The Bulletin Board Beat

Get out from behind your computer and check out some bulletin boards for writing ideas.

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I worked for two years on the newspaper at one college, but then I transferred to another. When I got there, I found myself the new kid on the block competing against seniors and grad students for the "plum" assignments. So, what was I assigned? They gave me the library beat and the bulletin board beat. Eventually, I worked the library beat into a regular column, but some of my best stories came from the bulletin boards.

Bulletin boards are treasure troves of ideas for articles, short stories, interviews and local reviews. For instance, suppose you see a poster for a self-help seminar on retirement planning for 30 year olds. You could interview the presenter for a parenting magazine article called "IRA's and Orthodontists: Saving for retirement while the kids are home." A flyer about a concert with a prominent Christian artist might be an interview possibility. A lost kitten announcement could be the start of a children's story.

So, why not get up and out from behind the computer and check out the bulletin boards at the Laundromat, the library, the bookstore and the college campus, but don't be surprised if you see a low status school reporter combing through the notices with you.

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