Journalism Basics: Turning Curiosity into Strong Story Ideas and Pitches

From curiosity to a story idea you can report

A strong story idea is not just an interesting topic. It is a specific, reportable claim or question that you can test with evidence, sources, and on-the-ground access. Curiosity is the spark; your job is to shape it into something you can verify, explain, and publish.

Think in terms of a “reporting unit”:

• Claim or question: What might be true?
• Scope: Where, when, and for whom?
• Proof path: What documents, data, and people could confirm or refute it?
• Access plan: Who will talk, and what can you observe directly?

Practical places to find story ideas (with what to capture)

1) Public meetings (city council, school board, zoning, commissions)

Public meetings are idea engines because decisions, conflicts, and spending show up there first. Don’t just listen for speeches—listen for votes, contracts, timelines, and unanswered questions.

• What to look for: agenda items with money attached, emergency votes, “consent agenda” items that pass quickly, repeated complaints during public comment, postponed decisions, new committees/task forces.
• What to capture: meeting agenda PDF, staff reports, vote tally, names/titles of speakers, exact motion language, attached exhibits, and any referenced documents.
• Quick follow-up questions: “What changes for residents next week?” “What data did you use?” “Who opposed this and why?”

2) Community notices (bulletin boards, newsletters, flyers, legal notices)

Notices often reveal small changes that matter a lot locally: closures, permit applications, hearings, service disruptions, policy changes.

• What to look for: public hearing notices, permit variances, eviction/foreclosure notices (where legally accessible), service changes (bus routes, clinic hours), school policy memos.
• What to capture: photo/screenshot, issuing agency, dates, contact person, case/permit number, location, and any deadlines for public comment.

3) Social media leads (posts, groups, neighborhood forums)

Social media is a lead generator, not a source of truth. Treat it like a tip line: useful for finding witnesses, patterns, and documents—then verify elsewhere.

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• What to look for: multiple people describing the same issue, posts with photos/videos that can be verified, recurring complaints about a specific service, unusual claims that can be checked against records.
• What to capture: URLs, timestamps, usernames, exact wording, and any attached media (save copies ethically and legally).
• First verification move: identify the original poster and ask: “Were you there? What did you see? Can you share the original file? Who else was present?”

4) Press releases (government, police, nonprofits, companies)

Press releases are not stories by themselves; they are claims and starting points. Your job is to ask what’s missing and who might disagree.

• What to look for: new programs, grant awards, enforcement actions, product launches, “record-breaking” claims, “first-of-its-kind” language.
• What to capture: specific numbers, names, dates, and any referenced reports. Note what is not included (methodology, comparisons, limitations).
• Verification questions: “Where is the underlying report?” “How was this measured?” “Who benefits and who pays?” “What independent expert can evaluate this?”

5) Data portals (open data, budgets, inspections, court records)

Data portals can reveal trends and outliers that become stories when you connect them to real people and on-the-ground reporting.

• What to look for: spikes (sudden increases), gaps (missing inspections), outliers (one facility far worse than others), geographic clusters, repeated violations.
• What to capture: dataset name, date accessed, filters used, definitions (what each field means), and any caveats in the documentation.

6) Everyday observations (commutes, workplaces, schools, clinics, stores)

Many strong stories start with noticing friction: long lines, new fees, closed doors, confusing signs, repeated delays, or a service that quietly changed.

• What to look for: patterns you can observe more than once, changes that affect many people, contradictions between posted policy and lived reality.
• What to capture: dates/times, photos where permitted, receipts/letters, and a short log of what you observed versus what you were told.

Is this tip real enough to pursue? A verification triage

Before you invest hours, do a quick “reality check” to see whether the idea has enough substance to report responsibly.

Step-by-step: the 30–60 minute tip verification checklist

1. Write the tip as a testable statement. Example: “Residents in Building X have had no heat for 10 days,” not “Landlords are terrible.”
2. Identify the minimum proof you’d need. What would convince a reasonable editor? (A repair log, inspection report, utility notice, multiple tenants, photos with dates.)
3. Locate at least one independent record. Search for: meeting minutes, permits, inspection databases, court filings, procurement contracts, policy memos, official advisories.
4. Find a second human source. Not a repost. A separate witness, affected person, worker, neighbor, or subject-matter expert.
5. Check time and place. Is it current? Is it in your coverage area? Is the timeline clear enough to report?
6. Assess harm and sensitivity. Does it involve minors, medical claims, allegations of crime, or vulnerable people? If yes, raise your verification bar and plan protections (anonymity policies, corroboration).
7. Test for alternative explanations. Could there be a routine reason (scheduled maintenance, weather, policy transition) that changes the framing?
8. Confirm access. Can you reach the key people? Can you visit the location? Can you obtain documents? If access is impossible, the idea may stall.

Red flags that a tip is not ready (yet)

• Only one person claims it happened and refuses details or evidence.
• The claim is dramatic but has no time/place specifics.
• It depends on technical assertions (medical, scientific, financial) with no documentation.
• It requires access you cannot reasonably get (sealed records, unreachable decision-makers) and there’s no alternative route.

Turning a lead into a focused angle

Once a tip passes triage, narrow it into a single clear angle you can report in a defined time frame.

Use the “one sentence + one question” method

• One-sentence angle: “The city approved a contract that will raise trash fees for renters starting March 1.”
• One reporting question: “How much will bills rise, and what protections exist for low-income tenants?”

Scope controls (so you don’t drown)

• Limit geography: one neighborhood, one district, one facility.
• Limit time: last 12 months, since a policy change, during a specific event.
• Limit system: one agency, one vendor contract, one school policy.

A step-by-step pitch template you can reuse

A pitch is a compact plan that proves you have a reportable story, not just a topic. Use this template to write pitches that editors (or collaborators) can quickly evaluate.

Pitch template (copy/paste)

WORKING HEADLINE (10–14 words):

1) What happened (the observable event/decision/change)?

2) Why it matters (the consequence, stakes, or risk)?

3) Who is affected (specific groups, numbers, locations)?

4) What’s new (what changed, what’s been uncovered, what’s timely)?

5) What evidence exists (documents, data, photos, recordings, records)?

6) What access is possible (who will talk, what can be observed, what can be requested)?

7) Reporting plan (3–5 steps with sources and documents):

8) Risks & fairness checks (what you might be wrong about, who must be contacted):

9) Deliverable (format and length): news brief / Q&A / feature / data story

Example pitch (filled in)

Common beginner mistakes (and how to fix them)

Mistake 1: Pitching a topic that’s too broad

Weak: “I want to write about homelessness.”

Fix: Choose one decision, one place, one measurable claim.

• Stronger: “After the shelter’s closure, police calls near Park Avenue rose—what changed and where are people going?”

Mistake 2: Hidden assumptions

Weak: “The new policy is hurting small businesses.” (Assumes harm.)

Fix: Turn assumptions into questions and define what “hurting” means (revenue, foot traffic, compliance costs).

• Stronger: “What are the compliance costs of the new signage rule, and which businesses are receiving citations?”

Mistake 3: One-source ideas

Weak: “A neighbor says the water is unsafe.”

Fix: Add independent verification paths: test results, inspection reports, utility advisories, multiple households, expert interpretation.

• Stronger: “Residents report discolored water; records show two recent main breaks—what do test results and utility logs show?”

Mistake 4: Confusing outrage with evidence

Weak: “People are furious online about the principal.”

Fix: Identify the underlying event (policy change, disciplinary action, budget decision) and obtain documents and on-record interviews.

Mistake 5: No access plan

Weak: “I’ll investigate a company’s labor practices.” (But no workers will talk, no records identified.)

Fix: List realistic access points: former employees, court filings, inspection records, job postings, contracts, site visits, industry experts.

Structured activities: transform weak ideas into actionable story plans

Activity 1: The “idea to angle” worksheet (10 minutes)

Pick one raw idea and fill in the blanks.

• Raw curiosity: ________
• Specific place: ________
• Specific time frame: ________
• What changed (or what is being claimed): ________
• Who is most affected (name groups): ________
• What would prove it (2 documents + 2 people): ________

Activity 2: Build a “proof stack” (15 minutes)

Create a small evidence plan before you call anyone.

Activity 3: The “two calls + two records” test (20–30 minutes)

Before writing a full pitch, do four quick actions:

• Two records: find and save two relevant documents or datasets (with links and dates).
• Two calls/messages: contact one affected person and one official/organization for comment or clarification.

If you cannot get any response and cannot find any records, the idea may need reframing or a different angle.

Activity 4: Rewrite three weak pitches into strong ones

Use the template to rewrite these:

• Weak pitch A: “Crime is getting worse downtown.”
• Weak pitch B: “The school district is wasting money.”
• Weak pitch C: “A hospital is treating patients badly.”

Rules: each rewrite must include (1) a specific change/event, (2) one dataset or document you will use, (3) two types of sources you will interview, and (4) a clear access plan.

Quick reference: idea-source to first verification move