by nissa_amas_katoj

Created on: November 15, 2008

This is a very wide topic, and I will assume that the reader is most interested in finding a novel subject which he himself is capable of writing about and that will sell to a publisher. And sometimes those two goals- what one can write about, and what will sell- seem like they can't be united.

First let us dispose of some bad subjects that are sometimes recommended. There is the 'me-too' novel topic, which works like this: we discover a novel that is wildly popular, such as the Harry Potter books right now, and decide it might be clever to write a similar book. The problem is that all publishers are being flooded with Harry Potter-type books right now, most of them poorly written, and will probably not even consider any of them.

Another trap is that of the current hot topic. The problem here is the time delay from idea to finished novel, and from finished novel to book in print. It will be years before your hot topic novel hits the shelves and by then, the hot topic will be an overexposed topic that bookstores avoid like the plague.

The key to finding a good novel topic for yourself is to avoid the 'me-too' and hot topic trends, and find what works for you as an individual. That's what most of the current crop of best selling authors did. Remember, you are better at being yourself than anyone else is, so go with your strength.

First, what are your experiences of life and areas of knowledge? If you had a very ordinary upbringing in Tacoma, Washington, you have a different set of experiences than someone with an ordinary upbringing in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. If you work as a medical technician you have a different knowledge set than a computer repairman. You can also use the things you have learned through your hobbies and daily activities to make your fiction into something that is one-of-a-kind and special.

Next, look at some of the books you have been reading, especially those not on the best seller lists. What genres of fiction do you prefer? What type of books do you like within the genre? Pick out a few of your top favorite books and do an internet search on the author. Find out about the author's life history so you can see how he uses his own areas of knowledge and interest in his fiction. And start to think about how you, with your own different life experiences, would have written the story differently.

At this point you should be able to see some possible novel subjects that awaken your enthusiasm and will make use of your unique set of knowledge and experience. Write them down and play with them in your mind for a while, and you will likely come up with a subject that is just the right one for you.

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