“We always reach out to commenters,” said Meghan Keane, editorial director for women’s sites, including Crushable and Blisstree. Keane’s writers and editors often ask commenters to tell stories in their own unique way, either by writing it themselves or telling it to a staff writer.

“We want to reach out to people who will make stories interesting,” she added.

And remember to scope out the boards for sites you don’t write for, too. Often, the readers themselves will reveal the hidden angle from an article, what a sports reporter should have really asked an athlete, or the biggest WTF moment of the latest season of True Blood. Question forums like Quora and LinkedIn Groups can also shed insight into what’s on everyone’s minds. Keep digging and digging until you find a subject so deliciously niche that your editor just can’t say no.

Get seven more sources of inspiration in 8 Places to Find Your Next Story.

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