Dunning-Kruger Farts in a Jar: Finding Inspiration in Headlines

by Amy Cipolla Barnes

Prachi Palwe

Farts in a jar. A reality show celebrity has been selling her farts in a jar. For nearly $1000. She recently had to stop because she nearly caused herself a heart attack trying to make more “materials” to sell. It’s wrong on many levels. And yet, even in the wrongness, I found my writer/self reading the full accompanying article. I also found myself wondering who buys such a thing, who sells such a thing, and how does such a thing make the news to be read in the first place. Why would this woman not just fake the jar contents? Who reads this headline while doom scrolling and makes a mental note to create a story out of it? The last answer: me. The other questions, who knows?

Outside of D-List celebrity farts in a jar, I’m perpetually fascinated and inspired by headlines. Whether I’m correcting the grammar and easily-misread word issues or copy/pasting into my notes file, headlines often become story prompts. By the time I circle back to the notes, I’ve often forgotten why the headline sparked my interest, and it becomes a gift from past-me.

I was recently drawn to articles about people with bones that fold in on themselves, women who fold clothes for other women in the suburbs and folding sun shades for space vehicles. Note the emphasis on folding: there’s a bit of Dunning-Kruger Effect in play. My brain alerted me over and over again to articles with folding things in the headlines until I finally wrote this opening sentence for “Origami Wars,” published at Janus Literary. The original headline and article was literally about a man with folded bones. My subsequent story turned surreal from the first sentence.

“My father sleeps skeleton-folded in a closet box. His face is pressed against his knees, a jumble of paper bones and battles, neck bone connects to the thigh bone connects to the hand bone.”

Not all of my inspirations smell bad. My upcoming story at Ruby Lit is titled “Breathing Cake.” Its inspiration came from headlines about baker’s asthma, lung cakes for one-year transplant anniversaries, and omental cakes. My long-suffering characters probably hate me for the folding bones and lungs full of cake that I inflict upon them. However, finding inspiration in the more grounded news stories (however odd) helps me to also ground my surreal storytelling, just enough. By starting with reality (or a reality star) as guidance, there is a kernel of that reality that stays at the heart of the story.

While I might not end up writing about farts in a jar, the idea of something nefarious or ne-fart-ious in a jar may make it into a future flash. Today, I read the Pope said people that have dogs instead of kids are selfish. There’s definitely a story there to put in my imaginary jar of ideas.

A prompting:

As you write into the new year, consider using doom scrolling for good. Take note of interesting headlines. Copy and paste them into your notes app. Write them in your journal or day planner. Leave them there to simmer (unless there are actual farts involved — empty those inspiration jars outside.) Come back and look for the story beyond the headline. If you’re stuck, try starting a story with the headline as opening line. Look at that headline/opening line again. And then — take it to the next level.

As an example, go back to the Pope and dogs and babies and ask yourself some questions.

“The Pope thinks people who have dogs instead of kids are selfish.”

Does the Pope think people are giving birth to dogs? Does the Pope keep a dog in a baby carriage? Does his imaginary dog get to ride in the Popemobile and hang its head out of the window? Does the Popemobile smell like dog farts? Does the Pope keep his dog’s farts in a jar? If he does, are they considered holy? Are they for sale in the papal gift shop? Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Take the headlines and be reverent or irreverent with them. Write character back stories. Write an ending line instead of an opener. Create surreal worlds for real people or new surreal ones. Headline prompts are there for the taking, and the writing!