by Mel Mcintyre

Created on: October 27, 2010

Ever heard the phrase “write about what you know”? That's one way to get your article writing career started.

Write about your own experiences, your hobbies, any talents you might have, and so on. Perhaps you're a musician, a photographer, or a teacher. You might have a knack for fixing car engines. Maybe you're a fabulous dancer. Whatever it is you know about can become the basis for an article.

If you'd rather start with something less personal, that's fine. It's easy to find things to write about once you know where to look. Here are some areas for research that are positively brimming over with potential:

* Newspapers and magazines
* Books
* Photo collections
* Searching online
* TV and Internet news stories
* Public holidays
* Trips you've been on
* Conversations you've overheard
* Courses you've taken
* Jobs you've done
* Your favorite hobbies
* Your favorite style of clothes

And so on.

Anything you've done or have an opinion about can give you material for an article. Sit down and make a simple list of whatever comes to mind. Then take that list and put it into some kind of order, ready to expand on when you're set to start writing.

A Good Book

Another way to find a topic for your article is to open the dictionary at a random page. Choose any word on the page that excites you, and see if it will provide you with enough material for a 500-word piece. You can choose a word directly, look for a word you think might make an interesting article, or select a word you're unfamiliar with. Then search online for definitions, synonyms and related words, usage, etc. until you feel comfortable that you know enough to write about it.

Sometimes the way you think about things can make a difference. For instance, if you're stuck for something to write about, consider writing an article from the opposite point of view.

Using Opposites As Article Ideas

Here are a few examples of how opposites can give you grist for your article mill:

* Your favorite place OR your least favorite place
* A food that you love OR a food that you hate
* Falling in love OR dealing with a breakup
* A person you admire OR a person you despise
* The joys of travel OR the trials of travel
* How to eat healthy food OR how unhealthy food can hurt you
* How stress can damage your health OR how to avoid stress and stay healthy

You get the picture.

Be Inspired By Others

Another easy way to find article ideas is by reading existing articles, either your own articles or articles written by someone else. Read carefully and decide whether or not you can write an article on the same topic from another point of view. Or perhaps you might be able to elaborate on one specific point made by the author. You could even rewrite the article as a different type of article altogether, such as turning a list article into a how-to article.

Whatever you do, be certain that you rewrite the article in your own words. Using another article as a springboard for your own ideas is fine, as long as you respect the original author's work and intellectual property.

Plagiarism is evil, nasty, and downright disrespectful. Unless you live in a vacuum where nothing ever happens, you should have little trouble finding something to write about. When you do, make sure it's the “genuine” article.

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