase, ‘ripped from the headlines‘? So while it has become a TV trope all its own, current events can really inspire. Because you just can’t make this stuff up.

International Events

In particular, when writing about an alien society, you can get a lot of mileage out of looking abroad. This is because governments, climates, poverty levels, languages, customs, and mores all differ. And some of those can differ rather substantially.

Consider what weekends are like in Canada, in Israel, or in Japan.

What about the educational system, or whether a nation is an energy exporter, or an importer? Furthermore, what happens when you look at dictatorships, or at least at different democracies?

National Current Events

By the time this blog post goes live, the American elections will be over (thank God!). However, what is voting like in the United States (this question also make sense when looking at other countries’ ways of doing things)? How does politics affect your world?

And what about the nominations process? Back room deals, lobbying, and pressing the flesh can all inspire.

In addition, what about other areas of interest? How does the government balance the budget (if at all)? What about fads and fashions sweeping the nation?

And, naturally, these questions apply to other countries. None of this is confined to just America.

Local News

Your local news can be dominated by violence, or even by oddities. Small things can loom large if you live in a small town. I grew up in a fairly small town on Long Island although it has a connection to a larger township.

Local current events often centered around the high school, the library, and the movie house. Closing a long-term business was a topic of great interest.

Sports

Sports are a terrific source for drama and inspiration, and include everything from come-from-behind victories to cheating and doping scandals. Are the winners gracious? Are the losers vindictive? Did something interesting happen to the spectators?

Human Interest and Other ‘Fluff’-Type Pieces

Your local news in particular probably has a consumer affairs reporter. And the national news often has a science segment. Is there a local art exhibit opening up, or a concert? Maybe there’s a heartwarming story the team is showcasing.

How can you weave these details in your own narrative?

Takeaways

Open up your newspaper or do so virtually online.

And check out the news next time you’re stumped for ideas. You just might find something great.