Choosing a Good Topic to Write About

"What do I write about?" is a question that probably all writers ask themselves when faced with a blank page or a writer’s block or when overtaken by the desire to write. Choosing a good topic is however not as difficult as it looks. The thumb rule is, to write about what you know. But that is not all you can write about. In fact you could write about,

• What you know

• What you want to know

• What others want to know

Also, current events make good topics to write on.

The important thing is that you write about what interests you. Your interest in or indifference to a topic will invariably make the difference between good and great writing. If you've not already done so, do read - “Eats, Shoots and Leaves” by Lynne Truss - to truly appreciate the difference your passion can make to your writing. You will never find grammar (punctuation) boring again!

So ready your fingers and write about,

You already know quite a few things even if you do not think so. Your life experiences as a child, a school student, a teenager, a young adult, a mother/father, a career person, or as a grandparent are all fertile topics to write on. So are your interests, hobbies and opinions. A little research and thought on known topics will give you the material you need to create pieces that are both interesting and personally fulfilling.

Think back to your childhood. Maybe you were bullied as a child or knew someone who was. Maybe you bullied someone. You could write about - bullying amongst young children, causes of bullying, how to handle bullies, a parents’ guide to help a bullied child and so on. Or maybe you want to write about your childhood capers – the day I became a magician, my first day on a bike, the magic of ice cream. Similarly, if you are a mother, you could write about - how to raise happy kids, healthy recipes for growing kids, managing teens, maintaining discipline in the house and so on. Or if you are a music lover you could write about your favorite musician, latest music fad, your attempts at learning the guitar, music schools, music and healing or the growth of music industry.

Chances are that you are a writer because you are naturally curious and inquisitive. In all probability, the list of things you wish you knew or would like to know is quite long. Writing an article/hub on something you wish to learn about is an excellent way of going about the process. In fact, it is the perfect opportunity to ask the questions you always wanted to ask but didn’t for the fear of sounding ignorant!

Perhaps you want to know how packaged food remains fresh in tetra packs or why Pluto is no longer a planet. Or maybe you want to learn the workings of a generator or how to make your own greenhouse. Whatever topic you choose to learn about, collect information, ask experts, research your topic and write a piece on it. Even if your topic is a DIY project gone wrong, you could turn it into a hilarious account of how not to do that DIY project!

Writing about what other wish to know is probably the only way of knowing that you will have a ready audience for your work. To find out what others want to read about, you have to become a good listener (or in context of the internet, a good reader). Listen to the questions people ask and you will know what topics to write on. To do this,

• At hub pages - Visit the questions/answers section (also referred to as requests) and you will find a list of questions people are asking. Choose one that resonates with you and answer the question in the form of a hub, for e.g. this hub is in response to a question - “How do you choose a good topic to write about?” Also visit the hub pages idea bank which lists topics of interests to internet users. 
• Google “what people are searching for” - Using search engines you can find a list of sites where you can access hot keywords (and hence topics) to write about. You could also use the Google Keyword Finder to assess how “hot” your chosen topic is. Alternatively, type any random word that comes to your mind at google keyword finder. The engine will return not only the interest levels in that word but also other related keywords. I often find that a search for one word leads me to many other related ideas I can write on.

• Join discussion forums at different websites - These are a storehouse of collective wisdom and viewpoints and can give you some great ideas to write about.

• Ask Questions - Question your friends and relatives (and even perfect strangers) to generate ideas. Ask questions like – “What is the one question you would like to ask God/ your parent/ friend/ partner?; what is the one thing you would like to change about yourself?; what makes you really mad?; what makes you happy? What news item did you find interesting today? etc.” Perhaps you will find an interesting viewpoint or a common theme that could set you thinking and developing a new article.
• Answer questions - Answer questions your friends or relatives ask of you. Perhaps your friends are always looking for advice on how to dress or why genetically modified (GM) food is such a controversy. Answer their queries and you have your article. , quite like the young Alec Greven’s “How to Talk to Girls” that was inspired by young boys who found talking to girls difficult.
• Current trends and news items - Current news are also good for generating ideas since their topicality provides you with an audience open to the subject.

If you are still unsure and don’t know what to write about, read “How to make money from freelance writing” by Andrew Crofts. You will realize that the list of topics available to you is just about endless and infinitely varied:

Art, acoustics, boating, carpentry, dogs, engineering, fashion, gardening, house keeping, ice hockey, jugulary, magic, kite flying, jobs, lemmings, match making, yachts, zoos, interiors, exotic locales, adventure sports, games, psychology, food, horses, pets, career, psychology, spirituality, religion, fiction, photography, commerce, internet, writing, cooking, movies, music, ……

So take the leap and write.