Where I Get My Latest Round of Stories Journalistically

The single most frequent question I get is “How do you get your stories?” My answer: Beyond the obvious means (developing beats and subscribing to wires), it’s simply a natural reflex developed over time of being more observant and conscious of what could be news when you come across an idea. That’s not to say that when you start thinking like a journalist, all of a sudden a meteor will land on your front lawn, BUT a journalist’s first thought when a meteor lands on their front lawn will be “How can I best turn this into a story?”

Recent story pitches of mine since returning from New Orleans in early November:

1. Coast Guard Vet Seeks to Write Screenplay to Highlight Branch of Military Service-

How I got the story: I participate in a discussion group once a month. In November, the theme was veterans on film and a couple veterans were invited to participate. One man was a Coast Guard veteran who had previously entered the Mike Nichols screenplay competition and wanted to write a film about the Coast Guard because so few military films have focused on that branch of service and so few people know what the Coast Guard does. Why I pursued it: I felt this was a valid point and that this person’s quest could be accompanied by a historical context were certain branches of military actively cultivated their image through Hollywood. Plus, this should be good fodder to both film and military movies.