If you keep writing every day, you'll have a problem. You'll have more article ideas than you can write. Every day will sprout thirty-fifty new ideas that you can never turn into articles. But when you're starting out, this problem is quite the opposite.
You may wake up and can't think of a thing
Or you may be so tired that your brain refuses to co-operate.
So here's what you do next: You find a few books
You can do this offline, or online. But allocate a fixed amount of time. And here's how you go about it. Let's say I want to write about PHP. I know diddly squat about PHP. So that's the same as waking up and not being able to think of a thing to write.
So since the library is closed at this hour, I go online and look for a Dummies book
And I look at the contents page and voilà—there are a ton of topics just waiting for me. Not just topics, but subtopics. Yipeee-yahooey! Now I have my topics and my sub-topics.
But waitasec, isn't that cheating?
Isn't that plagiarism? Yes it is, if you copy the answers. Not if you copy the questions. The questions are simply the titles on the contents page. So let's say the titles were the following:
Understanding PHP Data Types
Building SQL Queries
Troubleshooting a PHP Script
Setting Up Your Computer for PHP and MySQL Web Site Development
Considering the Various Uses for the PHP Scripting Language
Keeping Up with PHP and MySQL Changes
Use PHP Statements to Create Programs
Communicate with a Database through PHP MySQL Functions
Access and Adapt a Database with MySQL Queries
Knowing the MySQL WHERE Clause Format
Make MySQL Database Changes with the ALTER Query
Special Characters to Use in PHP Expression Test Patterns
Now fifteen thousand writers can take the very same topics and no two articles may be the same. Why? Because you're going to approach the same questions from your level, your experience, your stories, your objections, your style. It simply cannot be the same.
And I found these points in fifteen seconds
You could spend hours trying to dream up the perfect topics and sub-topics, but they're all ready and formatted for you on the Internet—if you just look. So look. Set a timer, and then go for the topics. Cut and paste the topics and then it's time for outlining.
And by this time the expert in you can still be asleep
Because you're still not writing yet, and are in outlining mode, you're just having a party, by coming up with questions. So let me give it a shot with PHP (not that I know anything about it).
Building SQL Queries
What are SQL Queries?
What are the steps to building an SQL Query?
Where do SQL Queries mostly go wrong?
What are the practical applications for SQL Queries?
But surely we can do without SQL Queries…
Summary
Next step
Now if you're a PHP programmer, I'm betting that you'll be at least slightly interested in my questions. Some may be slightly off base, but most of them, when answered form a pretty good article.
But some answers may be too big. For example: Where do SQL Queries go wrong? So no problem. Just list the places where it can go wrong—yes, just a list. Then start up a new article called: Where SQL Queries go wrong and outline it—and phew—you have another outline!
Your topics and sub-topics don't need to be in your head
They can be on the Internet, in the library or in the contents page of every book on your topic (hey, there's this site called Amazon.com). If you want to write topics on starting a business, it's there. If you want to write on WordPress, it's there too. If you fancy gardening, kite building, even getting a divorce—it's all there on the book stores. And not just one book, but forty or fifty books.
Which is why you need a timer
Because you can get stuck there all night trying to decide which topics and subtopics to choose. One thing is for sure, though: You can be half asleep forever, and never have a problem when coming up with topics and sub-topics.
And that's just for starters. Once you start writing you'll have the opposite problem. Too many ideas and not enough time to write!
P.S. How do you generate ideas for your articles? Share your ideas here.
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Hey Sean,
I learned this technique from Ed Dale (an aussie IMer) but you also reminded me of another tip, check this out:
You can go to Amazon and place an asterisk in the search bar and hit “Enter”.
After that you’ll get the whole Amazon database sorted out in the categories tab, so you can just start going deeper and deeper into the topic you’re interested in.
By the time you are deep enough and also comfortable with the level you are in, just pick a few best sellers in that area and look at their content page.
And voilá, instant research done for you! Hope that contributes a bit to your article. 😉
Sergio
That sure is a good trick. I must try it sometime soon. Warm regards from London.
Hi Sean. I’m a procrastinator – don’t need new ideas for my blog BUT I just searched amazon.ca under my keyword “starting a business” and looking at the Table of Contents” I got more ideas than I can use. I think I’ll be able to write blog posts more often than the twice a week that I do now. By the way I coach boomer women on how to start and market their business. GREAT IDEA – THANKS 🙂
You’re welcome.
It’s fab!
When you know too much about something and don’t write often enough. Then you have this method to play in. Have you named it?
Cheetu
I write about things I am passionate about. Sometimes I get pasisonate about things that make me frustrated, like poor service. People often think they can do a better job than the person currently doing it. How many times have you said, “If I were in his place, I would have done this instead”? This could give rise to a great number of topics you could write about such as “How to Impress Your Clients Everytime – 5 Easy Steps”. Just take what you believe that person did that you think you could have done better and write about it.
That’s good advice.
Hey Sean. Thanks so much for the tips when it comes to article topics when it might be late at night or when I’m just outta ideas…
Much appreciated.
-Omar
My pleasure.
I run digital photography courses for the local recreation center and libraries, and I lead a beginner intermediate photo club. I use a blend of questions generated by the students, along with questions and problems I recall having when I was beginning. Those beginner questions can be answered at a more advanced level, if needed, too.
I think in any field the beginner issues really are multi-layered–there is the simple answer/solution that allows the beginner to move forward, but there is also the deeper exploration of the issue that allows the more advanced to learn about and appreciate the nuances of a particular topic. Isn’t that similar to what you do for us Sean?
Once again I appreciate how Sean has given us a simple solution to a daunting problem. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Judy.