Strategies For Finding Topics To Write About

By Dan J. Fry
Posted Tuesday, December 14, 2004

What possibly could I have to write about? I never was good at it anyway. It doesn't matter how hard I try, I just sit and stare and stare at a blank screen.

Sound familiar? Don't worry. We all have gone through this. It happens to me periodically. If you experience this at any point, it is a good signal that you need a change in creative direction. Here are a few tips to help you find topics to write about and get your creative juices flowing.

I personally like to write with pen and paper. For one, I can take it anywhere. Well, o.k. with a laptop you can take it almost where ever you wish as well. But, when the battery is gone and there is not a single electrical outlet in sight, I will still be sitting there writing until I get my fill.

You periodically need to change your scenery. This always helps me. If I am at a block, I get up, take pen and paper and head out of the house. I frequent outdoor cafes when I can. The openness and fresh air helps me think. You can also just try a different part of your house.

I try to at least keep a notebook, or sticky notes somewhere within reach at every point in the day. Why? Ideas usually come to me when I am not at my desk. One of the best ways I have developed to find new topics is to spend what I call "routine task time" thinking about recent articles I have read. Routine task time is the time you spend washing dishes, cleaning, driving home(of course pay attention to the road here as well!), etc. Make use of this time i you can.

Write down any idea that comes to mind. Don't worry about whether is seems reasonable at the moment. You will edit and refine later if need be. More than likely you will throw away half of the ideas you come up with. You'll find however that these ideas bring out other topics that you may never have thought about.

Go to the web. I can't stress this enough. Need new topics? See what other people are writing about. Try (www.CNet.com), or any other internet / technology or business website to find the new hot topics. Are you writing about hobbies? Check out the top hobby sites. Don't hesitate to use the internet and what others are doing to keep your writing up to par.

Writing articles for your own E-Zine or to be published elsewhere for advertising is the most powerful resource for promoting your online business. Practice it, develop it, prune it. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. This is the most prized resource that you can pull from to succeed online.

About the Author
Dan J. Fry is an independent researcher and owner of e-Kinetic.com, a site devoted to providing resources for small budget home businesses. He has a PhD in Physics and is married with two daughters and two cats. Subscribe to his free E-Zine on home business resources at mailto:e-kinetic@GetResponse.com or by visiting his site at (http://www.e-kinetic.com). He can be reached at mailto:comp@e-kinetic.com.