Generating Story Ideas During the Holidays
Looking for a Story Idea? Consider One of These Writing Assignments.
The holiday season is notorious for it's lack of hard news stories, leaving newspaper editors and reporters struggling to fill their pages. Consider these story ideas.
The period of time between mid-November and early January traditionally yields little “hard news,” as some of the best and most reliable news sources (town/city government officials, board members, and other officials) hold few meetings and conduct little business due to the holidays.
A lack of newsworthy events can easily make for a weak publication if a journalist fails to recognize the wealth of soft news that can more than compensate for the slim pickings in the hard news department.
The holidays provide journalists with an opportunity to focus on human interest and feature stories that can easily be overlooked or placed on a side burner during the rest of the year. And with many readers looking for ways to feel that holiday spirit, journalists will find that audiences are especially receptive to these “soft news” stories during this time of year.
Consider some of the following story ideas this holiday season:
- Year in Review: The days between Christmas and New Year's are typically very quiet in the newsroom. So hit the archives and develop a series of "Year in Review" stories, a compilation about the most notable stories of the year.
- Dozens of Donation Drives: During the latter part of the year, many non-profit organizations, community groups, schools and businesses conduct fundraisers, along with toy, food, coat and other donation drives. Learn who is seeking donations and for what cause/organization, and educate the public on how and where they can contribute.
- Organizations in Need: Food pantries, homeless shelters and other community-based non-profit groups often see an increased number of individuals seeking help during this time of year. Profile an organization and its role within the community. Speak to individuals who have benefited from this organization or group and include information on how to seek assistance. Also, be sure to provide information on how members of the community can support the organization or volunteer.
- Timeless Traditions: Many communities have long-running holiday traditions that take place each year. Research the roots of the tradition, and its role within the community today. Also, speak with the organizers or sponsors of the event to obtain information from behind-the-scenes.
- Safety First: The holidays bring with them a unique set of safety hazards. Speak with public safety or fire officials to learn how citizens can prevent their Christmas tree from catching fire or avoid setting the holiday ham ablaze. The number of residential burglaries also increases during the holiday season, so police officials can provide information on local trends and tips on how to avoid becoming a victim.
- Don’t Forget the Furry Friends: Pets are faced with a unique set of dangers during the holidays. Speak with an Animal Control Officer or representative from a local humane organization to determine what measures pet owners should take to ensure that their furry friends have a safe and happy holiday season.
- Holiday Happenings: Start a holiday happenings column to keep citizens abreast of the events taking place within the area. Tree lightings, Santa meet-and-greets, festivals and fairs, concerts, ceremonies, exhibitions, activities, fundraisers, parties, and other gatherings are commonplace during the holidays. Many also provide wonderful photo opportunities – what’s more touching than a photo of a youngster sitting in Santa’s lap, gazing up in wonderment as she gently tugs on his beard?
- Activities for the Kids: The holiday season means time off from school for youngsters and teens. Libraries and the YMCA, for instance often host an array of events to keep the kids occupied during the holiday break. Common events include arts and crafts workshops, story time events, musical performances, activity workshops, and sports activities.
- Acts of Kindness: The holidays often inspire average citizens to take on some not-so-average tasks and heartwarming tales of kindness are especially well received by readers during this magical time of year. Interview and photograph that group of grandmothers who are sewing quilts to send to troops overseas or write a human-interest story about that group of students who cooked a Thanksgiving meal for the residents of a nursing home.
- Volunteer Opportunities: The holiday season tends to bring out the best in people. So contact some local organizations - the food pantry, the animal shelter, the nursing home, the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Program, etc. - and find out about volunteer opportunities within the community.
Related Reading
Visit the Resources for Writers Page for tips and articles including Avoiding Libel and How to Detect and Stop Plagiarism Online.
The copyright of the article Generating Story Ideas During the Holidays in Newspaper Publishing is owned by Mia Carter. Permission to republish Generating Story Ideas During the Holidays in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
A notable holiday display makes a great feature.
|
What do you think about this article?
Related Articles
Related Topics
Reference
More in Writing & Publishing
Latest Articles