Celebrate an Endless List of Newspaper Writing Topics

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites
What’s up in your neck of the woods? I hope that you have the pleasure of reading good news stories in your hometown newspaper. But if the bad news or difficult headlines to read far outweigh the “feel-good” stories in your paper, why not consider submitting freelance articles to the editor for possible publication? 
We’ve discussed before in this column about becoming a newspaper stringer (and you can find those articles archived by searching for my name), but let’s talk today about where you might find ideas for stories. 
Besides just the “newsy” stories that take place in your community, seek out some lifestyle pieces that will be interesting to community members. And if you’re at a loss for ideas, then consider checking out some of the many holidays and celebrations that are touted on a number of websites. Then, find a related article to go along with that holiday. 
Here are some of the sites that list holidays by the month, week, and year: 
www.holidayinsights.com
www.daysoftheyear.com
www.nationaldaycalendar.com
www.brownielocks.com
www.nationaltoday.com
www.nationalday365.com
(Please be aware that these are general market sites and will have a variety of national and worldly holidays and celebrations and anniversaries, along with various religious-based ones, too.)
You’ll find all sorts of silly, wacky, zany holidays and festivities to recognize on these various sites. Perusing the sites will help you brainstorm ideas for newspaper articles. 
Keep in mind, you’ll need to plan far ahead to choose a holiday, seek out a resource, write the article, and allow for publication time. For the sake of celebrating February holidays along with this column, let’s take a look at a few February holidays as examples. 
February is American Heart Month. You could interview several doctors in the area and share an article on the best health practices for a healthy heart. You might also know a community member who suffered a frightening heart-health issue that completely changed his or her way of life, who now spends much time giving back to the community with a new attitude about what’s truly important in this world.
Black History Month is celebrated in February. Seek out people of color to interview for feature articles. In fact, build a collection of articles to turn into an editor frequently, not just during the month of February. Pastors often have inspiring stories to tell about themselves or someone in the congregation that you might not be aware of. 
National Bird Feeding Month falls in February. Do you have a bird sanctuary in your hometown? Does an ornithologist from a nearby college live close by? Interview a bird expert to get tips for best bird-feeding practices this month. Hopefully, the person you interview can give you the directions for building or creating a simple bird feeder that families can do together. Include that in the article, too. 
National Marriage Week takes place in early February. Can you locate someone in your community who’s been married for more years than even they can remember? Interview both and ask the secret of a healthy marriage! 
For Thank a Letter Carrier Day, interview several postal workers and find out the wildest thing that’s ever happened to them while on the job! Compile the stories into a humorous article, and encourage readers to leave a thank you note for their letter carriers! 
February 14 is, fittingly, National Organ Donor Day. One of my most favorite articles that I had the pleasure of sharing in our newspaper was of a sweet young couple, who found out, after months of waiting, that her husband was actually a perfect match for her much-needed kidney transplant. He surprised her by scheduling the surgery on their fifth wedding anniversary and then surprised her with the test results! 
These few holidays don’t even touch the surface of all the silly, but actual, holidays celebrated in the month of February. And every month of the year. If you’re searching for new ideas for newspaper stories, those freelance submissions that have the potential to boost your writing resume, look no farther than the calendar on your desk. And get creative! 
Happy February! 
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Julie Lavender has enjoyed celebrating silly holidays with her husband and kids for years now, incorporating many of those celebrations into her homeschooling curriculum annually. She enjoys welcoming each day as a gift from God and especially likes any excuse to celebrate with ice cream cone! Julie celebrated the launch of her book, 365 Ways to Love Your Children: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories, back in October, with a large cookies and cream milkshake!