By Marcus McGee June 16, 2021
In the News…
Reading the News
As conscious content creators, we apply an added filter when considering the news, and yet it is easy to get so caught up in political opinions and personal convictions that we miss incredible stories and novel ideas that are staring right back at us, begging to be written or developed. We only have to let go and channel the creative nature within. Instead of struggling to find something provocative or shocking to bring to the world, we should focus on the ordinary and everyday, and make something novel of them. Henry David Thoreau said it most properly — The only thing that you can grow is the thing you give energy to. With the right filter and lens, the daily news can be the source of your best ideas, your greatest work, since every great work of fiction is nothing less than a shadow cast by non-fiction.
For example, we might consider standing back apace and taking it all in, synthesizing from that greater perspective. So what’s in the news today? Well, we’ve got cyber hackers using ransomware to successfully extort the world’s richest and most powerful business entities for millions of dollars, and these companies pay up, despite being urged by their governments to resist doing so. Multiple news sources are also reporting record high temperatures that will affect lives of hundreds of millions across the globe, literally changing the face of Earth in terms of population. Many news commentators insist that global warming, for whatever reason it exists, will lead to extreme conditions in many places, leading to flood and drought, to famine and pestilence. In many places, fresh, clean water for drinking, agriculture and environment will become more valuable than gold.
Do we see an opportunity for a story here, from these news stories that might initially seem unrelated? As content creators, what if we found a way to connect these separate news stories and synthesize something completely new and provocative in terms of how many people who have been affected by these stories will relate to original content based on these relatable issues?
Here we go: H2O — We begin with a group of cyber hackers who are forward thinking, who realize that clean, fresh water is perhaps Earth’s greatest commodity. The origin or nationality of this hacker group is not as important as where they live–in a region where fresh water is abundant and self-sustaining. Global warming and the environment provide the pressure on their targets as limited water supplies shrink and dry up. The cyber group provides added pressure by hacking into the computers controlling filtration in local water supplies, the dams, reservoirs, water districts, etc. Ultimately, the new entity attains a level of control of 40% of the Earth’s fresh water supply, pitting nation against nation, and corporate entity against corporate entity. Perhaps the project answers the questions: Is there a limit to human greed and selfishness? Is there a point when something greater must prevail? Just an idea off the top of my head. But I get something like this every day when I read the news.
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate approved legislation that will make “Juneteenth” a national and federal holiday. If you have to ask what Juneteenth is, you probably need to read more news, but I will provide an explanation in greater detail on June 18, after the legislation passes in the House and the President signs it into law.
Personal note: When I wrote Alberta in 2016 as a fictional work, my main sources came from contemporary news. The story involved an OLM (Our Lives Matter), abuses by law enforcement, conspiracy theories, political intrigue and a character, Justin Luck, the billionaire businessman whose ambition is to foment a second Civil War in America. A secondary storyline involves the issue of “personhood.” Give it a read. For anyone who would like a free personal eBook copy, please email me a request.
While I am working on becoming a competent blogger, I realize that your comments and sharing are necessary to the growth of this post. If a news story has ever inspired creation of content for you, please share your experience here, and share with us how to support you by purchasing your work. Let’s make each other successful! I look forward to your shares.