Writing Inspiration Tip: Read the News
There is a quote I love by Louis L’Amour, which I came across in 101 Habits of Highly Successful Novelists.
Ideas are everywhere. There are ideas enough in any daily newspaper to keep a man writing for years. Ideas are all about us, in the people we meet, the way we live, the way we travel, and how we think about things.
Today, I am focusing on the newspaper part of the quote because it is so very true. Starved for ideas? Pick up a paper.1
It doesn’t have to be the NYT or WaPo. Maybe you prefer reading Renewable Energy Magazine or Vulture or TMZ. Whatever. Pick something and read it.
Oh, and I would never recommend using RemovePaywall.com, a free and fairly reliable resource.
Last year, I began saving articles that stood out to me, stuff that’s either exceptionally well-written or exceptionally intriguing (preferably both). Some are new, some are old, but they’re all fodder for my imagination.
I recommend doing something like this. If you find yourself having a rainy day and you need inspiration, browse your folder of articles.
Writing without a paywall is important to me, but writing is work. If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I would be honored if you would consider donating.
By “pick up,” I mean visit their websites, because this is 2026 and nobody outside of your grandparents reads physical papers.