32 of 49

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

just interesting (or could potentially be). Don't overlook things you have in drawers, cabinets, or anywhere else. Move your mental scanning out to your neighborhood and town. Consider the latest issues or concerns. Mental scanning can work because the things that come to mind as you move from one place to the next are usually the things that most stand out to you.

If scanning "all of life" doesn't yield some immediate ideas it may be helpful to take a more in-depth look at some of the things you passed by during mental scanning. Essentially, this is a kind of "secondary scanning" to use if/when the "primary scanning" technique didn't yield any ideas.

Whether it's something as complex as a social issue on your mind or as simple as a loaf of bread, bring it into focus and think as many possible writing angles as you can. Something like a loaf of bread wouldn't seem to offer much to write about, but if you think about it a little more something so simple can offer a wealth of ideas: how it's made, how to save money buying it, ways to serve it, breads that offer the best nutrition, or how to make it. Think a little more, and ideas may include how well one or several bread companies are doing today, which countries make the most bread, or bread-making machines. More thinking may yield memories of the rolls your mother always served at Thanksgiving, which may lead to your memory of that Thanksgiving when your uncle had a heart attack, which may then lead you to decide to write about heart disease.

It can sound over-simplified to say that mental scanning for (sometimes seemingly meaningless) things usually results in ideas for writing, but that's because these ordinary things, alone, are not ideas/inspiration for writing. They are only the seeds, and you - with all your experiences, memories, curiosity, knowledge, emotions, thoughts, and whatever else you have to bring to writing - are the one who can cultivate and nurture those seeds into bountiful garden blooming with great ideas. As with most gardening, finding the seeds is not usually much of a problem. The trick is in knowing the steps it takes, and the climate required, for making them grow.

Learn more about this author, Lisa H Warren.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about How to find writing ideas?
We want to hear your view. Write now!