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writercises2018-01-26 03:54 pm
mbarker) wrote in writercises2018-01-26 03:54 pm
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TECH: Six Secrets to Finding Ideas That Sell (Moldy and Oldie!)
Original Posting Sept. 19, 2017
Writer's Digest, July 1999, has an article on pages 48-49 and 60, by Brad Herzog, with the title Six Secrets to Finding Ideas That Sell. Admittedly, Brad is mostly looking at ideas for nonfiction features and columns, but I think they may be useful for any of us. So here's his guide to finding ideas.
1. Explore the fringes of knowledge. Take a look at odds and ends that turn up even in fields that you know really well. "The best way to catch the eye editor is by presenting an angle he or she hadn't considered or piece of information teeming with potential." Overlooked or underappreciated tales are out there, just begging for you to tell them.
2. Wait until you have a hook. Sometimes you might be interested in something, even collecting information and research about it, but it isn't quite there yet. Wait for that hook. "Diligence is a necessity for any successful freelancer."
3. Don't forget important dates. Anniversaries can be great. "If you decide to develop a story tied to an anniversary, make sure you leave enough time."
4. Sell no wine before its time. Timing. "The trick is to keep one eye on your files and the other on the news."
5. Be fruitful and multiply. Watch for follow-ups. Spinoffs, sequels, all of those odds and ends that can come out of research and writing you've already done. "Take some time to leaf through your old projects, keeping an eye out for patterns or intriguing subject matter you might have missed the first time around.
6. Become a world chronicler. "What do you find interesting or peculiar or funny or relevant? Chances are somebody else agrees with you.… Tilt your head at the world. Remember, just about any subject, with the right angle, the right outlet, and the right presentation, can be fodder for a paying publication."
That's all there is to the article, although you might want to read it for the little stories that Brad tells. Or, you might want to try exploring his six secrets – check out the edges, look for a hook, watch for dates, hit the right time, reuse, and keep your eyes open. Oh, you also better…
WRITE!
tink
Writer's Digest, July 1999, has an article on pages 48-49 and 60, by Brad Herzog, with the title Six Secrets to Finding Ideas That Sell. Admittedly, Brad is mostly looking at ideas for nonfiction features and columns, but I think they may be useful for any of us. So here's his guide to finding ideas.
1. Explore the fringes of knowledge. Take a look at odds and ends that turn up even in fields that you know really well. "The best way to catch the eye editor is by presenting an angle he or she hadn't considered or piece of information teeming with potential." Overlooked or underappreciated tales are out there, just begging for you to tell them.
2. Wait until you have a hook. Sometimes you might be interested in something, even collecting information and research about it, but it isn't quite there yet. Wait for that hook. "Diligence is a necessity for any successful freelancer."
3. Don't forget important dates. Anniversaries can be great. "If you decide to develop a story tied to an anniversary, make sure you leave enough time."
4. Sell no wine before its time. Timing. "The trick is to keep one eye on your files and the other on the news."
5. Be fruitful and multiply. Watch for follow-ups. Spinoffs, sequels, all of those odds and ends that can come out of research and writing you've already done. "Take some time to leaf through your old projects, keeping an eye out for patterns or intriguing subject matter you might have missed the first time around.
6. Become a world chronicler. "What do you find interesting or peculiar or funny or relevant? Chances are somebody else agrees with you.… Tilt your head at the world. Remember, just about any subject, with the right angle, the right outlet, and the right presentation, can be fodder for a paying publication."
That's all there is to the article, although you might want to read it for the little stories that Brad tells. Or, you might want to try exploring his six secrets – check out the edges, look for a hook, watch for dates, hit the right time, reuse, and keep your eyes open. Oh, you also better…
WRITE!
tink