Writing Tip: Stories in the Media
As writers, we get our inspiration from many places, including (although we may not always want to admit it) from other people’s stories. Why should the newspaper or the internet be any different?
You can find a variety of stories in the media that you can take ideas from or expand upon when you write. The articles that you find can inspire you to create a more complete tale, change the ending to send a moral message, or select a specific fact from the article to discuss.
Taking a popular subject area can allow you to highlight your opinion on an important issue and spark a discussion. You can use sensitive issues in your poetry or stories, or even construct a persuasive argument in a more formal way. Being able to produce a strong argument is an excellent writing skill for you to master. What you create can be about your feelings when you first read the story, the impact you believe it must have had on those involved, or a retelling. There is so much information out there to read that you will probably find no end of stories that inspire you.
Be careful when you take a story from the media to use in your own writing: ensure that you do not copy it and instead try to fictionalize it. Change names and places and any other information that could be considered necessary, and if necessary reference where you got your inspiration from.
Written By: Laura Clark
* Laura is a 23 year old English woman with a history degree residing in the UK. She has been writing for many years and enjoys writing horror/fantasy stories, as well as poetry. You can view her work at: https://inspiredstoriesandpoems.wordpress.com/
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I think popular news stories can serve as an inspiration for writing, though, of course, the writer should be sensitive to the experiences of the people involved. Sensationalizing the life of someone who has experienced a traumatic event isn’t the greatest idea in the world. The goal should be understanding, not melodrama.