Typescript posts a new challenge each Wednesday to encourage creativity and inspire conversation. Feel free to talk about the challenge or share your writing results in the comments section below by leaving an excerpt and/or a link to your own site or blog.

The spark of inspiration can be found anywhere you choose to look. From a title of a song to a sketch found on a napkin, from an overheard conversation to a newspaper headline, these stories are waiting to be discovered and told.

Often, writers need only turn to their own world to realize that there are characters taking part in those conversations, settings lurking in those scenic observations, and plot hiding behind an action. Turn on the television or open up a newspaper and you will see real-life examples echoing the basic elements of storytelling: characters, setting, and plot. The inspiration is there, even in a simple headline, waiting for you to grasp it, follow it, and tell its story.

Headlines
Newspapers can be the best source of inspiration when you’re looking for a new story to tell. From bittersweet moments to radical movements, newspapers tell it all; however, it’s their headlines that can be most useful in sparking that creativity. Headlines are written to catch the reader’s attention and persuade them to read the article, but by using a few of these key words, headlines can take you in an entirely new direction with a story.

The next time you open up a newspaper, pay close attention to the headlines and see what new stories you can come up with. As a bonus, check out the article itself to see how your story compares to the original. Don’t worry if they’re different…creating something new is the point.

Challenge: Use one or more of these headline excerpts from the March 18 edition of the New York Times to create a new short story or poem:

“Outcry Builds in Washington”

“Old Problems Resurface”

“In Talks to Buy Sun”

“Having Their Moment”

“Delicacy of the Wild West”

“For Those So Bold”

“Can A Rebel Stay A Rebel”

“Clocks Tick Differently”