For new ideas, I read and watch a lot of news, check out various favorite blogs and magazines, watch YouTube videos, look through free stock photos, watch shows on Hulu, visit forums, troll twitter, read new articles and postings by favorite writers (as well as the comments on them – which sometimes offer leads), check hot topics and hot keyword sites, check what calls for content and assignment topics are being requested a lot, and type any keyword into a search engine to see what new stuff is out there about it.

“Account balance: $15.35 = Gotta great article idea “Beans and Franks Gourmet!”

You’re welcome. I think it is only in Vermont that this is happening, and I was just talking about that last night. One division of IBM went on a “morale” boosting picnic where they skipped out of work early and went to the lake for lunch, including beer. This happens while other departments face layoffs and salary cuts. I realize this is just how the corporate world works sometimes, but it sucks!

And I do understand exactly what you mean. My son just came up with an idea for a writing project that he’s asked me to help type up every week. Won’t be a paid deal obviously, but for my kids I’d do anything.

He just started high school and they are using K12 Planet for parents to keep up to date on how their kid is doing. My son’s never had a B in his life, he’s always been straight A’s, so I figured high school would be a challenge finally. They have four class levels – basic for the slow learners, intermediate, college prep and then the accelerated. He’s in all of the accelerated courses, pulling A’s and B’s. It was one grade in biology that caught my eye. The assignment had been to answer a series of questions so that the teacher could learn more about that student. My son got a C on the paper. I’d proofread it and his answers were exact. Not to mention on an opinion paper, you really can’t grade opinions.

The list of four questions were supposed to be answered in one full sentence. And only one was marked wrong – hence the C. But here is where I disagree wholeheartedly.

The question was:

What do you feel your best quality is?

His answer: “I definitely feel that being immensely stubborn is my best quality.”

The teacher noted that she marked that wrong because being stubborn is not a good quality. I really, truly disagree. Being stubborn is critical to not caving in to peer pressure among many of the things a high schooler faces.

I want to argue the point with her, but he’s at that age where he won’t let me and said he’d get back at her in his own unique manner. So his idea is to create a blog detailing his life in high school for the next four years from his perspective and then when high school ends, making sure all of the teachers, good or bad, get sent the link so that they understand exactly how they are presenting themselves to the younger generation.

I may ask them directly for help [saying something like, I'm trying to write an article on ABC, and have these ideas, but i'm not sure how to move forward] and we then brainstorm ideas. Or the story ideas come from our regular conversations.

On forums, sometimes people mention an issue that affects them personally, and I ask myself, what does it mean to me or some other demographic?

For example, weeks ago ( i think), Ann G mentioned something about a plan by a division of IBM to cut salaries, and I wondered if this was a local issue or global issue. And if it is global, how would IBM operations in Africa be affected? A news article came out of that, thanks Anne G.

And I revisit old work as well. I’ll take an 800 word article and cut it down to a 200 word post. Or reverse that. Either way I end up with more bang for my buck with little extra effort.

Oh – and when I get ideas, I write them down in outline form. For a long time I would find an article title in my notes or a sentence about a possible article, but have no idea where I was headed with it. With the outline (just a working title with 5 to 7 points to cover) I find that I can get back into the grove of what I was thinking.

It looks like getting out and getting active really gets the mojo going – does this dispel the myth of the out-of-shape writer? Here’s a quick question for you all – how important is outside activity to you as a writer? How does it impact your work?