The document provides guidance on generating story ideas by having writers list various emotions, experiences, worries, and observations from their own lives and school communities. Writers are prompted to consider things like their feelings during school, what gives them satisfaction, what they worry about, what frustrates them, what they need, and what they think adults in the school experience. They are also asked to list recent stories they found interesting and stories they enjoyed from school publications. The goal is for writers to reflect on these personal experiences and observations to develop ideas for stories that will interest their readers.

1. Generating Story Ideas
Can't come up with fresh ideas about what to cover? Stuck for ideas about topics your readers really
care about? Try listing what is happening in your own life: your feelings, satisfactions, worries, wants,
anxieties, expectations and needs.
1. List three emotions you experience during the school year. What triggers them?
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2. List three things or situations that give you a sense of satisfaction/accomplishment during the
school year. Why?
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3. List three things you worry about during the school year. Why?
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4. List three things that frustrate you during the school year. Why?
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5. List three things you need during the school year. Why?
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6. List two things you think adults (teachers, counselors, secretaries, administrators, para pros, etc.)
are worried about during the school year. Why?
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2. 7. List two things you think frustrate adults in your building during the school year. Why?
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8. List two things you think give adults in your building a sense of satisfaction/accomplishment during
the school year. Why?
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9. List three things you like about your school/community and explain why.
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10. List three things you dislike about your school/community and explain why.
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11. List three stories that you've paid attention to in the last few weeks on television, online, through
social media or in print. What was interesting about them?
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12. List three stories that you liked reading/viewing in your school newspaper, yearbook, online
publication or in a television broadcast and what you liked about them.
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In sum, what makes an interesting story?
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