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Thinking Outside the Box When You're Looking for Resources
Sources that will take you beyond the "usual suspects:"
- Real people: cab drivers, neighbors, cashiers, hairdressers, letter-carriers, crossing guards. Ask folks what people are talking about, and what they're concerned about. You'll be surprised what you hear.
- Beat sources: don't just call people when you need a quote, or need to understand some technical detail. Check in when you have downtime, via phone or email.
- Your eyes/ears: ever see something odd or new or unusual as you make your way through the day? Seize the moment and ask questions.
- Blogs: not the popular ones that everyone reads. Look for hyper-local neighborhood blogs that give you story ideas you can contextualize.
- Threads from Other Stories: those tidbits or sidebars you hear in interviews can become great stories on their own. You should learn the discipline to note them so you can remember.
- Surveys/Reports: stories on surveys/reports are a dime a dozen. But sometimes a particular finding can spark your curiosity.
- Okay, Newspapers: but use them to localize a national or global story.
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