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Generating the Story Ideas
Coming up with story ideas can be challenging. Sometimes ideas come to us when we least expect, while watching television, reading a magazine, looking out the window or going for an afternoon stroll. But ideas don't often arise on cue when you're pressed to come up with a story.
In this profession, you should never be at a loss for ideas. Whether you're doing projects in class, going to a job interview, or when you participate in meetings at work, always bring with you several ideas.
Stay Informed!
To make sure ideas come readily, you need to keep up on the latest news and current events. Become a mass media consumer and ask yourself how you might approach stories from different angles. Do a lot of reading. Be curious about the world and inform yourself about a variety of topics.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming sessions with a group of people is often helpful. Everything goes on the table. Don't dismiss outright any comments no matter how irrelevant they may seem. Some off-the-wall comments can trigger ideas that may not have occurred to you.
Stay Informed!
To make sure ideas come readily, you need to keep up on the latest news and current events. Become a mass media consumer and ask yourself how you might approach stories from different angles. Do a lot of reading. Be curious about the world and inform yourself about a variety of topics.
Brainstorming
Brainstorming sessions with a group of people is often helpful. Everything goes on the table. Don't dismiss outright any comments no matter how irrelevant they may seem. Some off-the-wall comments can trigger ideas that may not have occurred to you.
Clustering
A more structured way of brainstorming ideas is a method called Clustering. Start by writing a single keyword and circle it. Then spin off the one idea into clusters that relate to the initial keyword. Circle each word. Soon you'll have whole clusters of words connected to the initial keyword. Some of the new words might also spawn their own clusters. Eventually you'll start to see patterns, where the central idea branches off into other associations that may lead to the subject of your show.
Keep an Ideas Journal
For those ideas that come to you when you least expect, get them down in writing before you forget. Buy a small notebook that you can take with you wherever you go. Or, use an audio recorder. Either way, get those ideas down immediately when they come to you rather than expecting to remember them later.
A more structured way of brainstorming ideas is a method called Clustering. Start by writing a single keyword and circle it. Then spin off the one idea into clusters that relate to the initial keyword. Circle each word. Soon you'll have whole clusters of words connected to the initial keyword. Some of the new words might also spawn their own clusters. Eventually you'll start to see patterns, where the central idea branches off into other associations that may lead to the subject of your show.
Keep an Ideas Journal
For those ideas that come to you when you least expect, get them down in writing before you forget. Buy a small notebook that you can take with you wherever you go. Or, use an audio recorder. Either way, get those ideas down immediately when they come to you rather than expecting to remember them later.
Pre-Production Elements