What to Write?

Ever stuck for what to write?
If you find yourself mocked by a blank sheet of white electronic paper consider these sources:

Do you journal?

Case Study:

Mary Claybon has been keeping journals her entire life. She has shelves and shelves full of them. As a wellness coach, she often goes to these notebooks and latches onto a great theme for her reading public - which is becoming immense, I might add. She writes regularly for Infinity magazine, and even made the cover story in their recent publication.

Do you have a hobby?

Case Study:

Jeannette Ramirez, poet, (that's me) loves to "play in the software." Sometimes, to relax, I'll experiment with graphics programs to see what kind of nifty bells and whistles I can use to jazz up my websites with images. I found this method for turning a photograph into a pen and ink graphic, and used that whiz-bang procedure to write about coloring pages (which, incidentally, is a great keyword for a website). My hobby inspired a theme for a web page that a visitor - looking for something to entertain the kiddies - may find useful.

Alternatively, an entrepreneurial young Mom might decide to try making coloring books herself with her own website - and wouldn't that synergy make the world a more interesting place?

Case Study:

Maureen Conlan, accomplished editor and journalist, engages in crafts - she makes gorgeous dolls out of recycled materials. Her hobby provides her with endless possibilities for her web pages, and she uses that effectively.

Incensed by an editorial?

If an editorial raises the hairs on the back of your nec, here's a chance to get those valuable "clips." You could be a guest editor if you are knowledgeable in that field, or, alternatively, a letter to the editor>

Wouldn't that be a great topic to research? Couldn't your adrenaline spur you to heights never before encountered in your writing life?

What book did you just finish reading?

You've just spent hours of your life reading someone else's material. While it's still fresh, why not turn your time investment into an article about it? Surely, you can get 1000 words about that theme out of the 200,000 or so you just read.

What's your bag?

And though this is obvious, however you make your livelihood is a fantastic resource for turning your expertise into the written word. This is your turf. You know what to write as the authority - 'nuff said.

Do you know how to do something?

Okay, that's a trick question. Of COURSE you know how to do something. Aside from careers and hobbies, maybe you know how to rewire a lamp? Change the oil in your car? Sew on a button? Or, like Dottie Rockel (link below) maybe you can offer a procedure for dealing with tons of family photographs to find what to write about.

Go through your files

Sometimes we forget those nuts we have squirreled away in the file cabinet. In mine, there is a four inch file that accumulated during the year of my daughter's wedding. If I wanted to write an article about "Planning Your Wedding" - which, today, I don't - I would be good to go for what to write.

And don't forget your electronic files while you're at it.

Use life situations

Human interest pieces

Guest writer, Anthony Popov, recalls a poignant memory on his first schoolbus trip in kindergarden. Human intersest pieces are enduring and very salable.

Case Study:

Author Jeannette Ramirez was called to task by an irate gent for an alleged shopping cart infraction (see the link below). It made for a pretty funny short story.

This is the hub page for exploring sources of inspiration for writing themes. You are invited to add your own ideas about this through the contact form on the navigation bar.

More on what to write. Dottie Rockel turns home organizing into a great "how to" page.

Check out the theme, very funny short stories, to see how everyday events can inspire.

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