5 Unexpected Places Story Ideas (And Conversation-Starters) Are Hiding
And a podcast that's pretty much guaranteed to make you laugh 'til you cry.
Happy Monday and happy fall!
Arizona, where I was when last week’s What’s Good newsletter dropped, was steamy but spectacular. I reconnected with old friends in the nutrition and journalism field, made new ones, and studied up about the latest research related to all things holistic wellness. I always leave these biannual events with a long list of story ideas to pitch to editors once I land back at home.
Since this week was a bit quieter on the new content front as my editors work their way through some site migrations, I’m going to roll over this week’s newly-published content to next time and share something brand-new and exclusive to What’s Good!
Inspired by the panel that I was lucky enough to participate in down in Scottsdale as well as several other speaking opportunities this summer and fall* and my freelance writing coaching, I thought it might be fun to occasionally highlight some behind-the-scenes details about this field.
* Feel free to email me at karlaswalsh@gmail.com if you’d like to discuss the possibility of partnering for future speaking events!
Comment below to chime in with other themes or secrets you’d like me to share about the magazine world, freelance life, writing or otherwise.
Let’s kick things off with…
5 Places Story Ideas—And Conversation Topics—Are Hiding in Plain Sight
Photo by the fabulous Invictus Media team!
Admittedly, a lot of my story ideas come directly from my editors. I would estimate that about two-thirds of my topics are predetermined and driven by:
What editors see performing well via search or for competitor brands
Hot topics asked for by readers
Current stories that need a touch-up to be more timely and fitting with 2022 best practices
Content holes they have discovered
The other one-third are ones I dream up, pitch and land to hopefully teach us all something new! One of the countless things I treasure about being a journalist is the fact that it reminds me to view the world through a curious lens. (Which is fitting, since curiosity is one of my core values!)
There are stories hiding out everywhere, and keeping this top of mind not only helps me be more present, but also inspires me to ask more and better questions and dive past the surface. It also inspires me to keep trying new things; ideal to combat any lingering remnants of the Groundhog Day-like lifestyle that took over my life for years when I was in the depths of anorexia.
So where do I find ideas for the hundreds of stories I publish each year? Some arise during travels or conversations with friends, family and strangers, but many can be found without even leaving my office.
Whether you’re a writer or not, these places are probably hiding lessons or at least fun conversation topics to explore over dinner or at your next community event!
Your life.
One of my absolute favorite styles of writing is first-person service. This genre involves using some experience, ailment or question I have to kick off a researched piece.
Speaking in first-person, I can bring you along on a personal quest that evolves into some universal lesson that’s backed up by research, data and interviews with experts. This is the kind of writing that I get the most reader feedback about; it makes us all feel less alone when we realize there are other people dealing with something we once considered ours alone to bear. And it makes us all realize there is a possible path forward.
Example: How I Conquered Anorexia and Depression—and Learned to Love My Body (and Life)
Social media.
Whether it’s celebrity sneak peeks, trends (ahem, Baked Feta Pasta or LED face masks) or buzzy debates, Instagram and TikTok are a constantly-growing field of story ideas. Love or hate social media, it’s tough to deny that the conversations that occur on these platforms play a large role in 21st century society. There’s a lot of negativity to wade through, but a lot of lessons, too!
Example: Is Canola Oil Healthy? Here's What Dietitians Have to Say
Google.
Have you ever poked around on Google Trends? It’s quite enlightening to see what the world, our country and specific states are searching for today or any timespan you like. What is trending now? What normally spikes this time of year?
Keep in mind that most search engine optimization (SEO) experts estimate that it takes about 3 months or so for a single piece of content to move up the ranks on Google, so ideally, we’d be working ahead. That means since it’s late September, we might want to be touching up content related to the holidays.
Example: 27 Holiday Cookie Bar Recipes that Need Zero Scooping and Rolling
Scientific research.
Since I cover news daily Monday through Thursday every week for EatingWell, I’m always hunting for what’s new and next in the nutrition space. Sites like ScienceDaily, Medical News Today, Healthline and the American Heart Association are updated frequently with links to the latest research.
These timely topics are ideal for newsy content, and research archives (I try to mainly refer to studies published within the last 5 years, if possible, for relevancy and relatability to current life) are helpful to prove points in deeper-dive evergreen topics on a specific overarching theme like what you should eat and drink to manage long-haul COVID-19 symptoms and the health benefits of intuitive eating.
Example: Is Fasting Actually Effective for Weight Loss? Here's What the Latest Research Says
Pop culture.
Movies, TV shows, awards shows, sporting events; all of these can potentially spin off into stories, if you think creatively. For example, nearly every food media brand had their take on FX’s restaurant-based drama, The Bear. And I have reported on The Kitchen’s 1-ingredient way to level-up your fried eggs, the best cooking tips shared throughout the history of The Pioneer Woman on Food Network and Katie Couric’s Pegan diet experience.
Watching TV and listening to podcasts is a pretty fun way to “research,” right?!
Example: Watch This, Drink That: 8 Classic Winter Movies Paired With Their Best Seasonal Sips
What to Listen To…
Recipe Club: Pillsbury Tube Dough
Ranking among my all-time top podcasts when I could use a mood boost, Recipe Club is pure joy. Co-hosts Chris Ying and David Chang welcome fellow professionals in the food world (here, San Francisco-based former Lucky Peach editor Rachel Kong, elsewhere, New York Times food reporter Priya Krishna and cookbook author Brian Ford) to tinker with recipes that fit a particular theme.
Season two revolves around user-submitted dishes, but the real magic is hiding in the archives with season one, if you ask me. There, the three “contestants” on each episode pick random recipes on the internet that showcase the secret ingredient. Each person tries to follow the instructions to replicate all three cherry-picked recipes, then recaps their experience with each rendition on the podcast. Chaos almost always ensues, improv is almost guaranteed and it’s just a delight to listen in as food pros struggle to cook with Pillsbury crescent dough, Boboli pizza crusts, canned tuna, Bisquick and beyond.
Reminiscing on the history of this series after listening to this week’s episode, I couldn’t help but resurface this oldie-but-goodie of an episode that had me in stitches even before they started discussing the recipes. Warning: You will likely need tissues to wipe away the tears of joy.
Listen in, then do tell: What’s your favorite use for Pillsbury crescent or biscuit dough?