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Storystorm 2022 Day 12: Heidi Tyline King Finds Inspiration in the Obituaries

January 12, 2022 8:00 am

by Heidi Tyline King

I hesitate to give away my treasure trove of ideas, but let’s be honest: There are more people dead than alive, meaning that there are plenty of obituaries—and people who led insanely interesting lives—for all of us writers to mine for stories. Obituaries are mini biographies readymade for children’s nonfiction picture book writers. I began reading obituaries for fun but they have become integral to my writing process.

First, they’re great sources of inspiration for good writing. When I get stuck on how to mark time quickly or what phrase to use as a transition between unrelated life events in a story, I spend time reading obits for examples. They’re also ideal for helping writers identify a singular event to chronicle in a life. You don’t always have to write a birth-to-grave story; consider the life of Katherine Johnson, the mathematician whose work for NASA became the central narrative for the popular book, Hidden Figures. Papers like The Guardian or The New York Times are filled with obituaries exuding strong writing and examples of how to distill a life down to its essence in a few hundred words or less.

I also turn to obituaries for motivation. I am full of self-doubt and “poor me”s, especially when my writing gets stuck. In the name of “research,” I’ll pull up my file of obituaries and begin reading about the ordinary people in the world who did extraordinary things—despite advanced age, disabilities, or a lack of education and resources. Their stories and ability to overcome keep me going.

And then there’s the most obvious reason for reading obituaries: subject matter. I am currently finishing my second children’s book on John Bonner Buck, an expert on firefly research and bioluminescence, whose obituary I clipped way back in 2005. Buck’s life’s work centered around a question that I believe all children ask: Why do fireflies flash? My book explains how Buck found the answer and went on to become a preeminent scientist in the field of bioluminescence.

To make the most of obituaries in your work, I suggest the following:

1.     Scan obituaries for compelling characters.
I skip the celebrities and look for people that I haven’t heard about, people who made notable achievements in a particular field of study, worked behind the scenes on a well-known event, or devised a new way of doing things. Don’t forget to delve into the archives for the forgotten stories of people who deserve to be known.

2.     Set Google Alerts to narrow interests.
Sifting through obituaries is one way to find interesting subject matter. Another is to set a Google Alert and have the search engine curate content for you. You’ll get obituaries delivered to your inbox about people working in fields that are of most interest to you. Every now and then, you’ll get a gem that you would have never sniffed out on your own.

3.     Branch out and look for other sources.
Once you’ve identified a person to consider writing about, do a quick search for other sources to learn more about their contributions. Obituaries in other publications and articles about their work help you compile research to consult when you’re ready to write and help you build a stronger story. For example, I ran across an article about Buck describing him as a “scientist’s scientist.” The idea that he loved process and the practice of science became an underlying subtheme in my book.

4.     Discover secondary themes.
Speaking of subthemes, a good biography has several running through throughout. In my latest picture book, SAVING AMERICAN BEACH: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch, the story centers on her activism to save a beach, but it’s the subthemes of music, environmentalism, discrimination and racism, and resilience that carry the story.

5.     Write in the genre that’s most comfortable to you.
Above all, obituaries are simply sources of inspiration. I have a degree in journalism so writing nonfiction is what I’m best at doing. But obituaries can inspire writing in genres from poetry to science fiction.

The next time you’re struggling with characters, plot, motivation, and writing succinctly, take a break and scan the day’s fresh batch of obituaries or leaf back through your file for ideas. There are people whose stories are waiting to—and worthy of—being told.

Heidi Tyline King writes nonfiction picture books from her home in Tallahassee, Florida. Follow her on Instagram @heiditylineking and visit her at heiditking.com.

Heidi is giving away a copy of her book, SAVING AMERICAN BEACH.

Posted by Tara Lazar

Categories: Picture Books, STORYSTORM 2022

Tags: Heidi King, Saving American Beach

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643 Responses to “Storystorm 2022 Day 12: Heidi Tyline King Finds Inspiration in the Obituaries”

1. Inspiration can come from very unexpected places! Thanks!

   By Hannah Roy LaGrone on January 12, 2022 at 8:07 am

2. Heidi, interesting! Congratulations on your books. I’ve always wondered about fireflies.
   Gail Hartman

   By thecrowsmap on January 12, 2022 at 8:09 am

3. Wow! Interesting. I will definitely save your post just in case I ever decide to write non-fiction. Thanks for giving up one of your secrets:) Best wishes.

   By Leslie Eva Tayloe on January 12, 2022 at 8:10 am

   1. Great tip with the obituaries! Thanks for sharing. Congrats on your books!

      By Marci Whitehurst on January 12, 2022 at 2:45 pm

4. Great tip! Love PB bios.

   By Erica on January 12, 2022 at 8:12 am

5. Morbidly awesome!

   By Rebecca Ralfe on January 12, 2022 at 8:13 am

   1. I never would have thought to look at obituaries for ideas. But I will now!

      By Angela Turner on January 17, 2022 at 1:35 am

6. Now this one I did not think of! Thanks for the idea!

   By Rebecca McMurdie on January 12, 2022 at 8:14 am

7. What a great idea! Would never have thought to do this!

   By Jeanette Stampone on January 12, 2022 at 8:14 am

8. I’ll admit I never considered this, and never knew you could set up Google alerts to search topics for you! I learned a ton this morning. Thanks for sharing your methods with us!

   By melissamiles1 on January 12, 2022 at 8:18 am

9. Well that was advice I never expected to read, but it makes so much sense. And then to realize we can use Google to help us do the reading, as opposed to a physical paper, makes the advice even more practical. Thank you!

   By Colleen Owen Murphy on January 12, 2022 at 8:19 am

10. This is one idea source I haven’t really heard before, how interesting!

    By michelemeleen on January 12, 2022 at 8:23 am

11. Wow! That is something I’d never have thought of. Thanks for the tip!

    By susandrewwrites on January 12, 2022 at 8:25 am

12. Obits! Who woulda thought? That is so interesting, and just shows that you can get inspiration from literally anywhere!

    By Shanie Cooper on January 12, 2022 at 8:25 am

13. I never thought about using obituaries. Great idea!

    By cath jones on January 12, 2022 at 8:26 am

14. Great idea! I’ll have to see if any ghosts will whisper ideas to me today

    By ellen seal ❄️ (@ellenseal_art) on January 12, 2022 at 8:26 am

15. Thank you for sharing this interesting process and novel suggestion!

    By Lauren Barbieri on January 12, 2022 at 8:27 am

16. Super idea. Thanks.

    By reluctantspy on January 12, 2022 at 8:28 am

17. An amazing approach to searching for golden PB ideas. I would never have thought of doing this. Thank you!

    By Anne Louise Wan on January 12, 2022 at 8:30 am

18. I would love to write a nonfiction picture book, but the thought intimidates me. I think looking through obituaries is a clever idea for inspiration. Thanks!

    By anchance on January 12, 2022 at 8:33 am

19. I have to admit, I’d never have thought about reading obits for writing inspiration. You’ve given me something new to try. Thank you for sharing.

    By Susan Jobsky on January 12, 2022 at 8:35 am

20. I can honestly say I’ve not heard this idea before, and will have to try it out! Thank you, Heidi!

    By Midge Smith on January 12, 2022 at 8:35 am

21. Proof positive that story ideas can come from anywhere. Sounds like I need to mine my own journalism degree for more fodder! Never realized it could be so versatile and lend itself to so many different types of writing. Also, before reading this post, the concept of subthemes never even entered my head. Thank you, Heidi, for all of these wonderful gems.

    By Andrea MacDonald on January 12, 2022 at 8:35 am

22. I never would have thought of using obits as inspiration. What a clever idea, both for writing style and content. Thanks for letting us in on your secret!

    By Erica Jensen Shiflet on January 12, 2022 at 8:36 am

23. Thank you for sharing your unique, inspirational source for writing, Heidi. Lots of brainstorming opportunities to investigate today!

    By Lucretia Schafroth on January 12, 2022 at 8:36 am

24. I never thought about this. I love reading the obits. I will look at them with fresh eyes from now on!

    By Lynn McCracken on January 12, 2022 at 8:38 am

25. Thanks for suggesting this interesting way to build characters!

    By Andrea Mack on January 12, 2022 at 8:40 am

26. Great tip! I enjoyed reading the book along with you on YouTube.

    By lizricewrites on January 12, 2022 at 8:41 am

27. Fascinating idea! Thanks for sharing it, Heidi, along with your specific suggestions.

    By Robin Brett Wechsler on January 12, 2022 at 8:44 am

28. I have always found obits fascinating as well, but haven’t gotten a newspaper in a long time and haven’t thought about just using the internet to keep reading them. Thanks for the reminder and suggestions!

    By Bevin Rolfs Spencer on January 12, 2022 at 8:47 am

29. Wow! Definitely a new idea here! Thanks Heidi; )

    By Polly Renner on January 12, 2022 at 8:48 am

30. Heidi, you’ve spotlighted quite a fresh method for reviving & enliven someone’s LIFE story!
    Thanks so much for sharing your process.

    By Andria Rosenbaum on January 12, 2022 at 8:49 am

31. Fantastic! I love writing biographies, too. So many fascinating people in the world.

    By Ceil Than on January 12, 2022 at 8:51 am

32. Love this post–totally new ways, for me, to even think about getting ideas!

    By beckylevine on January 12, 2022 at 8:51 am

33. I’ve used obituaries in my genealogy in the past so I can see how they would be useful to generate topics for writing.

    By Maureen Riordan on January 12, 2022 at 8:53 am

34. Thank you for this article Heidi. It was an eye opener for me. Very interesting and unexpectant. Congratulations on your book.

    By Catherine on January 12, 2022 at 8:56 am

35. Heidi,
    Your title took me by surprise. Excellent tips. Thank you.

    By Janie Reinart on January 12, 2022 at 8:57 am

36. This story looks gorgeous! And what a unique idea, not just to read obits for inspiration but for a master class in summarizing and transitioning. Love it.

    By savoringeverymoment on January 12, 2022 at 8:57 am

37. Thanks for the unique idea, Heidi!

    By annier1996 on January 12, 2022 at 9:01 am

38. What a terrific idea! Love it -thanks for sharing.

    By Elyse Trevers on January 12, 2022 at 9:02 am

39. I am very intrigued by this. Well-written obituaries are so elevating and grounding at the same time. I don’t think I had “setting a Google alert for obituaries” on my bingo card for this week, but it might be something that happens. Thanks

    By David Filmore on January 12, 2022 at 9:03 am

40. Thanks for the idea! How interesting; never would have thought of this!

    By rbkrackeler on January 12, 2022 at 9:03 am

41. I’ve used news articles for ideas for fiction or for names but have never thought about using obituaries which could also give ideas for fiction stories. Thank you for the tip!

    By kimpfenn on January 12, 2022 at 9:03 am

42. Your new book looks beautiful, Heidi. And thanks for sharing other ways you use obits. I never read them–I’ve been missing out!

    By Laura Purdie Salas on January 12, 2022 at 9:04 am

43. Absolutely! I especially love the NYT end-of-year round-up of less well known figures who have had tremendous impact.
    Thank you for sharing your inspiration.

    By Ellen on January 12, 2022 at 9:04 am

44. I have used news articles for fiction ideas but never thought about obituaries— thanks for the tips!

    By kimpfenn on January 12, 2022 at 9:06 am

45. Wow, a great inspiration. Thanks so much Heidi.

    By lynjekowsky on January 12, 2022 at 9:07 am

46. My first journalism job out of college was a newspaper obit reporter. Maybe that’s why I don’t read the obits now but you’re convincing me that I should. Great advice in this post. Thanks for sharing!

    By Jennifer Phillips on January 12, 2022 at 9:07 am

47. Thanks, Heidi. I love writing bios of lesser known folks and this is a great way to discover them!!

    By Laurel Ranveig Abell on January 12, 2022 at 9:08 am

48. Brilliant! And The NY Times started Overlooked Obits to add women and people of color who have been overlooked.

    By maureenegan on January 12, 2022 at 9:08 am

49. What a great resource. Thanks Heidi and congrats.

    By Deb Buschman (@DebBuschman) on January 12, 2022 at 9:08 am

50. Never thought about scanning obits! Thanks for sharing

    By Phyllis Mignard on January 12, 2022 at 9:10 am

51. Excellent post! My next PB bio, THE TOWER OF LIFE, is also based on an obituary I read in 2016 about Holocaust survivor and historian Yaffa Eliach, who built the Tower of Life in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. When I read her story about hope and resilience in the face of unbearable tragedy, I couldn’t put it down. You capture beautifully how reading obits can draw you into the lives of remarkable people. Can’t wait to read your books!

    By stiefelchana on January 12, 2022 at 9:14 am

52. Saving American Beach was one of my favorite picture books of 2021! Love this idea for sparking ideas and honoring people others may not have heard of.

    By wordnerd153 on January 12, 2022 at 9:17 am

53. Wow! This is a great post! Thank you!

    By triciacandy on January 12, 2022 at 9:19 am

54. Golly, what n innovative idea. There are so many interesting people out there who are not celebrities. I will try the Google alert.

    By Liesl Couperthwaite on January 12, 2022 at 9:20 am

55. I feel like I learned things I didn’t even know were things. Thank you for this Heidi! Mind broadened!

    By Teresa Daffern on January 12, 2022 at 9:21 am

56. Interesting idea! Thanks for sharing!

    By Janice Woods on January 12, 2022 at 9:24 am

57. Very interesting, Heidi. So many things you can learn from obituaries. Who knew?

    By mdk45 on January 12, 2022 at 9:27 am

58. Very interesting, Heidi. Who knew everything you can learn from obituaries.

    By mdk45 on January 12, 2022 at 9:28 am

59. I’ve never thought of obituaries quite this way before!

    By Joy Pitcairn on January 12, 2022 at 9:29 am

60. Love this advice! Thank you for sharing!

    By Steena Hernandez on January 12, 2022 at 9:30 am

61. I’ve saved a few obituaries as well. Time to take another look at them. Thanks, Heidi!

    By pathaap on January 12, 2022 at 9:33 am

62. Eyes open. Looking for inspiration.

    By Mara K Lansky on January 12, 2022 at 9:36 am

63. Great post with concrete examples. I love to listen to the tv obits on Willie Geist’s Sunday show called ” A Life Well-lived.” Fascinating stories! Love this tip,” When I get stuck on how to mark time quickly or what phrase to use as a transition between unrelated life events in a story, I spend time reading obits for examples.” TY, Heidi.

    By kathalsey on January 12, 2022 at 9:38 am

64. Thank you for pointing us to a great source of inspiration. What a way to honor someone’s life too!

    By Heidi Chupp on January 12, 2022 at 9:39 am

65. What an extraordinary idea! Thanks for sharing.

    By Becki Kidd on January 12, 2022 at 9:40 am

66. I love to see a good story rise from the dead! thanks so much for sharing the inspiration! Best, LM

    By Lynne Marie on January 12, 2022 at 9:41 am

67. What a smart idea! Thank you for your insights!

    By Sarah Meade on January 12, 2022 at 9:43 am

68. Good idea because everyone has a story. Thanks for that reminder and inspiration.

    By rebeccacolby on January 12, 2022 at 9:43 am

69. I’ve used obituaries for years to find interesting names! I never thought (or even knew) about Google Alerts for people in different subjects I like to write about. Thanks for the tip!

    By Megan Whitaker on January 12, 2022 at 9:44 am

70. Thanks for your unique post! Regular people DO lead fascinating lives. Never considered scanning obits for story ideas!

    By Alice Fulgione on January 12, 2022 at 9:45 am

71. I love reading the obituaries. Thanks for the nudge to apply that interest to PBs!

    By Cedar Pruitt on January 12, 2022 at 9:45 am

72. I love your book Saving American Beach and your obituary mining is a fascinating idea. I used to have my students write an obituary for Charlotte after we finished reading Charlotte’s Web, but I never thought about using them as inspiration. Thanks!

    By lmconnors on January 12, 2022 at 9:47 am

73. That is a novel approach! Thanks so much for the idea. I know this sounds weird by my office is by a cemetery and walking through it is a great way to understand the community I live in and get naked for story ideas!

    By srkckass on January 12, 2022 at 9:48 am

74. Heidi suggests an idea source that I have kways been drawn to naturally. I alwys check the obutuaries in local publications but never really considered them a source for children’s books. Her own writing provides great inspiration. I plan to read both and to explore obituaries with a new purpose! Thank you!

    By kurtzmom548513 on January 12, 2022 at 9:52 am

75. Wow! What a unique idea. And useful. I’ll be looking at obits in the future! Thank You!

    By Linda Kay Chavez on January 12, 2022 at 9:53 am

76. I appreciate how you lay out not just the spark, but a process around it. Very valuable. Thank you!

    By nycbgriffin on January 12, 2022 at 9:56 am

77. I too have found obituaries very interesting. Another source- old City directories. Ones from the 1900’s list the names on a street, with occupations as well. I like to imagine how these Neighbor’s interacted with each other .

    By Sharon Lillie on January 12, 2022 at 9:58 am

    1. Neighbors — stupid autocorrect

       By Sharon Lillie on January 12, 2022 at 9:58 am

78. This is a great idea. I’m going to Google Obituary and start my collection of inspiring people.
    Emerly

    By Emerly Gueron on January 12, 2022 at 9:58 am

79. Thank you for the ideas and tips, Heidi. I can see that reading through the succinct language of obituaries would also be helpful for fictional stories as well.

    By Alison McGauley on January 12, 2022 at 9:58 am

80. An awesome concept! And what a great way to use a google search!

    By Laura Rackham on January 12, 2022 at 10:00 am

81. I’ve been researching my family tree and have used obituaries to lead to additional relatives. Never thought to use them to find pb ideas. Thank you for opening my eyes!

    By Donna Rossman on January 12, 2022 at 10:00 am

82. What a unique idea! Can’t wait to start reading obituaries!

    By Linda Bozzo on January 12, 2022 at 10:01 am

83. What an interesting idea! I would have never considered obituaries as sources of inspiration.

    I think reading them can also help you to be reflective of your own life, and also be grateful for the privilege of your own life, too.

    Thanks!

    By JaNayBW on January 12, 2022 at 10:03 am

84. Thanks Heidi for the unique inspiration! Wow!!!

    By Jany Campana on January 12, 2022 at 10:06 am

85. In addition to this wonderful source for biographies thank you for including the idea of using well-written obituaries as a means for improving our writing, in any genre!

    By Claire Blumenfeld on January 12, 2022 at 10:10 am

86. Thanks for sharing!

    By katiemillsgiorgio on January 12, 2022 at 10:10 am

87. Heidi, I chuckled when I read your suggestion because my family makes fun of me for reading obits. But, I love reading about the lives of others. I’ve never thought of using them for story ideas . . . until now! Thanks!

    By Mary on January 12, 2022 at 10:10 am

88. This is such a cool idea. Thanks for the inspiration!

    By Kate Anderson on January 12, 2022 at 10:13 am

89. As a family historian, obits speak to me but I hadn’t considered it for PBs. TY!

    By greengirlblueplanet on January 12, 2022 at 10:13 am

90. Biographies are so inspiring

    By Hélène Sabourin on January 12, 2022 at 10:13 am

91. Thank you Heidi!

    By Laurie Fortier on January 12, 2022 at 10:13 am

92. Thanks for your post today. As a lifelong tadophile, I’ve found many “stories” in the cemeteries I haunt. (I’ve got at least one in the “rough draft” stage.) Thank goodness for people who leave the stories for us to read.

    By Louann Brown on January 12, 2022 at 10:13 am

93. Thank you, Heidi!

    By Laurie Stewart Fortier on January 12, 2022 at 10:15 am

94. Thanks, what a great idea.

    By andreesantini on January 12, 2022 at 10:15 am

95. I would have never thought to look at obituaries for inspiration. Genius, Heidi! Thanks for showcasing unsung heroes of the community.

    By lavern15 on January 12, 2022 at 10:18 am

96. This creative technique is to die for! Thanks for the tip Heidi.

    By Brittney on January 12, 2022 at 10:18 am

97. Heidi, this is genius! Thank you for sharing.

    By Audrey Day-Williams on January 12, 2022 at 10:18 am

98. Obituaries are also sources of interesting character names. I also love genealogy — including finding interesting details in obits of my ancestors!

    By M.R. Street on January 12, 2022 at 10:18 am

99. This is certainly an interesting post. I would of never thought to check obits for PB stories.

    By Cindy S on January 12, 2022 at 10:19 am

100. Well that’s something I never expected to read today! Just goes to show we can find inspiration in the unlikeliest of places. And as for setting Google alerts to do some of the research for you, that’s amazing! (I didn’t even know we could set our own Google alerts so that’s great to know). Thanks Heidi!

     By Sue Newton on January 12, 2022 at 10:20 am

101. A friend way back suggested obits for short story ideas. As PB fodder is something new.

     By Natasha Garnett on January 12, 2022 at 10:21 am

102. I read the obituaries every day. They are full of everyday lives that have interesting tidbits of information. I’ll be looking at them through a different lens now! Thanks for a great idea!

     By Carol Gwin Nelson on January 12, 2022 at 10:25 am

103. Obits–I’ve honestly never considered sourcing ideas from obits! Thanks for your encouragement to “color outside the lines” for inspirational stories Heidi!

     By Suzanne Lewis on January 12, 2022 at 10:27 am

104. Thanks for the idea, I’ve never thought to look at obits that way.

     By Anita M Banks on January 12, 2022 at 10:29 am

105. I love obits and funerals when I did not know the person even everyday people. Everyone does something unique, interesting or special. Its unfortunate that often we do not celebrate it until they are dead. I never thought of it as a great launching point but of course! Makes sense, love it.

     By Reed Hilton-Eddy on January 12, 2022 at 10:30 am

106. This was an interesting idea. I have used headstones for unusual names for a character but didn’t know about reading the obits for info of lives. Thank you

     By readmybook2002 on January 12, 2022 at 10:31 am

107. Certainly a unique way to gather ideas! Thank you!

     By Brinton Culp on January 12, 2022 at 10:34 am

108. Such an interesting idea, Heidi. It reminds me that I read an obituary recently and learned about something I’d never heard of before. It’s going on my list for today’s pb idea! Thank you!

     By Debbie Austin on January 12, 2022 at 10:37 am

109. Interesting! I never would have thought of looking at obituaries for inspiration. Great tip on google alerts – thank you!

     By Judy Bryan on January 12, 2022 at 10:37 am

110. I love to read obituaries! Will now will read for inspiration also. Great idea, thanks so much for sharing.

     By Sallye O'Rourke on January 12, 2022 at 10:38 am

111. I loved your advice about looking for subthemes. SAVING AMERICAN BEACH sounds like an amazing example of this!

     By JEN Garrett on January 12, 2022 at 10:39 am

112. Very interesting resource. Among my favorites are the well written obituaries listed in The Economist. Annie Guerra

     By Annie Guerra on January 12, 2022 at 10:40 am

113. What a fascinating idea! All of your books sound interesting as I love reading about who invented something or the why behind something, as I’m sure children do as well! Thank you for sharing your inspiration!

     By Kelly Vavala on January 12, 2022 at 10:42 am

114. Thanks, Heidi! reading obits is such a great idea, and I love the idea of telling stories of people whose stories might otherwise go untold. Who’s to say that a picture book can’t be based on someone no one has heard of (at least no one beyond the person’s family) but who lived an extraordinary life? And extraordinary doesn’t even have to be huge accomplishments – even just simple things can sometimes be turned into stories for readers of all ages!

     By Jennifer Vose on January 12, 2022 at 10:44 am

115. Very unusual.
     Thank you for sharing.

     By N. Alison Colle on January 12, 2022 at 10:45 am

116. I agree. Obituaries are often interesting sources of inspiration, and sometimes (surprisingly) even humor.

     By Rona Shirdan on January 12, 2022 at 10:47 am

117. Great ideas, Heidi. Thanks for sharing and congratulations.

     By Lenora (can't stop, won't stop writing) Biemans (@BiemansLenora) on January 12, 2022 at 10:47 am

118. You’ve got me thinking about the fascinating people in my own family that have gone before. So far, I’ve only named fictional characters after them. But what about using more of their story? Thank you.

     By Angie B. on January 12, 2022 at 10:48 am

119. Thanks, Heidi! I’m so glad this treasure trove didn’t stay buried.

     By Jessica Swaim on January 12, 2022 at 10:48 am

120. Thank you! Ready to search.

     By David McMullin on January 12, 2022 at 10:49 am

121. Thanks for so many concrete suggestions! I will try them!

     By Melissa Stoller on January 12, 2022 at 10:52 am

122. Simple but useful advice. It’s an interesting way to start thinking about the legacy they left behind and what the details of their story may have been while they were living.

     By emoodydotcom on January 12, 2022 at 10:52 am

123. These past nine months I’ve been on contract for a hospice provider to interview their clients. Sometimes the conversations need the assistance of a health aid, but mostly not. I’ve yet to have the distance to integrate the experience, which as been profound.

     By marsha weiner on January 12, 2022 at 10:56 am

124. Great ideas! Thanks for sharing and congrats!

     By danielledufayet on January 12, 2022 at 10:56 am

125. These past nine months i’ve been on contract with a hospice care provider to interview their clients. Sometimes the interviews require the assistance of a health aid-sometimes not. I’ve yet to have the distance to integrate the experience.

     By marsha weiner on January 12, 2022 at 10:58 am

126. I have always been fascinated by obituaries and the stories in them. I never thought to use them as inspiration for children’s books. Great idea!

     By Leah Marks on January 12, 2022 at 10:58 am

127. Heidi, I’ve heard this advice before, scan the obituaries for ideas, but it never made a lot of sense to me until I read this post. Finally, I get it! Thanks.

     By Marilyn R Garcia on January 12, 2022 at 10:58 am

128. Love it! Thanks!

     By ryanrobertsauthor on January 12, 2022 at 10:59 am

129. Wow! What a great idea. Thank you so much.

     By Kim Nolan on January 12, 2022 at 11:00 am

130. Interesting idea and not somewhere I would think of looking to spark creative juices!

     By marybeningo on January 12, 2022 at 11:00 am

131. I would of never thought about looking through obituaries for inspiration. Thanks for the tip!

     By Jeanette on January 12, 2022 at 11:01 am

132. Loved this post. I never would have thought of this approach but it makes sense!

     By laurelneme on January 12, 2022 at 11:02 am

133. Reading obits can also provide a motivational “Memento Mori” that can help combat procrastination. Great post, Heidi.

     By fspoesy on January 12, 2022 at 11:02 am

134. This just goes to show us that ideas are never dead! Long live our ideas!

     By Cinzia on January 12, 2022 at 11:06 am

135. Mining obits for story ideas and people to write about– wow! Thanks for sharing!

     By Juliana Jones on January 12, 2022 at 11:06 am

136. Heidi – what an interesting idea! I knew inspiration could come from anywhere but never considered this. There are so many folks that had wonderful stories – obituaries are a gold mine! Thanks for sharing.

     By susaninez0905 on January 12, 2022 at 11:07 am

137. Now that’s an idea that had never crossed my mind! Reading obituaries for fun….inspiration in unexpected places, for sure!!

     By Krissy on January 12, 2022 at 11:08 am

138. Thank you for sharing!

     By DaNeil Olson on January 12, 2022 at 11:09 am

139. What an interesting post! Thanks for giving us new things to think about.

     By Linda Staszak on January 12, 2022 at 11:11 am

140. Well said. I wrote obits for my local newspaper for years; inside each one was a story waiting to be told…community involvement, accomplishments, family history. Thank you Heidi.

     By geigerlin on January 12, 2022 at 11:12 am

141. This is wonderful – thank you!
     Johanna Peyton

     By georgeandjohanna on January 12, 2022 at 11:12 am

142. Great idea. The bios await us! Thanks.

     By cantsing1 on January 12, 2022 at 11:13 am

143. I’ve always been intrigued be reading obits as well, and find them to be such a wealth of information and inspiration, but had never thought of setting a Google Alert – thank you for such a great tip!

     By Traci on January 12, 2022 at 11:16 am

144. What a wonderful idea! And I like that obituaries are a reminder of ordinary people impacting the world. Thank you.

     By Christina Shawn on January 12, 2022 at 11:16 am

145. Wow!! How interesting!! I would never think of looking at the obits for pb material!! I think you’ve really got something here. Thank you SO much!!!

     By Kate Lynch on January 12, 2022 at 11:17 am

146. I find obituaries fascinating. There are so many people who have done wonderful things that we have never heard of!

     By Kimberly Yavorski on January 12, 2022 at 11:17 am

147. Very interesting way to get ideas. I bet you could find some inspiring word choices on tombstones.

     By Susan Lorene on January 12, 2022 at 11:17 am

148. Interesting idea … I would never have thought of that!

     By Jayne TOMAN on January 12, 2022 at 11:22 am

149. What a great resource. I would never have thought of that one! Thank you.

     By Joan Swanson on January 12, 2022 at 11:25 am

150. As I leaf through research on trees, I find interesting tidbits about trees in cemeteries. 🙂 Thanks for the prompt to set my Google Alerts.

     By Joyce Uglow on January 12, 2022 at 11:26 am

151. I have to say this is the most odd idea generator for children’s books I have read. I do not mean that in any offensive way, just that I would never have thought of it.
     It makes sense though sense we often want our achievements to be remembered, it is just sad that there are so many who do such wonderful things that we don’t recognize until after they are gone.

     By matthewlasley on January 12, 2022 at 11:26 am

152. What a great idea to find inspiration from an unlikely place

     By thedayswehold on January 12, 2022 at 11:29 am

153. So many times I hear of someone’s interesting life, lived in obscurity, and want to share it. Great post.

     By authorlaurablog on January 12, 2022 at 11:30 am

154. Great advice, Heidi! Thanks for the inspiration. I’m getting the obit section from today’s paper right now to see what I can find.

     By rosecappelli on January 12, 2022 at 11:31 am

155. I love this idea!

     By Maria Altizer on January 12, 2022 at 11:31 am

156. Wow, Heidi, what a fascinating source for new ideas. Talk about authenticity! I’m on this…

     By Paul Brassard on January 12, 2022 at 11:33 am

157. Great idea!

     By Rochelle Y Melander on January 12, 2022 at 11:34 am

158. Very interesting place to look for story ideas, but I will give it a try. Thanks, Heidi.

     By jimchaize1 on January 12, 2022 at 11:34 am

159. This post was a total surprise, imagine getting inspiration from such an unexpected place.

     By Dayne Sislen on January 12, 2022 at 11:35 am

160. Well, I never considered this and I’ll give it a try! Thank you.

     By Kathryn Powell on January 12, 2022 at 11:36 am

161. What a great directory of life’s challenges and triumphs: obituaries, if we only look. Thank you for sharing your secret, Heidi. SAVING AMERICAN BEACH looks gorgeous.

     By Joyce Frank on January 12, 2022 at 11:38 am

162. I have always been one of those people who reads everything- cereal boxes, store flyers and, yes, I have even been reading obituaries since I was a child. I find the life stories of the unknown people there fascinating and have often wondered about their lives. Making the link to writing nonfiction biographies is interesting. I’ve usually written fiction, sometimes influenced by real people who I’ve known, but biographies…hmmmm? Something to investigate!

     By Deborah Ishii on January 12, 2022 at 11:38 am

163. Google alerts! I didn’t know it existed, but I’m going to check it out. Thank you for some great suggestions.

     By NC Karuzis on January 12, 2022 at 11:40 am

164. Whoa, definitely a new idea to me! I like it!

     By Amy Tsao on January 12, 2022 at 11:44 am

165. What a great way to search for ideas. Thanks for your post.

     By shirley301 on January 12, 2022 at 11:44 am

166. You have given a lot of food for thought. Thank you.

     By susan contreras on January 12, 2022 at 11:45 am

167. Thanks for the unique suggestion!

     By Cheryl Simon on January 12, 2022 at 11:45 am

168. Great idea to use Google algorithms for find what we want. I love reading biographies. Hadn’t considered writing them. Now I will. Thank you.

     By Cassie Bentley on January 12, 2022 at 11:51 am

169. Great tips!!!

     By Monica Acker on January 12, 2022 at 11:53 am

170. Thank you Heidi😊

     By saintamovin on January 12, 2022 at 11:54 am

171. I doubt I would have ever thought of scanning obituaries for story ideas.

     By Jill Purtee (P. J.) on January 12, 2022 at 11:54 am

172. I love reading obituaries! Such a great historical research. Thanks for a great post!

     By jbbower on January 12, 2022 at 11:54 am

     1. This should have read – Such a great historical resource : )

        By jbbower on January 12, 2022 at 11:55 am

173. Now there’s a new idea!

     By Jill Purtee (P. J.) on January 12, 2022 at 11:57 am

174. At first I thought your idea was too macabre. On second thought I decided why not search every avenue of information. Thanks!

     By Dianne Borowski on January 12, 2022 at 11:59 am

175. What an interesting way to find ideas! I believe I will be doing some obituary research in the near future. Thank you for sharing!

     By Stephanie S on January 12, 2022 at 12:11 pm

176. Two true gems in this post — the obits and the multiple themes. Thanks so much!

     By Susan Wroble on January 12, 2022 at 12:11 pm

177. What an interesting idea! I believe I will be reading some obituaries in the near future. Thanks for sharing!

     By Stephanie S on January 12, 2022 at 12:13 pm

178. I’m amazed that this resource can help with children’s books but I know some people look up old friends or people that touched their lives or the lives of others this way.

     By sheriradovich0384 on January 12, 2022 at 12:16 pm

179. Great tips, I love how it can work for all genres!

     By kskeesling on January 12, 2022 at 12:18 pm

180. Such a novel approach to inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

     By Matthew Watson on January 12, 2022 at 12:19 pm

181. Wow, your source of inspiration surprised me! As I read your post, I thought how brilliant of you to glean story and character ideas from the lives of those living everyday lives while doing incredible things. These daily clips are truly mini-biographies for fodder. Thank you, Heidi, for your unique method of brainstorming. I’ll give it a try! Sending you encouragement and energy for your continued success…

     By marshaelyn on January 12, 2022 at 12:21 pm

182. Thanks for sharing your secrets! The best part of your post for me is the depth of your advice.

     By Deslie English on January 12, 2022 at 12:24 pm

183. A unique idea that I would never have thought of. Thanks for the inspiration this morning!

     By Lisa P. on January 12, 2022 at 12:24 pm

184. Interesting ideas, thank you!

     By Margot Williams on January 12, 2022 at 12:25 pm

185. Thank you, Heidi! I never thought to look to obituaries, but you’ve shown that it does make a lot of sense! There are a lot of ideas and inspiration to be discovered. I am encouraged to give it a try and see what I find!! Xox Jen

     By Jennifer Bukovec on January 12, 2022 at 12:25 pm

186. Brilliant idea! Ordinary people are doing extraordinary things daily! Thanks for your post!

     By Becky Walker on January 12, 2022 at 12:25 pm

187. How interesting!

     By Jane Martin on January 12, 2022 at 12:27 pm

188. Thanks for this great advice! I’ve been dying for some new ideas. 😉

     By Matt Forrest Esenwine on January 12, 2022 at 12:28 pm

189. What an unexpected and clever approach to finding inspiration! Thank you!

     By Stephanie Gibeault on January 12, 2022 at 12:28 pm

190. Oh, what a great tip. Thanks for sharing!

     By Daryl Gottier on January 12, 2022 at 12:29 pm

191. I have been doing this with headstones in cemeteries, but your idea is better!

     By Sally McClure on January 12, 2022 at 12:29 pm

192. Wow! I would never have thought to look through obituaries!

     By Marla Yablon on January 12, 2022 at 12:35 pm

193. Everyone has such interesting ways of finding ideas! I love hearing about yours – thank you for sharing!

     By Amy Bradshaw on January 12, 2022 at 12:37 pm

194. What a wonderful idea. Thanks for the great advice. Congrats on your newest book.

     By bevbaird on January 12, 2022 at 12:41 pm

195. What an interesting source of inspiration. Thank you for the idea!

     By Katie Marie on January 12, 2022 at 12:42 pm

196. Heidi, “Why didn’t I think of that?” I found a wonderful obituary about a historical character I’ve written about but never thought to look for obituaries of others. Thank you for turning on the light!

     By mona861 on January 12, 2022 at 12:42 pm

197. Some obituaries are pure works of art. Some are laugh-out-loud funny. They are, like social columns, a bit of history. Thanks for this wonderful post, Heidi!

     By Sue Heavenrich on January 12, 2022 at 12:43 pm

198. Super idea on finding story ideas in the obits, Heidi! Never thought to do that. Thank you for sharing!

     By paulajbecker on January 12, 2022 at 12:44 pm

199. I get frustrated with a lot of obituaries because they spend more time listing survivors than telling about the person’s life. I want to know more.

     By Bethanny Parker on January 12, 2022 at 12:46 pm

200. Thank you, Heidi, for sharing a writing resource that I had not considered before, the obituaries. What a treasure trove.

     By judyrubin13 on January 12, 2022 at 12:46 pm

201. Obits are fascinating! Brilliant idea to mine them for character and story inspiration. Thanks so much for sharing that and the Google search idea as well! Great post!

     By Linda Silvestri on January 12, 2022 at 12:47 pm

202. Obits (and gravestones) inspire me for sure, but your tips on how to turn these into stories is brilliant. Thanks!

     By Poupette on January 12, 2022 at 12:49 pm

203. Oh, what a fun and interesting way to gain new ideas! Any time I go to a funeral or memorial service and I hear more about the person’s life, I am always amazed and wish I had been able to know them more when they were alive! Fascinating! Thank you for sharing!

     By Angie on January 12, 2022 at 12:54 pm

204. What a fresh approach to story hunting!!

     By aidantalkin on January 12, 2022 at 12:55 pm

205. That is one area of inspiration I would have never thought about. Congrats on your book, Heidi!

     By Kim A Larson on January 12, 2022 at 12:57 pm

206. I’m off to dig through some obituaries now! Thanks for an inspirational post!

     By Jill Lambert on January 12, 2022 at 12:58 pm

207. Thanks Heidi! A great reminder to keep my eyes, ears and mind open to ideas coming from unexpected sources!

     By Writer on the run on January 12, 2022 at 12:58 pm

208. Thanks for the idea.

     By Angel Gantnier on January 12, 2022 at 12:59 pm

209. What a great idea! Thank you for sharing and congratulations on your book.

     By Jay on January 12, 2022 at 1:00 pm

210. I’m completely floored by this idea and can imagine how it could also inform character development outside of biographies. So great! Thank you for sharing.

     By Elayne on January 12, 2022 at 1:05 pm

211. I love reading the obits and have for years. Yes, truly inspiring people can be detailed in a few hundred words.

     By Jojo Kasala on January 12, 2022 at 1:06 pm

212. Congratulations on your new book, Heidi. What a novel idea to check the obituaries. Thanks for sharing.

     By ralucasirbu on January 12, 2022 at 1:07 pm

213. How timely! I just printed an interesting obit this morning! But I wasn’t thinking of it in all the same ways, so now I have a broader perspective on how to use it. Thank you!

     By Marcia Parks on January 12, 2022 at 1:07 pm

214. Great tips, thanks! What an interesting way to find out-of-the-ordinary ideas. Congratulations on your new book!

     By Lisa Billa on January 12, 2022 at 1:09 pm

215. Heidi- I am also an obit reader. For many reasons – mostly for the characters. Great post’

     By Elizabeth Saba on January 12, 2022 at 1:09 pm

216. This is such a unique take! Really appreciate the tips!

     By ruthwilson48 on January 12, 2022 at 1:10 pm

217. As a former journalist, my hat is off to you. This is such a smart idea!!

     By Julia Lyon on January 12, 2022 at 1:11 pm

218. Fascinating idea! Helpful for us fiction writers, too.

     By Melanie Ellsworth on January 12, 2022 at 1:12 pm

219. This is a great way to share the lives of those whose accomplishments and contributions may have been overlooked.

     By Earl @ The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer on January 12, 2022 at 1:13 pm

220. How have I never thought of this? Thanks for giving away your gem!

     By Jasmine Ann Smith on January 12, 2022 at 1:18 pm

221. Fascinating source for inspiration, thanks for sharing.

     By John McGranaghan on January 12, 2022 at 1:21 pm

222. This is a great way to find subjects that are obscure along with unknown people. Nice tip.

     By Debora on January 12, 2022 at 1:22 pm

223. HEIDI: I LOVE this unique form of generating story ideas! I have always been FASCINATED by the hidden GEMS of everyday, ordinary people I have found by reading obits. TRULY A TREASURE TROVE! You are SO RIGHT: “There are people whose stories are waiting to—and worthy of—being told.”
     This is why I am SO PASSIONATE about writing picture book bios. It is SO IMPORTANT to show kids that we ALL have a story to share.

     By Natalie Lynn Tanner on January 12, 2022 at 1:22 pm

224. Heidi, I have to admit this is one place I have not mined for story ideas. Interesting, though. I think it might be a great rabbit-hole for those yucky, rainy, winter days when inspiration can wane. Thank you so much.

     By Maria Marshall on January 12, 2022 at 1:23 pm

225. How resourceful!

     By Debra Collins on January 12, 2022 at 1:24 pm

226. Wow! Fabulous idea! I’m often looking at obituaries when researching for my family tree. I can see how this would generate info and ideas for a bio.

     By Barbara Senenman on January 12, 2022 at 1:30 pm

227. What a fantastic idea! Thank you so much! The contrast between obituaries (past life) and children (beginning life) hasn’t escaped me. Love that!

     By Sheri Graubert on January 12, 2022 at 1:30 pm

228. Great tips!

     By Ilima on January 12, 2022 at 1:31 pm

229. What a fab idea! I would never had thought of looking in obituaries. Thanks

     By Melanie Rowsell-Docherty on January 12, 2022 at 1:35 pm

230. That is honestly a place I never thought to look for inspiration but now I am intrigued!

     By SCody on January 12, 2022 at 1:38 pm

231. Thanks for sharing your treasure trove with us! Reading obituaries is a great way to get thinking about the big themes in life and the very specific details of an individual life. Appreciate you sharing!

     By allyenz on January 12, 2022 at 1:38 pm

232. Never thought of using Obits that way – what a genius idea!

     By Melissa Ahonen on January 12, 2022 at 1:41 pm

233. I read the obits in our small town paper and it’s fascinating to see other people’s lives. I also love to see the story written about them and a nice turn of phrase. Glad to see I’m not the only one who reads them. I’ll have to turn on my PB radar now, however! Thanks!

     –Melisa Wrex (@mowrex on Twitter)

     By wordwritermo on January 12, 2022 at 1:41 pm

234. Wow! Even though I’ve often read obituaries and admired the people described, I never focused on them as a source for writing. Thanks for sharing this!

     By chaunceyelephant on January 12, 2022 at 1:41 pm

235. Reading obituaires and setting up Google search is a great idea. Thanks for sharing, Heidi.

     By carolynleillustrations on January 12, 2022 at 1:46 pm

236. This is a new idea to me–thank you for the great advice for finding people with interesting pasts.

     By Danielle Hammelef on January 12, 2022 at 1:52 pm

237. A unique idea for mining ideas! Ordinary people’s lives are indeed fascinating and I love all your suggestions for making use of this simple resource. Thank you!

     By marty bellis on January 12, 2022 at 1:52 pm

238. Thanks for this clever idea for finding great stories to tell!

     By amievc on January 12, 2022 at 1:53 pm

239. this is a “dead giveaway”…for Storystorming. Love this idea. Smaller town obits often give amazing flavor to the stories stewing in our minds. TU!

     By Alicia Shawn Gagnon on January 12, 2022 at 1:53 pm

240. Brilliant! I have heard of using obituaries for inspiration for stories before, but it hadn’t occurred to me how they are also a good source of looking at how others write transitions and cover a long time succinctly!

     By Amanda on January 12, 2022 at 1:54 pm

241. Inspiring and thoughtful. Thank you.

     By Emily Bertholf on January 12, 2022 at 1:57 pm

242. Looking forward to reading SAVING AMERICAN BEACH!

     By jhall2018 on January 12, 2022 at 2:06 pm

243. Thank you Heidi! I once worked with a man who read the obiuaries every morning, he was probably 28 or 29 at the time. I was 18 or 19 and had never met someone who randomly read obituaries, but it made me think of him as kind and empathetic, taking the time to read about strangers’ lives and think about them. Thank you for this – you are kind also obviously sharing your tips.

     By Janet AlJunaidi on January 12, 2022 at 2:07 pm

244. This is an excellent idea! Obituaries..never thought of it.

     By Deona Valentine on January 12, 2022 at 2:08 pm

245. This reminds me of Heather Lende’s work (not kid lit, but good NF). She wrote about her experiences writing obituaries in Haines, AK.

     By Megan S on January 12, 2022 at 2:12 pm

246. So clever! Thank you for sharing this little big gem!

     By ziemkeart on January 12, 2022 at 2:15 pm

247. Thanks, Heidi. I may be cutting up the newspaper!

     By Nancy Ferguson on January 12, 2022 at 2:17 pm

248. What a great idea, Heidi! Thanks so much for sharing your treasure!

     By donnacangelosi on January 12, 2022 at 2:21 pm

249. Great suggestions! Thank you for your post.

     By Mary Zychowicz on January 12, 2022 at 2:21 pm

250. That’s something I have never though of. Thank you.

     By lois1952 on January 12, 2022 at 2:22 pm

251. This is a great idea! Thank you for the post.

     By Leah Moser on January 12, 2022 at 2:22 pm

252. What, Whoa (not Woe), Wow, really great idea and way to read about significant events in a person’s life. I’ve laughed and cried reading obituaries. But never thought of them as a resource. Insightful!

     By brontebrown2 on January 12, 2022 at 2:28 pm

253. Biographies have always been a favorite of mine. I actually tracked down a copy of the 1st biography I ever read in 5th grade. Thank you for the great ideas!

     By Lisa Gaines on January 12, 2022 at 2:32 pm

254. I’ve never thought about looking in obituaries for inspiration. Interesting! Thanks!

     By arndt4writing on January 12, 2022 at 2:33 pm

255. What a clever idea! A nice way to celebrate lives well-lived, too. Thanks for the suggestion.

     By Jenny Boyd on January 12, 2022 at 2:36 pm

256. I love this idea! I can’t the number of times I’ve thought, been told, read, or discussed that reality is more interesting than fiction. Thanks!

     By Michelle Dragalin on January 12, 2022 at 2:37 pm

257. Obituaries! I would never have thought it… I have had to use local obituaries regularly at my “day job”, I am surprised it never occurred to me, Thank you!

     By tinefg on January 12, 2022 at 2:42 pm

258. I’ve often thought about what a fascinating job it must be to write obituaries for the NYT or other publications. An obit does, indeed, tell a full story. Such a great idea to turn to obits for book inspiration. Thank you, Heidi!

     By jesseannabornemann on January 12, 2022 at 2:51 pm

259. Wow! I never would have thought of reading the obituaries for inspiration. Thank you!

     By Shannon LaPuma on January 12, 2022 at 3:01 pm

260. Thanks for sharing this interesting idea, Heidi!

     By heidikyates on January 12, 2022 at 3:04 pm

261. Thanks, Heidi! I see so much value in your suggestions! I’ll have to learn how to do Google alerts 🙂
     Congratulations on your PBs! I can’t wait to read the one on fireflies!

     By Michele Rietz on January 12, 2022 at 3:04 pm

262. The first tip about using obituaries to discover ways to mark time or transitions is super helpful along with all the rest! I appreciate you sharing!

     By Dena Davis on January 12, 2022 at 3:04 pm

263. Great tip! I would have never even thought to look there.

     By Leslie Norris on January 12, 2022 at 3:06 pm

264. I had no idea Google could curate content like that. Interesting.

     By hfr2006 on January 12, 2022 at 3:07 pm

265. Great idea to use obituaries for ideas! Thank you for sharing!

     By Cathy Stefanec Ogren on January 12, 2022 at 3:16 pm

266. Brilliant! I never would have thought to scan through obituaries. They really do tell a succinct life story. Thanks for the inspiration!

     By Penelope McNally on January 12, 2022 at 3:17 pm

267. Thanks for the tips! For all here ~ There’s a website and FB group called Find A Grave where you can search for a person’s name and also pick up interesting pieces of information.

     By Cheryl Johnson on January 12, 2022 at 3:34 pm

268. Thank you, what a gem of an idea!

     By rozanark on January 12, 2022 at 3:35 pm

269. Amazing where you can pull stories from! Great idea, thanks!

     By vgraboski61gmailcom on January 12, 2022 at 3:38 pm

270. Wow! Thank you for generously giving away such a gem! Great tip and easily accessible, plus you went above and beyond to tell how to use technology to help narrow the search.

     By triciahinely on January 12, 2022 at 3:40 pm

271. What a great idea to look for little know people who did fascinating things as inspiration for a biography PB.

     By cbcole on January 12, 2022 at 3:40 pm

272. This is so simple yet has never occurred to me. I read the obits often just to learn about people and their lives. What a wonderful idea and way to honor someone’s life that might be amazing but never be told otherwise. Thank you!

     By Beverly Smith on January 12, 2022 at 3:52 pm

273. The secret is out! I use obituaries to find stories of women who have achieved amazing things, but who were overlooked during their lifetime.

     By Patricia Oppenheim on January 12, 2022 at 3:59 pm

274. I thought I was the only one who read obituaries in my free time… great idea Heidi!

     By Deborah Foster on January 12, 2022 at 4:00 pm

275. Great tips, Heidi! Thanks!

     By Laura De La Cruz on January 12, 2022 at 4:04 pm

276. Interesting. I’ll give it a try!

     By Gabriella Aldeman on January 12, 2022 at 4:14 pm

277. Interesting take, thank you!

     By Shanna Silva on January 12, 2022 at 4:16 pm

278. Thanks for sharing your secret source! I have often found inspiration and great character at my local cemetery. Inspiration is everywhere if you pay attention.

     By Fern Glazer on January 12, 2022 at 4:19 pm

279. Thanks for sharing your secret source! I have often found inspiration and great character at my local cemetery. Inspiration is everywhere if you pay attention.

     By Fern Glazer on January 12, 2022 at 4:20 pm

280. Thank you, Heidi.

     There are some amazing stories found in obituaries. Everyone has a story to tell.

     Suzy Leopold

     By Prairie Garden Girl on January 12, 2022 at 4:20 pm

281. The fact that every single person has a story is one of the things that drives my writing. I want to know everyone’s story. Obituaries are a great place to start learning them. Thanks for the inspiration.

     By TL Fales on January 12, 2022 at 4:21 pm

282. Interesting. Something I hadn’t thought of. Thanks for sharing.

     By Jennifer Rathe on January 12, 2022 at 4:24 pm

283. Such an original and neat idea! Now I need to figure out how to create a Google search engine……

     By karenlee on January 12, 2022 at 4:24 pm

284. People are just…interesting. Thanks for an inspiring post.

     By Christine Graham on January 12, 2022 at 4:27 pm

285. Fascinating idea I would never have thought of. Thank you for sharing your secret. Really appreciated.

     By Perky Smith on January 12, 2022 at 4:28 pm

286. I never would have thought to mine obituaries for content and writing style, but you’ve convinced me.

     By Claire A. B. Freeland on January 12, 2022 at 4:29 pm

287. I love the suggestion to look at obituaries even if nonfiction isn’t your forte. Thank you for such an interesting post!

     By Anne Appert on January 12, 2022 at 4:31 pm

288. It’s a very strange and interesting idea. I never read obituaries, but maybe I’ll look into them!

     By Charlotte Glaze on January 12, 2022 at 4:37 pm

289. Thanks, Heidi! Time for me to check out today’s paper.

     By Stephanie Owen on January 12, 2022 at 4:42 pm

290. Wow, not in a million years would it occur to me to scan obituaries for story ideas. Simply brilliant! Thank you for the great advice.

     By Tara Cerven on January 12, 2022 at 4:47 pm

291. Obituaries?! Who would have thought! What a great source of inspiration. Thanks so much for sharing! Can’t wait to use your tips and tricks!

     By Molly Ippolito on January 12, 2022 at 4:48 pm

292. Great advice! Very interested in SAVING AMERICAN BEACH. Thanks Heidi!

     By Susan Eyerman on January 12, 2022 at 4:50 pm

293. Great post–thank you!

     By K Orr on January 12, 2022 at 4:56 pm

294. Thanks for your post!

     By Sylvia Mary Grech on January 12, 2022 at 5:07 pm

295. I learned that one of the original GLOW wrestlers died and that led me down a very fascinating rabbit hole! Thanks!

     By Phaea Crede - Jet the Cat (Is Not a Cat) author (@PhaeaCrede) on January 12, 2022 at 5:08 pm

296. So interesting advice about obituaries! I read them rarely but when I do I am always inspired by people’s lives. Thanks for reminding me of all the possibilities that are out there from everyday people. They are more fascinating than we realize.

     By girlscout72091 on January 12, 2022 at 5:13 pm

297. Your story about John Bonner Buck sounds fascinating! Great post!

     By Kimberly Marcus on January 12, 2022 at 5:15 pm

298. Such a cool idea!

     By dragonmintcallisto52281 on January 12, 2022 at 5:17 pm

299. I find obituaries fascinating. Now I’ll read them with a focus on finding subjects to write about. Thanks!

     By claireannette1 on January 12, 2022 at 5:19 pm

300. I would’ve never thought of looking through obits for inspiration, motivation and good writing tips. This is great and there’s a lot of stories to be told! Thanks, Heidi!

     By Jessica Milo on January 12, 2022 at 5:24 pm

301. That’s an interesting idea!

     By Jennifer Roman on January 12, 2022 at 5:30 pm

302. This is rather unique!

     I sometimes look at gravestones and get inspiration there too. I haven’t really thought about using obviously

     Thank you 😊

     By Imelda Taylor on January 12, 2022 at 5:30 pm

303. What an interesting approach! Thanks for sharing

     By Joy Wieder on January 12, 2022 at 5:32 pm

304. Who knew that obituaries were such a wealth of information and inspiration? Thanks for the heads-up!

     By Dannielle Viera on January 12, 2022 at 5:33 pm

305. This looks like a beautiful book. There are so many great non-fiction themes & people to write about. You never know what will stick out to you.

     By Celeste Turner on January 12, 2022 at 5:36 pm

306. Great suggestion–thank you!

     By Buffy Silverman on January 12, 2022 at 5:38 pm

307. Love these ideas! I never would have thought to look at obituaries! I have always been drawn to nonfiction picture books and biographies! Thank you!!

     By Connie Van Horn on January 12, 2022 at 5:41 pm

308. So you’re telling me all this time that my mother-in-law reads the obits out loud over breakfast, I could have been using this as research. Mind blown, thank you!

     By Sarah Olivo on January 12, 2022 at 5:45 pm

309. Never heard of scanning obits before. Genius!

     By staceygustafson on January 12, 2022 at 5:46 pm

310. What a very interesting idea. Thank you for sharing.

     By Meredith Fraser on January 12, 2022 at 5:46 pm

311. Obituaries – definitely not one of my often-used idea catchers. I have used them when I am already researching someone I’m writing about, but oh my goodness, Heidi…what a great idea to intentionally scan them for people…or topics…that would make a fascinating book for kids! I love this post!

     By viviankirkfield on January 12, 2022 at 5:54 pm

312. Heidi, thank you for the terrific tips and the idea of scanning obits. Brilliant!

     By chardixon47 on January 12, 2022 at 5:54 pm

313. Wow… Not sure how I feel about obituaries… But I won’t discount it… I’ll let the idea float around in my brain for a while! Thank you!! Good “outside the box” post!!

     By Sarah Hetu-Radny on January 12, 2022 at 6:09 pm

314. Thanks, Heidi. Your post proves that story ideas can come from anywhere. I like reading orbits and learning about the fascinating lives of the ones who died. There are many gems.to be found.

     By authordebradaugherty on January 12, 2022 at 6:21 pm

315. Such great advice I’m dying over here!

     By Matt Tesoriero on January 12, 2022 at 6:22 pm

316. Now, this is an idea I’ve not thought of specifically, but it is a terrific idea. Thank you!

     By karinlarson on January 12, 2022 at 6:25 pm

317. I’m not sure that habit is something one should share in a personal ad–but it seems to work well for you as a writer! Then again, it could be a character’s secret hobby in a story!

     By 8catpaws on January 12, 2022 at 6:26 pm

318. Interesting. Would have never thought to look there…

     By Roxanne Troup on January 12, 2022 at 6:29 pm

319. I love the idea of google alerts for certain buzz words. Going to try that now.

     By Rachelle Burk on January 12, 2022 at 6:31 pm

320. What a splendidly morbid (I mean, inspiring) idea!

     By Christine M Irvin on January 12, 2022 at 6:44 pm

321. Resource In Place

     By Charles Trevino on January 12, 2022 at 6:50 pm

322. Thank you Heidi! Thomas Edison’s inventions and quotes appear in something I am brainstorming. Now I’ll mine his obituary for additional story ideas. My mind goes off in all directions…something I have done in the past, when writing epitaph poems with students was to research unique headstones. There are quite a few humorous ones out there!

     By lorisherritt on January 12, 2022 at 6:56 pm

323. I love perusing obituaries (or as my grandmother called them, “the Irish sports pages”) for the very same reason. Thank you for this post, Heidi!

     By angkunkel on January 12, 2022 at 6:57 pm

324. What a unique source for inspiration. Heidi, thank you for sharing.

     By YauMei Chiang on January 12, 2022 at 7:02 pm

325. Very interesting! Thank you, I would have never thought to look at the obituaries for inspiration.

     By Jaime on January 12, 2022 at 7:02 pm

326. This is such an interesting idea. Thank you.

     By Jennifer Weisse on January 12, 2022 at 7:06 pm

327. Clever! Thank you, Heidi. Your following line sticks: “There are people whose stories are waiting to –and worth of–being told.”

     By Laurie Seaford on January 12, 2022 at 7:07 pm

328. I never thought about reading obituaries for ideas

     By Kay on January 12, 2022 at 7:10 pm

329. Thanks for the wonderful idea! I do read obituaries, but I’ve never considered them a source of writing inspiration, but of course they are. Thanks!

     By Diane O'Neill on January 12, 2022 at 7:12 pm

330. Wow, I never would have thought of this. What a great idea. And now I am going to ask myself if there is any other regular information source out there that I have been overlooking to mine for ideas. Plus, I hate to admit it, but I am so terrible with technology, I don’t know anything about Google Alerts and how to set them. That’s going on my learn-to-do-list for this week! Thank you for sharing.

     By loricevans on January 12, 2022 at 7:23 pm

331. I get character names from obituaries!

     By kathydoherty1 on January 12, 2022 at 7:28 pm

332. And I thought obits were only good for finding apartments in NYC! Thanks for the tip.

     By Melissa K on January 12, 2022 at 7:36 pm

333. Thank you Heidi for the great advice!

     By Mary Warth on January 12, 2022 at 7:38 pm

334. Love the idea of going through obituaries for story ideas. I’d found some really interesting recently, and your post is helpful in terms of how to take a person or subject matter into an idea and story. Thank you!

     By Pamela Brunskill (@PamelaBrunskill) on January 12, 2022 at 7:48 pm

335. Interesting, I never thought about this. It totally makes sense. Thank you for this post.

     By Yvette Pais on January 12, 2022 at 7:52 pm

336. What a unique idea

     By Jeanne Cherney on January 12, 2022 at 7:56 pm

337. Such an interesting post! Thanks for sharing.

     By Sarah K. Rose on January 12, 2022 at 8:16 pm

338. Thank you for sharing your process.

     By Sara Ackerman on January 12, 2022 at 8:24 pm

339. What an amazing idea! I’ve never thought about approaching obits this way, but it makes perfect sense! Thank you so much for sharing! Gotta go check out the obituary section . . .

     By Tonnye Fletcher on January 12, 2022 at 8:28 pm

340. A fascinating post—obituaries as a treasure trove of new ideas. Thanks!

     By Peggy Dobbs on January 12, 2022 at 8:31 pm

341. I’m a huge fan of fireflies! I can’t wait to read your new book.

     By lsheroan on January 12, 2022 at 8:37 pm

342. One of my past jobs was as a newspaper obit clerk. Lots of stories.

     By Manju Beth Howard (@ManjuBeth) on January 12, 2022 at 8:44 pm

343. What a unique angle!

     By Donna Marx on January 12, 2022 at 8:45 pm

344. What a great idea to scan obituaries for ideas. Thanks for the tip!

     By Lonna Hill on January 12, 2022 at 8:47 pm

345. I worked for a small newspaper at one time! It was a newspaper to help fight homelessness, so there were quite a few obituaries… Still inspirational even then! 😦 What a great idea! I love the idea of Google alerts! Thank you so much for sharing your ideas :).

     By Sophie Furman✨Illustrator (@SophieFurmanArt) on January 12, 2022 at 8:48 pm

346. I love learning about the many ways people find ideas and inspiration. I would never have thought about using the obituaries in this way

     By Tamisha Williams on January 12, 2022 at 8:50 pm

347. Wow I never thought of obituaries before

     By kiwijenny on January 12, 2022 at 8:58 pm

348. Welp, I can honestly say that this idea for inspiration has never occurred to me! I kinda love it!

     By Kate Rietema on January 12, 2022 at 9:01 pm

349. I never would have thought to do this! I’ll have to try it! It sounds like it would be interesting. Thanks for sharing your ideas

     By Colleen Dabney on January 12, 2022 at 9:03 pm

350. Thank you Heidi. This post has so much to delve into that will help my writing. I also really needed the comments related to subthemes to help me with what I am currently writing. I just saw Ekua Holmes stunning original art at the MFA and some of the images were set at beaches!!! I’m looking forward to reading your book. Thanks, Tara for inviting Heidi to post on your Storystorm blog.

     By marty on January 12, 2022 at 9:09 pm

351. What a great idea! I can’t wait to give it a try.

     By kirstenbockblog on January 12, 2022 at 9:09 pm

352. Thank you, Heidi, for helping us to mine obituaries for additional story ideas. I read them often and am so impressed with those who have made the most of the life that they lived, and also those who have done extraordinary things.
     Happy New Year to you and best wishes for continued writing sucess!

     By Jeannette Suhr on January 12, 2022 at 9:21 pm

353. Wow! I’ve never thought about this one, thank you! 🙂

     By Claudia Sloan on January 12, 2022 at 9:25 pm

354. Interesting. I would never have thought of that

     By nicolesalterbraun on January 12, 2022 at 9:26 pm

355. I love the idea of mining for stories that might otherwise never be told” -Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” Congratulations on your beautiful, inspiring books!

     By Laura K Bower on January 12, 2022 at 9:29 pm

356. Thanks for sharing your unique strategy. It is dead on.

     By Jen K. on January 12, 2022 at 9:32 pm

357. Thanks for the great advice!

     By supermario6 on January 12, 2022 at 9:33 pm

358. I love reading about the gift of discovery you shared. Thank YOU 🥰

     By Karen Lawler on January 12, 2022 at 10:05 pm

359. Thank you for the unusual research method and the tip on using Google alerts! I’m off to learn how to do that.

     By Patricia B. Ellson on January 12, 2022 at 10:06 pm

360. Wow! Hadn’t thought of that for story ideas, but I remember when researching my ancestors, family death notices usually provided me with many details about the lives of my “long, lost” relatives.

     By mariearden on January 12, 2022 at 10:10 pm

361. Now, this is a new idea to me!

     By Becky Ross Michael on January 12, 2022 at 10:11 pm

362. Never in a million years would I have thought of this idea. Love it!

     By susanzonca on January 12, 2022 at 10:12 pm

363. Just proves inspiration can be found in what seems like the unlikeliest of places!

     By Chayala Nachum on January 12, 2022 at 10:19 pm

364. What a great way to find new ideas!

     By Robyn McGrath on January 12, 2022 at 10:41 pm

365. This is the most interesting tip for me yet! I had never given using the obituaries so much thought for character and storyline development! Genius ! Thank you!

     By Nancy Rubin Fahmy on January 12, 2022 at 10:41 pm

366. How interesting! I’ve never read the obituaries just for fun/research. Will give it a try. Thanks!

     By tinamcho on January 12, 2022 at 10:56 pm

367. love the tip to read obituaries. Thank you for sharing your valuable insight!!

     By Jennie H on January 12, 2022 at 10:57 pm

368. That is such a great resource, Heidi. Thanks for sharing.

     By Kaye Baillie on January 12, 2022 at 11:00 pm

369. Here here! I haven’t read many obituaries but one I read over 15 years ago and still plays in my mind, it was beautiful. Thank you, Heidi for your post.

     By Beth Elliott on January 12, 2022 at 11:01 pm

370. Never thought of using obituaries to harvest ideas for non-fiction books, but it’s a great idea. There are so many people out there who have fascinating stories that need to be told. Thanks!

     By Helen Lys on January 12, 2022 at 11:02 pm

371. What a special research twist – thanks for sharing!

     By sue macartney on January 12, 2022 at 11:03 pm

372. Reminds me of how my dad always reads the obituaries – especially liked reading about the careers of older people.

     By Alia K. on January 12, 2022 at 11:11 pm

373. Wow! Interesting! I would have never thought!

     By dedradavis03 on January 12, 2022 at 11:29 pm

374. Interesting post! Thanks for sharing!

     By Nancy Ramsey on January 12, 2022 at 11:47 pm

375. I love this. I read them all the time and always wonder how to use them in my stories. Now I will look at obituaries a bit differently.

     By kdgwrites on January 12, 2022 at 11:56 pm

376. Going to skim the obits right now. Thanks!

     By Julie Reich on January 12, 2022 at 11:56 pm

377. What an interesting idea! I’ve never considered looking at the obituaries for a new ideas. Thanks for the great post!

     By Eileen Mayo on January 12, 2022 at 11:57 pm

378. Obituaries! Who knew? Thanks. Such an interesting post.

     By rosihollinbeck on January 13, 2022 at 12:08 am

379. Fascinating approach! I will look at obits in a whole new light – thank you!!

     By Liz Godfrey on January 13, 2022 at 12:09 am

380. Thanks! This post proves story Ideas can be found in the most unusual places! 🙂

     By seschipper on January 13, 2022 at 12:18 am

381. This does bring me to a new twist of an idea. Thank you!!

     By Virginia Rinkel on January 13, 2022 at 12:23 am

382. What an interesting idea! And I also always wondered about fireflies!

     By Amy Mucci on January 13, 2022 at 12:23 am

383. Thank you, Heidi. You are so right that there are soooo many lives with stories worthy of sharing; many of which need to be better known. Your suggestions for research are very helpful. Thank you!

     By writeremmcbride on January 13, 2022 at 12:26 am

384. I have to say that scanning the obituaries is something that has NEVER occurred to me! What an interesting idea….

     By Mary Nelson on January 13, 2022 at 12:28 am

385. What an interesting way to get ideas for books. Thanks for sharing.

     By Ashley Bankhead on January 13, 2022 at 12:31 am

386. Very interesting approach. Thanks

     By Trine Grillo on January 13, 2022 at 12:32 am

387. Really interesting ideas to try. Thank you for the suggestions!

     By Heather Stigall on January 13, 2022 at 12:49 am

388. One of my favorite illustrators, Maira Kalman, also said that she starts her day by reading obituaries! For a while, it has been a goal for me to do so. I will start tomorrow instead of just thinking about it!

     By Diana Marie Linton on January 13, 2022 at 1:05 am

389. I think I always knew in the back of my head this would be part of research for biography, but as the inspiration it seems ideal for finding those gems of people we wish we’d known…. and creating characters for fiction, or at least giving them some of their traits. Maybe even the purpose of their story! Thanks for sharing your methods!

     By bonnie fireUrchin ~ pb illustration & writing on January 13, 2022 at 1:06 am

390. I have to say, this is an interesting way to get inspired to write. I’ve often felt inspired by someone’s life while reading an obituary but hadn’t thought to connect this with writing. I’m not sure it’ll work for me but I’m willing to give it a try.

     By serenagingoldallen on January 13, 2022 at 1:26 am

391. Such an inventive way to find inspiration! Thanks for sharing!

     By mariamarianayagam on January 13, 2022 at 1:57 am

392. Never thought of using obituaries for story ideas! I live reading memoirs so this is very appealing to me.
     Thanks!

     By Huyen on January 13, 2022 at 2:01 am

393. Thank you Heidi, keep up the good work. There are so many stories that need to be told and it is good to know someone is out there making it happen.

     By Aly Kenna on January 13, 2022 at 2:06 am

394. What an interesting way to gather ideas! Thanks for sharing with us!

     By Marcia Berneger on January 13, 2022 at 2:09 am

395. This is brilliant!

     By Kimberly Grace on January 13, 2022 at 2:17 am

396. Thank you for sharing these great ideas.

     By Haley Thomas on January 13, 2022 at 2:28 am

397. What a great idea – thank you!

     By wyszguy on January 13, 2022 at 2:57 am

398. This is an interesting idea – thanks for the inspiration Heidi :o)

     By Catherine on January 13, 2022 at 4:26 am

399. Such a great idea! Thank you!

     By Tamara Rittershaus on January 13, 2022 at 4:31 am

400. Reminds me of Cecelia Ahearn’s great novel, One Hundred Names. Everyone has a story, and obits are a great idea for finding new ones. Thanks!

     By Hanna Geshelin on January 13, 2022 at 4:59 am

401. Wow, I’ve never heard of this technique before!

     By Meldaarts on January 13, 2022 at 6:39 am

402. Fantastic tips! Thanks for sharing!

     By yangmommy on January 13, 2022 at 6:48 am

403. This is an interesting technique, Heidi. I see all kinds of possibilities. Thanks

     By mdk45 on January 13, 2022 at 6:56 am

404. Going to begin today checking the obits. Thank you Heidi.

     By Nadine Poper on January 13, 2022 at 7:10 am

405. Who would have known this one can find inspiration in obits? What a great idea.

     By Freda Lewkowicz on January 13, 2022 at 7:14 am

406. Wow, this is such an interesting idea-mining tidbit! And I also like that it’s also a source of motivation, obits are usually distillations the extraordinary things that ordinary people do. Love it!

     By Maria on January 13, 2022 at 7:39 am

407. I love reading obituaries but never thought to use them to help my own writing. Great post!

     By Lisa L Furness on January 13, 2022 at 7:57 am

408. What a unique way to brainstorm! I’ll give this a shot.

     By ramonapersaudwrites on January 13, 2022 at 8:19 am

409. It really is amazing what can be learned from a person’s obituary. I like the idea of setting a Google alert in my field(s) of interest…might find a fun surprise in my in-box!

     By Tanya Konerman on January 13, 2022 at 8:35 am

410. Very interesting! Thank you for sharing.

     By René Bartos on January 13, 2022 at 8:55 am

411. Thank you. I never thought about reading the obituaries either – although it’s something my parents always did! Congratulations on your book!

     By sareenmclay on January 13, 2022 at 8:59 am

412. I have never thought to scan obituaries for ideas- can’t wait to see what comes up! This is great! Your book looks fabulous! Just requested from our local library, and I can’t wait to read!

     By Meghan Downs on January 13, 2022 at 9:22 am

413. Heidi, this advice is golden! Thank you! Reading obits can help fiction writers find interesting character traits and names. Just this a.m., I read one where the deceased had enjoyed a number of things including a vodka tonic. Now, you wouldn’t put that in a children’s book (and not usually in an obit!), but that’s the kind of detail that makes a character interesting. I look forward to your book about Buck, as I am a firefly admirer myself!

     By Jane Heitman Healy on January 13, 2022 at 9:31 am

414. What a brilliant source of ideas. I do not write bios, but I am going to look for notable actions and truths that could serve as main themes in my manuscripts.

     By Jamie Bills on January 13, 2022 at 10:16 am

415. Thanks for the advice on an unusual source.
     *runs to find out how to set a Google Alert…

     By Rebecca Van Slyke on January 13, 2022 at 10:24 am

416. Wow this post takes the cake! I’m intrigued by what a google alert is! Thanks 🙂

     By Marzieh Abbas on January 13, 2022 at 10:32 am

417. I love learning about those lives and accomplishments hiding in obituaries (I have degrees in history and law). Thank you for sharing your system of researching them.

     By ptnozell on January 13, 2022 at 10:38 am

418. Love this post! We subscribed to NY Times Sunday over the summer and I loved reading the obits. Found so many fascinating people there and even clipped some of them–old school style–but you’ve given me new inspiration on how they can inspire my writing. Thanks!

     By Carolyn Cory Scoppettone on January 13, 2022 at 10:45 am

419. Oh my goodness…how original!

     By Charles Richardson on January 13, 2022 at 10:49 am

420. Great idea for helping with character development. Sharing unique techniques is like sharing the secret in a family recipe.

     By Rosalind Malin on January 13, 2022 at 10:52 am

421. Thanks for the inspiration!

     By Charlotte Offsay on January 13, 2022 at 11:07 am

422. Hi, I have not received Day 13. Has it not been posted yet? Regards Liesl Couperthwaite

     On Wed, 12 Jan 2022, 14:03 Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) wrote:

     > Tara Lazar posted: “by Heidi Tyline King I hesitate to give away my > treasure trove of ideas, but let’s be honest: There are more people dead > than alive, meaning that there are plenty of obituaries—and people who led > insanely interesting lives—for all of us writers to mine” >

     By Liesl Couperthwaite on January 13, 2022 at 11:08 am

423. Heidi-Thanks for sharing these wonderfully thought out ideas! I have written a manuscript on fireflies and bioluminescence. I would love to chat with you sometime about it. It’s such a fascinating subject to me! Marianne Blackstone Tabner

     By mbtgroupcb on January 13, 2022 at 11:09 am

424. Some truly awesome suggestions, Heidi. Thank you!

     By Maureen (www.maureenfergus.com) on January 13, 2022 at 11:41 am

425. Thank you, Heidi! I love this idea!

     By jillburns7 on January 13, 2022 at 11:45 am

426. This is a very interesting and fascinating way to generate ideas. I like that it reminds you to overcome your own self-doubt and fears.

     By Ashley Sierra (@AshleySierra06) on January 13, 2022 at 12:17 pm

427. Heidi, I can honestly say I have never thought to check the obituaries for story inspirations. Such a great idea!
     Thank-you!
     Lucy Staugler

     By Lucy Staugler on January 13, 2022 at 12:31 pm

428. Great idea, I’ve never thought of that! Thank you for your time. Best

     By Tammi Beck on January 13, 2022 at 12:36 pm

429. Heidi, thanks for sharing your tips for using obits as an idea generator. I really like the concept of finding ordinary people who have done extraordinary things, or people who have overcome great adversity.

     By Angela De Groot on January 13, 2022 at 12:57 pm

430. Obituaries…who knew? And Google Alert. Two great tips! Thanks, Heidi.

     By Judy Bradbury on January 13, 2022 at 12:58 pm

431. What an great idea, Heidi. Thank you!

     By Leslie Santamaria on January 13, 2022 at 1:03 pm

432. I confess, I never would have thought about mining obits for material. Thanks for the insight!

     By Darcee Freier on January 13, 2022 at 1:05 pm

433. Obituaries for inspiration! What a cool idea. My mother always read the obituaries first in our local paper! So I’ll think of her, too, when I use your idea. Thanks!

     By allthingscreativeequal on January 13, 2022 at 1:06 pm

434. I always run across “obit” people…and think..wow! He/she was amazing…but I need to keep them in a file……and pull them out.
     Thanks for inspiring me! Great ideas! Thanks

     By Debi Boccanfuso on January 13, 2022 at 1:13 pm

435. Inspiration can come from anywhere!

     By Linda on January 13, 2022 at 1:15 pm

436. Someone wrote morbidly awesome, and it captures exactly what struck me about this post. Thank you!

     By rindabeach on January 13, 2022 at 1:57 pm

437. I love the idea of using obituaries to create fun and inspiring/interesting stories about people who may not have been heard of. Thanks for the idea.

     By Brandon Rodriguez on January 13, 2022 at 2:12 pm

438. Thank you for this. Such great ideas and tips!

     By Deb McGarvey on January 13, 2022 at 2:15 pm

439. Thanks for the insightful post, Heidi!

     By Gabi Snyder on January 13, 2022 at 2:21 pm

440. This is a great idea – culling obituaries for inspiration! Thank you for sharing it with us! Also, I had no idea you could set up notifications through Google like that – thanks for that great tip as well! And congratulations on SAVING AMERICAN BEACH – it sounds wonderful!

     By Susie Sawyer on January 13, 2022 at 2:24 pm

441. Thanks for the inspiration to look in a place I had never thought to look. This post gave me the ideal to write about my grandmother. You will have to wait for the book to see why!

     By michellesteinberg14849dcf0b on January 13, 2022 at 2:30 pm

442. WHO KNEW?!? Great post! Thanks for sharing this idea.

     By Kate on January 13, 2022 at 2:35 pm

443. So interesting! A source of inspiration I never considered before. Thanks for the tip!

     By Renata Wurster on January 13, 2022 at 2:42 pm

444. Genius! Thanks for sharing!

     By AC Perry on January 13, 2022 at 2:47 pm

445. The world is full of fascinating people. What a great way to remember them.

     By Laura Renauld on January 13, 2022 at 3:26 pm

446. You rock, Heidi! I can’t wait to see you again in our picture book critique group!

     By Cristina Chan on January 13, 2022 at 3:40 pm

447. Heidi,
     What an unconventional source of ideas—but so brilliant! Now you’ve got me wondering about fireflies. 🧐 Thanks for sharing your secret source with us!

     By Ann Page on January 13, 2022 at 3:58 pm

448. Fascinating place to get inspired!

     By nrompella on January 13, 2022 at 4:00 pm

449. Thanks for sharing! I had not heard of this idea and love finding a new way to mine for story ideas.

     By Christine Van Zandt, author of A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNDERPANTS on January 13, 2022 at 4:11 pm

450. I know another author that uses obituaries for possible inspiration and character traits. It’s an interesting source for sure. 🙂

     By Kris Tarantino on January 13, 2022 at 4:44 pm

451. This reminds me of Bachman’s books. I have no idea if he finds ideas this way but his characterizations read as if he has plucked them straight from the obits! This might be fun to jigsaw/cut up too and rearrange details to see what comes of it. Thanks for the suggestions.

     By Juliann Caveny on January 13, 2022 at 5:41 pm

452. Wow! I have never thought of that. Brilliant!

     By Lynn Alpert on January 13, 2022 at 5:50 pm

453. This clearly brings to mind the scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail – “Bring out your Dead, Bring out your dead!”

     By Stephen S. Martin on January 13, 2022 at 6:11 pm

454. Obits seem like a great way to find interesting subjects and people to write about. It will certainly keep me from reaching a “dead end” in my writing! 😉

     By Judy Sobanski on January 13, 2022 at 6:15 pm

455. Unique idea. People lead such interesting lives. You can also mine the obits for character names to use in fiction.

     By Diane M on January 13, 2022 at 6:20 pm

456. Day 9’s post made me think of a food item, which led to questioning who created that food, doing a Google search, then finding their obituary. I concur, it is a good resource!

     By stephaniemstories on January 13, 2022 at 6:27 pm

457. Interesting way of finding people for biographies.

     By Chelle Martin on January 13, 2022 at 7:22 pm

458. thanks for sharing your process!

     By Karen Gebbia on January 13, 2022 at 8:09 pm

459. What a fascinating idea, thank you!

     By ingridboydston on January 13, 2022 at 8:41 pm

460. Obituaries are writerly gold!

     By annettepimentel on January 13, 2022 at 8:52 pm

461. Thank you for sharing this idea, Heidi!

     By claudine108 on January 13, 2022 at 9:05 pm

462. Love this idea! I’m going to start reading the obits. Thanks!

     By Christine Fleming McIsaac on January 13, 2022 at 9:07 pm

463. I think reading gravestone inscriptions is also interesting. Thanks for sharing about obituaries.

     By Ellie Langford on January 13, 2022 at 9:30 pm

464. Great idea to think of secondary themes to go with your biography and using your research to write in other genres in addition to nonfiction. Thanks for sharing Heidi!

     By Marie Chan on January 13, 2022 at 9:59 pm

465. Hmmm. An interesting tip. I’ve gotten an idea of where to go and look.

     By Janet Smart on January 13, 2022 at 10:01 pm

466. I’ve enjoyed reading about interesting people in the obituaries, but never made a connection to my writing. Thanks so much for these great tips!

     By Amy Newbold on January 13, 2022 at 10:20 pm

467. Austin Kleon also reads obits for inspiration. Pretty neat Thanks for sharing!

     By 🌱 𝚁𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚔𝚊𝚑 𝙻𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 🌻 (@RebekahLowell) on January 13, 2022 at 10:41 pm

468. Congrats on SAVING AMERICAN BEACH, Heidi! You’ve layered so many hooks and themes into this fascinating book. I enjoyed hearing how you mine obits for ideas and themes. Obits are great examples of life summaries, and I’ve also discovered old tombstones can be humorous or heartbreaking one-line pitches about that person’s life. Great inspiration for any genre we’re writing.

     By Joannie Duris on January 13, 2022 at 10:56 pm

469. Thanks for sharing this super resource!

     By Micki Ginsberg on January 13, 2022 at 10:58 pm

470. Obituaries of ordinary people doing ordinary things💖

     By Michelle Losardo on January 13, 2022 at 10:59 pm

471. Thanks for your post Heidi. I read obits too and am always impressed with complex lives. I’ve never found a story idea though. I look to magazines like this month’s Smithsonian. The chronicle of African American lives in the January/February issue is amazing. It’s not my story to tell, but someone should. There are many children’s books that should be created from these pages.

     By MDalphin Williams Creative.Com on January 13, 2022 at 11:31 pm

472. Heidi, I never would have picked up the obituaries before reading your wisdom. Thank you. Congratulations with, SAVING AMERICAN BEACH. I’m excited to pick it up and add it to my shelf.

     By Annelouise Mahoney on January 13, 2022 at 11:34 pm

473. It was a stroke of genius to think about that! Thank you, Heidi, for showing us that inspiration can come from the strangest of places…

     By linafeli on January 14, 2022 at 3:21 am

474. Really great idea. I like the idea of research, but it’s also such a nice way to honor those who’ve died by reading about them. It’s like The Ofrienda (sp?) for Day of the Dead.

     By cmochowski on January 14, 2022 at 8:12 am

475. What a great post, Heidi. I love books about lesser known people and I like fireflies. I am looking forward to your book about John Bonner Buck.

     By Linda Hofke on January 14, 2022 at 9:33 am

476. Heidi – Thank you for your awesome post. I love reading obituaries, but often get a little down about all these amazing people who are no longer with us! Your post inspires me to change my filter and to seek them out. Can’t wait to read your book about John Bonner Buck.

     By cinzialverde on January 14, 2022 at 9:55 am

477. What a brilliant idea, using obits for inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

     By rgstones on January 14, 2022 at 10:39 am

478. Morbid but useful

     By Rita Antoinette Borg on January 14, 2022 at 11:32 am

479. What an interesting post! I never would have thought of this. Thank you for sharing.

     By Abby Wooldridge on January 14, 2022 at 12:02 pm

480. What an interesting Idea. It never occurred to me to look for inspiration in obituaries. Thank you for the suggestions. T

     By Tanja Bauerle on January 14, 2022 at 12:23 pm

481. Love this idea! I’m not a habitual obit reader, but they often catch my eye – I’m going to dig deeper now.

     By Angela H. Dale on January 14, 2022 at 12:31 pm

482. For someone very interested in true crime and some more “dark” type things, I am surprised I’ve never considered checking out the obituaries. Great post!

     By Bethany Walker (@bookshelfofbeth) on January 14, 2022 at 12:32 pm

483. I’m working on a nonfiction biography right now – and haven’t read a single obituary written about her! Will definitely be looking them up. Thank you!

     By Shar on January 14, 2022 at 3:21 pm

484. Thanks Heidi for your totally unexpected post. I have never read the obituaries because I always associate them with death and sadness. You have opened my mind to a totally different way of seeing and analyzing, and for that I will be eternally grateful to you.
     Good luck in your future books research.
     As a teacher (recently retired) I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your Curriculum Guide for SAVING AMERICAN BEACH and your kind words “Teachers are at the frontline in educating, inspiring, and nurturing wonder in our children.”
     Go illuminate everybody with FLASH!

     By Eva NMN Felder on January 14, 2022 at 3:35 pm

485. This is perfect timing for a biography I’m working on now. Thanks!

     By Carrie Tillotson on January 14, 2022 at 4:36 pm

486. I love this idea, Heidi! I have a journalism background as well and am partial to non-fiction, but I’ve been writing fiction as well. We’ll see what gets picked up first! Thanks.

     By amyrsinn on January 14, 2022 at 4:54 pm

487. Talking to an elder will surprise you of what they may think of as “just the way it was back then” can trigger some wondferful writing ideas. I have checked old newspapers for stories that have given me ideas for PBs, even humorous ones. I have gone to funeral home sites to read what someone has written about the deceased in a rememberance. Obits are a great source. Thanks!

     By Marlena Leach on January 14, 2022 at 5:09 pm

488. Wow! Talk about interesting ways to get ideas. Congrats on SAVING AMERICAN BEACH. I love the cover!

     By Carol Gordon Ekster on January 14, 2022 at 6:01 pm

489. I have done a lot of writing exercises but can say that I have never thought of this! Thank you for sharing your creative idea.

     By Susan Schade on January 14, 2022 at 6:10 pm

490. Fascinating post! What a great way to find ideas.

     By Patricia Tilton on January 14, 2022 at 6:34 pm

491. Congratulations on your books – What an interesting idea (and I read the obits – as Carl Reiner says – if you are not in them, it’s a good sign for the day).

     By Stephanie Wildman on January 14, 2022 at 7:28 pm

492. I had two ideas just reading this post! Thanks, Heidi!

     By Kimberly Wilson on January 14, 2022 at 7:30 pm

493. I don’t think I would have EVER thought about regularly mining obituaries! Thanks for the idea, and I am excited about both of your books!

     By Jessica Fries-Gaither on January 14, 2022 at 7:50 pm

494. Fascinating! Thank you!

     By Michelle Kashinsky on January 14, 2022 at 9:42 pm

495. What a great idea, Heidi! This is a new source of inspiration for picture book writing. Thank you!

     By S. K. Wenger on January 14, 2022 at 9:46 pm

496. So many great ideas from this post! Thank you!!

     By Stephanie D Jones on January 14, 2022 at 10:22 pm

497. Thank you Heidi ❤️

     By EmmieRWerner on January 14, 2022 at 10:45 pm

498. I would never have thought of this Heidi! Many thanks!

     By Pauline Cleary on January 15, 2022 at 12:08 am

499. Absolute pure genius! Deeply grateful for your share, never would i have thought about obituries for extracting inspiration for stories.
     However, what a great idea I am imagining all the untold stories of many who lived amazing lives.
     Life is amazing!
     Thank you❤

     By Soul Healer 11.11 on January 15, 2022 at 6:45 am

500. Going to file that idea.

     By mimisheawrites on January 15, 2022 at 8:27 am

501. Very creative! These ideas are very helpful, I like the google alerts idea right in my inbox. Thank you.

     By Cassia Kouyoumdjian on January 15, 2022 at 9:01 am

502. Have you read “If you lived here I’d know your name” ?
     Your post reminded me of this story about an obituary and social column newspaper writer. On another note, I look through my ancestry.com account for cool info. Thanks for your ideas.

     By Eileen Saunders on January 15, 2022 at 10:06 am

503. Maira Kalman also spoke of the power of the obit. Macabre yet insightful.

     By topangamaria on January 15, 2022 at 11:29 am

504. Love this idea! I just found this gem in an obituary for Mary A. Pink Mulaney, “Put picky-eating children in the box at the bottom of the laundry chute, tell them they are hungry lions in a cage, and feed them veggies through the slats.”

     By Kristy Nuttall on January 15, 2022 at 11:30 am

505. Inspiration is EVERYWHERE!!

     By heathercmorris on January 15, 2022 at 11:41 am

506. I love this idea. Recently read an obituary where I really wish I had met this person.

     By Michele Helsel on January 15, 2022 at 11:51 am

507. What a wonderful idea for inspiration. I often read obituaries for people that make me want to know more. Even taking elements from different obits and blending could make from some interesting fiction.

     By littleseedsread on January 15, 2022 at 12:28 pm

508. Thanks for the post, Heidi. I been reading obituaries for a long time. Initially, because I’m just nosy, but now for naming ideas, interesting occupations, and family experiences. I love a good kidlit bio so I’ll be looking for your books.

     By mwolpin on January 15, 2022 at 12:53 pm

509. Thanks for a new way to find ideas!

     By Kirsten Leestma on January 15, 2022 at 2:32 pm

510. This is brilliant! I would never have thought about the incredible amount of info and inspiration you can find in obituaries.

     By Nazanin Ford on January 15, 2022 at 3:09 pm

511. Genius idea! Thank you for this golden nugget of advice.

     By https://katiewalsh.blog/ on January 15, 2022 at 4:07 pm

512. Love this idea! Thanks for sharing your secret, Heidi!

     By Janet Johnson on January 15, 2022 at 4:47 pm

513. Thank you for sharing your secrets with us.

     By Tootie Nienow on January 15, 2022 at 6:05 pm

514. Thank you sharing your secret with us!

     By Tootie Nienow on January 15, 2022 at 6:08 pm

515. Heidi,
     I had not thought of setting Google Alerts to collect information on topics that interest me. What a great idea to collect interesting information to write about. Thank you for that tip.

     By Debbie Meneses on January 15, 2022 at 6:51 pm

516. Absolutely fanTASTic suggestions, Heidi! Thank you!! 😀

     By writersideup on January 15, 2022 at 7:50 pm

517. There are some really great tips here. I’ll need to stop teasing my mother about starting her day by reading obituaries!

     By kbottagaro on January 15, 2022 at 8:19 pm

518. I have read some obits that are works of art, not your ordinary dry, chronological list of achievements. They are filled with heart and emotion and tenderness. Really good writing.Thank you for the reminder to look in unusual places 🙂

     By cathystenquist on January 15, 2022 at 9:17 pm

519. Wow! That was interesting. Death related news are, also, a good source of information.

     By Zoraida Rivera on January 15, 2022 at 10:07 pm

520. What a great idea and a great way to honour someones life.

     By sharongiltrow on January 16, 2022 at 2:03 am

521. Productive inspiration! Thanks to you I’m already on my way to a new exciting project. Much appreciated! The real obituary here is “writer’s block.”

     By cravevsworld on January 16, 2022 at 5:46 am

522. I, too feel compelled to read obits. With people I know, I always learn new details and with those I don’t know, I get a snap shot of their life. Sometimes I find a connection to them in a family member who I know or a shared interest. I always learn something by reading them. Thanks for your inspiration.

     By Debbi G on January 16, 2022 at 12:13 pm

523. Hadn’t considered this idea before today 😊. Thanks for sharing.

     By Diane Mittler on January 16, 2022 at 12:26 pm

524. What a fantastic idea! I’ve long read obituaries with fascination, but not before connected this practice to mining for story ideas. Thank you!

     By Dawn Prochovnic on January 16, 2022 at 12:46 pm

525. What a different perspective, thanks for the suggestion.

     By Jan Milusich on January 16, 2022 at 12:55 pm

526. Thank you, Heidi, for this suggestion. Obituaries certainly do offer a summary of what was important or meaningful to people in their lives. I think writing about someone’s life that would typically be lost to history might be a project I’d like to try.

     By Michelle Losardo on January 16, 2022 at 1:27 pm

527. I really connected to this post. Thank you! What a way to honor people, their legacies, and inspire the next gens.

     By Dea Brayden on January 16, 2022 at 2:20 pm

528. I wouldn’t have thought to look there but I mean when you think about it, that is exactly what the obit is! Brilliant. I have several versions of my own obit. Now that I know authors are looking there for inspiration I think I’ll have to beef up my next draft.

     By chrisynthia on January 16, 2022 at 3:58 pm

529. OOOOH girl, this was fantastic!! Great post and got the creative juices flowing.

     By Tara Shiroff on January 16, 2022 at 4:44 pm

530. Brilliant! This is a genius way to look for ideas.

     By Carolyn Kraft on January 16, 2022 at 4:44 pm

531. What a fantastic idea! This is truly gold.

     By katrinadreamer on January 16, 2022 at 5:46 pm

532. I like the idea of using obituaries to create compelling characters.

     By Susan Cabael on January 16, 2022 at 6:45 pm

533. Can’t wait to read this story!

     By H. Abigail Perry on January 16, 2022 at 7:32 pm

534. I’ve never been a fan of the obits but I shall read them with new eyes.

     By Jane Baskwill on January 16, 2022 at 7:32 pm

535. My mom is not a writer, but she reads the obituaries every day to honor the members of the community. I’ll have to ask her to start saving the unusual ones for me.

     By Jocelyn Rish on January 16, 2022 at 7:36 pm

536. Ooh! If I can’t think of a name for a character, I’ve been known to “borrow” names from headstones in the graveyard where I walk.

     By Tamara Ann Alba on January 16, 2022 at 8:57 pm

537. I’ve often thought about perusing graveyards to find names and dates and wonder about the person’s life – but not once have I thought of obituaries! Genius. Thank you so much for sharing.

     By Kellie on January 16, 2022 at 9:45 pm

538. What an interesting idea! Years ago, when I was working for a bank in Dallas, I would often spend my lunch time visiting a centuries old cemetery located down the street from the bank. I would read the names and wonder about the wonderful lives they must have lived. It’s a shame I didn’t write down some of those names and epitaphs…

     Great post!

     By storycatcherpublishing on January 16, 2022 at 10:12 pm

539. Honestly, I put off doing this one for a few days and was very skeptical about looking at obits but… you were so right! Fascinating! Wow!

     By Marlene Wurfel on January 16, 2022 at 10:39 pm

540. I would never have thought to read the obituaries for ideas. Love it! Thanks for sharing!

     By Tonya K. Grant on January 17, 2022 at 12:00 am

541. Fascinating! Thanks!

     By libbydemmon on January 17, 2022 at 12:17 am

542. I never would have thought to look at obituaries. But I will now!

     By Angela Turner on January 17, 2022 at 1:37 am

543. I never in a million years would have thought to use this method to help curate ideas. Thanks for sharing!!

     By Acamy Schleikorn on January 17, 2022 at 3:26 am

544. Thanks for sharing. An idea I never would’ve thought of.

     By Aimee Jenkins on January 17, 2022 at 11:08 am

545. Great idea! Obits for inspiration!

     By Dina Towbin on January 17, 2022 at 11:51 am

546. Thanks for sharing your idea research! Great post.

     By littleredstoryshed on January 17, 2022 at 11:57 am

547. Such an interesting post. I was trying to focus on more fiction ideas this year, but the NF seeds keep coming. thanks

     By Joanne Roberts on January 17, 2022 at 1:01 pm

548. What a unique idea!

     By Alexis_Bookdragon on January 17, 2022 at 1:07 pm

549. Wow! I NEVER would have thought to look at obits! Thanks

     By kidlitgail on January 17, 2022 at 3:16 pm

550. “Write in the genre that’s comfortable to you.” Thanks–I love that!

     By deniseaengle on January 17, 2022 at 5:27 pm

551. This blog is The. Best. New info that’s practical, useful, and unique. You had me at HTL Finds Inspiration in the Obituaries! 🙂

     By Joyce Schriebman on January 17, 2022 at 5:36 pm

552. What a clever idea! Love it – can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing!

     By kbrandyberry on January 17, 2022 at 5:58 pm

553. Wow, that’s one place I never would have thought to look! Thanks for the great suggestion.

     By Jacqueline Adams on January 17, 2022 at 6:09 pm

554. Oooo, set search engine to work for me, I’d forgotten that! Thanks for your other great tips too. Take care!

     By Charlene Avery on January 17, 2022 at 6:41 pm

555. Thank you for sharing your secret with us!

     By mindfulmiro on January 17, 2022 at 8:36 pm

556. Wow! I would’ve never thought of looking at obits! Thanks for sharing.

     By sandrabyrdlawson on January 17, 2022 at 10:29 pm

557. Brilliant idea! I walk my dog through an old cemetery near where I live. It’s a great source of names — and imaginings of what their lives might have been.

     By sharonkdal on January 18, 2022 at 2:14 am

558. What a great resource! I actually have a WIP that came from an obituary but this is definitely something I’ll be doing more regularly. Thank you!

     By Leila Boukarim on January 18, 2022 at 5:52 am

559. What a great insight! Thanks for sharing!

     By joanapastro on January 18, 2022 at 9:41 am

560. I love google alerts- I am morbidly excited to try this out

     By kaitlinsikeswrites on January 18, 2022 at 10:43 am

561. Ohhh this is so clever and I can’t wait to try it.

     By Allison Strick (she/her) (@byallisonstrick) on January 18, 2022 at 10:47 am

562. Inspiring tip, thank you! Would also be a good daily reminder of our shared commonalities & human experiences.

     By Crystal ES on January 18, 2022 at 11:50 am

563. Obits! Never thought of that. Great idea.

     By Mary A Zychowicz on January 18, 2022 at 11:56 am

564. Great ideas – thank you!💗

     By Shelly Hawley-Yan on January 18, 2022 at 1:13 pm

565. Good Ideas.

     By Kassy Keppol on January 18, 2022 at 3:09 pm

566. I love obits! It’s so satisfying to see the greatness in everyday people’s lives. Thanks for the tip on Google Alerts. I can see lots of ways to use that. Thanks.

     By Christine Pinto on January 18, 2022 at 4:25 pm

567. I’ve never set a Google Alert. Off to Google the how-to!

     By Wendy Greenley on January 18, 2022 at 5:17 pm

568. What great ideas for finding ideas! Thanks so much!

     By Rebecca Gardyn Levington on January 18, 2022 at 10:44 pm

569. I’m dying to try this out. Plan to check out the obits in the NYT tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your idea.

     By Judith Snyder on January 19, 2022 at 1:05 am

570. Very interesting idea to search obituaries! Reminds me a little of family tree research and finding little gems like news articles about ancestors and the way they wrote the news with a bit of commentary almost like an editorial. Some fascinating story ideas in those! Thanks for the tips- I have to jot down these ideas…

     By Huyen on January 19, 2022 at 2:34 am

571. My mom found herself in the obituaries once (at least someone with the same name)! Sounds like a great place to find a story.

     By Lisa Kingsford on January 19, 2022 at 3:57 am

572. very interesting; sometimes i scan the obits, but I never thought of finding a story in them.

     By hansenjc13 on January 19, 2022 at 8:21 am

573. It’s absolutely true that some people’s stories deserve to be told. I started some time ago collecting and writing down stories and anecdotes that interested me, often about family members from the past, or even complete strangers. I have already used several in poems and one in a picture book.

     By Shan O’Shea on January 19, 2022 at 8:28 am

574. I read obituaries at times. I feel like there are so many people we have never met that have such interesting stories. Thanks for the advice.

     By JC on January 19, 2022 at 10:14 am

575. I will have to check out the obituary page!

     By Bettie Boswell on January 19, 2022 at 11:45 am

576. When reading about reading obits sparks an idea. Thanks!

     By Jolie Stekly on January 19, 2022 at 1:18 pm

577. Great advice for scanning the obits! Thank you!

     By Jane Dippold (@janedippold) on January 19, 2022 at 2:06 pm

578. Thanks for the tips!

     By streetlynn on January 19, 2022 at 5:47 pm

579. Wow! I remember having to read obits when I interned at a financial advisor… but reading for inspiration and celebration of life feels much more

     By Lauri Meyers on January 19, 2022 at 6:13 pm

580. I have a manuscript of a famous man who has since passed and I have rewritten it in so many formats and approaches! It has personal connections and you have suggested ways that it could be improved again! Thank you!

     By syorkeviney on January 19, 2022 at 7:00 pm

581. I don’t write biographies, but I bet obituaries include a lot of interesting details that could be used in other types of picture books.

     By Janet Frenck Sheets on January 19, 2022 at 7:22 pm

582. Now I need to learn how to set a google alert!!! I never would have thought to use obituaries for inspirations!!! Thank you!

     By Saba Negash on January 19, 2022 at 10:04 pm

583. I never considered this, but it sounds worthwhile. Even if the person’s life doesn’t spark a story, you will have read about a fellow human.

     By Megan McNamara on January 20, 2022 at 2:42 am

584. What an interesting way to brainstorm! Thank you!

     By Nicole Loos Miller on January 20, 2022 at 9:17 am

585. I love your idea of reading obits, and can’t wait to set up a search for nuggets of non-fiction to write about. Thank you!

     By writeknit on January 20, 2022 at 2:01 pm

586. Wow! I never would have thought of reading obits to get ideas. But you are right. Ordinary people do extraordinary things every day. Thanks!

     By Caren Cantrell on January 20, 2022 at 7:57 pm

587. This is a cool idea!

     By Angie Isaacs on January 20, 2022 at 8:09 pm

588. I love mining obituaries. What a fascinating reads. I love your other ideas for how to use them too beyond ideas. Nice concise upbeat tone writing!

     By Kelly Rice Schmitt on January 20, 2022 at 8:58 pm

589. I love Saving Savannah Beach. We’ve sold a number of copies at our little bookstore in Boulder, CO. What was your secret sauce in pitching an idea that has sub-themes of environmentalism? I’d love to know more about how you pitched this book and how you overcame any difficulties. Beautiful work!

     By Jo Raderstorf on January 21, 2022 at 10:46 am

590. A truly inspiring idea to look for role models reading through obits. Thank you for pointing in that direction!

     By Meena on January 21, 2022 at 2:21 pm

591. Thank you!

     By 🇵🇪 Sara Fajardo 🇺🇸 (@safajarwrites) on January 22, 2022 at 8:02 am

592. I’ve never considered reading an obituary for fun.

     By Kris H on January 22, 2022 at 9:38 pm

593. I never thought that obituaries could be such a great source of inspiration! Thanks so much.

     By Dani Duck on January 23, 2022 at 2:49 am

594. I used to be a journalist and in slow moments I used to love reading the obits that were drafted ready for broadcast when the time came. I wish I still had access to these today! They were fascinating.

     By Emma Wood on January 23, 2022 at 7:04 am

595. This just shows that inspiration for a story can be anywhere! Thank you!

     By Susanne Whitehouse on January 23, 2022 at 9:35 am

596. Thanks for sharing your treasure trove

     By KATHY Z PRICE on January 23, 2022 at 12:04 pm

597. I bet you find the most interesting of stories and lives! You also find a treasure trove of great names to use for future characters!!

     By Kim Gutierrez on January 23, 2022 at 5:21 pm

598. Thank you for the unique idea!

     By Jen Walsh on January 24, 2022 at 11:58 am

599. This proves that inspiration can be found everywhere.

     By Lori Mozdzierz on January 24, 2022 at 1:36 pm

600. Great tips! Thank you!

     By Abraham Schroeder on January 24, 2022 at 4:17 pm

601. Thanks for this! I love obits. As a teen growing up in New York City I attended a few funerals I read about in the newspaper. I sat next to Walter Cronkite at John Steinbeck’s funeral where Henry Fonda read from The Grapes of Wrath.

     By Naomi Danis on January 24, 2022 at 7:03 pm

602. I never would have thought of the obituaries, but it seems so obvious now! Thank you for sharing!

     By Devyn on January 24, 2022 at 10:03 pm

603. This is such an interesting idea!

     By Federico Erebia / F. Jordan Erebia (@FedericoErebia) on January 25, 2022 at 10:10 am

604. Ooh, google alerts! 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Heidi!

     By Sheri Dillard on January 25, 2022 at 10:17 am

605. This is one of my favorite blog entries ever. Thank you!

     By Brian Burak on January 25, 2022 at 1:18 pm

606. A fascinating approach to writing!

     By Rebecca Guzinski on January 25, 2022 at 8:14 pm

607. Mining for gold in the obits. Brilliant!

     By Lucky Jo Boscarino on January 25, 2022 at 9:11 pm

608. I love reading obituaries and send the good ones to my adult kids! I guess I am hoping mine will be as interesting?! 😉

     By Mary Beth Rice on January 25, 2022 at 11:59 pm

609. “Don’t forget to delve into the archives for the forgotten stories of people who deserve to be known.” Love this reminder for highlighting and celebrating the lives of those who have gone before, particularly those who no longer have anyone to grieve for them…

     By Aman on January 26, 2022 at 1:07 am

610. “Don’t forget to delve into the archives for the forgotten stories of people who deserve to be known.” A gentle reminder for highlighting and celebrating the lives of those who have gone before us, particularly those who no longer have anyone to grieve for them…

     By Amanda on January 26, 2022 at 1:11 am

611. Love this!

     By Adam Blackman on January 26, 2022 at 9:29 am

612. What a beautiful concept … reading obituaries to find unsung heroes, then bringing their stories to life.

     By suzannepoulterharris on January 26, 2022 at 2:30 pm

613. It’s so nice to hear a fellow obit reader’s take on why they’re fascinating and often inspiring reading. Thanks for the breakdown on how useful they can be for learning how to glean the essence of a person in just a few hundred words.

     By goodreadswithronna on January 26, 2022 at 3:14 pm

614. Thank you. What a fantastic idea. I never thought about writing a non fiction picture book, but this post has inspired me to do so.

     By Andrea on January 28, 2022 at 11:31 am

615. I love the idea of using obituaries to inspire us to celebrate the existence of people who have passed. Thank you.

     By Melissa Hastings on January 29, 2022 at 11:37 am

616. What a unique, fascinating idea! I just love this, especially the tips about using obituaries to hone craft, and the one about setting Google alerts. Thank you!

     By LaurenKerstein on January 29, 2022 at 1:48 pm

617. Fabulous, just fabulous.

     By susan gruidel on January 29, 2022 at 3:07 pm

618. I too love obituaries. How does one set up a Google Alert? Something new to learn. Thank you.

     By setwiggs on January 29, 2022 at 9:41 pm

619. I heard about using obits, but you really focused in on individuals who did important things that no one heard of.

     By riverwoods21 on January 29, 2022 at 11:07 pm

620. Really great tips! Thank you so much, Heidi.

     By kirstenpendreigh on January 30, 2022 at 1:42 pm

621. I had not thought of obituaries as a way to scout out new ideas. Thank you!

     By kathryn hagen on January 30, 2022 at 3:13 pm

622. Thank you for the advice.

     By Yaa on January 30, 2022 at 3:46 pm

623. Thank you so much for the idea. I often get pulled into reading interesting obituaries when I’m researching totally unrelated things. (Googling any name always brings up obituaries, it seems!) What a great idea to mine that for inspiration.

     By Anna Brooks on January 30, 2022 at 3:49 pm

624. Thanks for the great suggestions. I will definitely try the Google Alerts!

     By Anyuka- Ilona Holland on January 30, 2022 at 4:21 pm

625. Thank you for sharing Heidi – such a unique way to brainstorm! 🙂

     By Mina on January 30, 2022 at 8:44 pm

626. Thank you for the unique suggestion!

     By Krista Maxwell on January 30, 2022 at 9:49 pm

627. Its amazing to read about the lives people have lead that can spark a story idea or character development

     By Ana Archi on January 31, 2022 at 12:05 pm

628. Thank you for sharing!

     By nataliemoralesbooks on January 31, 2022 at 6:49 pm

629. Very interesting! Thank you!

     By matike2209 on January 31, 2022 at 7:13 pm

630. Great ideas thanks!

     By angelapadron on January 31, 2022 at 10:15 pm

631. What an original idea, for PB inspiration, to check the obituaries!

     By Jennifer Broedel on January 31, 2022 at 11:20 pm

632. Many times when flipping through the paper I stop and read the obituaries. I have always felt that everyone deserves his or her life to be acknowledged and honored in some way. I love this method for finding undiscovered or unknown people and areas of interest that could use more light shown on them.

     By Kristin Sawyer on February 1, 2022 at 12:17 am

633. Is it weird that I love the idea of being inspired by obituaries so much? I’ve always loved reading them to learn more about people, even if I never met them. Thanks for sharing, Heidi!

     By Terri Sabol on February 1, 2022 at 1:40 am

634. Wow! Talk about stretching horizons. This is new for me. Thank you.

     By Azra Rahim on February 1, 2022 at 6:19 am

635. Wow, so fascinating and makes so much sense, thank you!

     By Sylvia Chen on February 1, 2022 at 4:20 pm

636. This is one I can honestly say I have never heard before but it’s so creative–the obituaries! I’m gonna give it a try.

     By Jennifer Hunt on February 1, 2022 at 5:48 pm

637. I love this idea of reading obituaries for interesting life stories.

     By Janel Caverly on February 2, 2022 at 9:45 am

638. Families must be tickled to have the legacy of their dead relative further acknowldeged.

     By Anne Young on February 2, 2022 at 2:13 pm

639. I l have perused obits for decades and have found many to be uplifting and some are fountains of humor. The tributes in the guest books atre also very enlightening! Thanks for this refreshing article.

     By James Stone on February 7, 2022 at 8:35 am

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