My student newspaper staffers always wanted someone to hand them a list of 101 story ideas…and that would be all they’d need to have a never-ending supply of material.

Nope.

As I told them, it’s not that easy because a story idea is only as good as (1) the angle and focus a reporter takes and (2) the sources he or she gets. Besides, list topics get old. You’re not writing about the Walkman anymore, are you?

Better, I told them, to ask yourself some questions that generate good ideas. For instance, “What has made me angry lately?” I remember trying that in class once and having a student snicker, “Yeah, my sister wore my sweater without asking, and I’m mad, but that isn’t a story.” Oh, yes, it could be. Think of the various ways a staff could cover sibling issues, from dealing with conflicts to supporting each other to a great photo essay.

The same thing works with questions like these:

  • What am I going to buy soon? Especially when teen readers consider big-ticket items like computers or used cars, a little consumer research from their student newspaper could be a big help.
  • What have I been curious about lately? That hole in the ground in the field on the way to school….could that be the start of a new strip mall? Might they have after-school jobs for teens?
  • What has worried me lately? Swine flu or H1N1 was a big topic last spring, but now commercial media are beginning to cover a lack of vaccine. Just what ARE the issues? Could there be an outbreak? What would the school do? Would it close? Then what?
  • What has made me happy lately? The college where I applied instituted an earlier-than-last-year acceptance policy, deciding to notify students in December. Are other places doing that? How does that help those who are college-bound?

Some other tips that might be helpful if the staff stares blankly when it’s time to list ideas:

  • Localize. Want to write about the economy? The national picture and what Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke says will be old news when it comes out in three weeks and nothing of much interest to high school readers. But what do local bank financial advisers say is the best way to get extra money for college in a tight economy?
  • Teenize. Healthcare issues aren’t just about Medicare and the elderly. What about children and teens without adequate insurance?  Do local officials believe area teens don’t get the medical treatment they need? What can be done about that?
  • Focus. The best stories are not a mile wide and a half inch deep. They don’t cover a little bit about a lot of angles on a big topic. They dig deep and tell readers things they don’t already know about one specific idea. Don’t cover body art. Don’t cover tattoos. Don’t even cover just the dangers of tattoos. How about interviewing doctors and other medical personnel about the problems some have getting MRIs because of their tattoos. Metals in them could cause severe burns, yet, as teens get older, what is the chance they would need such scans?
  • Source. Sure, you have sources, but they shouldn’t be the first five clueless kids you ask in the hall. They should be experts and those knowledgeable enough to bring new information to readers. Doctors, lawyers, financial consultants, college professors, law enforcement officials…..those are the ones who can take the article beyond uninformed opinion and make it good journalism.
  • Update. The Walkman might not be much of a topic, but what ARE people listening to now? What is on the other end of your readers’ ear buds? Can you do a cost and features comparison of various “portable listening devices”?

So relying on a list isn’t the way to go. Starting with questions and approaches that will give you solid informatin and stories your readers want and need to know — that’s what generates good ideas.