These words from an old 1933 Prohibition era song written by Will B. Johnstone perfectly describe how I feel about choosing the right theme for this article: “How dry I am. How dry I am. No one knows how dry I am.” . To be clear, I am not talking about the need for an alcoholic beverage. My theme is like choose a topic to write about, especially when there is a need to overcome dryness, thought emptiness, and lack of inspiration to make it happen. Simply giving up and throwing in the towel is not an option and wringing your hands does not help. In fact, wringing your hands is a hindrance to problem solving and is likely to make the task even more difficult.
The more you work, the more you delay
The adage “the more you work, the more you fall behind” is worth remembering. Trying to do your best to resolve your “dryness” problem will almost certainly have the opposite effect. You need to relax and calm down by reading or doing something else that you enjoy. Dr. Dennis O’Grady, Psy.D in his well-received communication workshops suggests:
When you get tired … rest and refuel … Do less when doing more is not working so well …
So put your worry aside and rewrite your article when you feel more comfortable. If what you are doing is not working for you, try something else. Continuously traveling the same path that leads nowhere is foolish.
Document the thoughts that come to you
Write down the thoughts that come to mind, no matter how unimportant they seem to you at the time. The ideas you keep when you review them later can suggest a perfect theme or theme for your next article.
Get new ideas by reviewing current events
Answering these and other questions you may think of will help you channel your thoughts into topic ideas for your next article.
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Are remarkable things happening in your life? If so, what are they?
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What are your hobbies and areas of expertise? Tell us about them.
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Consider writing a book review.
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What family activities are taking place that might interest a reader?
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What is reported in the local, state, or national news that excites you? What should be done about it?
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Is something extraordinary happening in your neighborhood that might interest a reader?
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Are there urban renewal projects in progress? What are they?
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Are special events taking place in your town, city, county, or state?
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What is happening in the school system?
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What problems are your local government officials trying to solve?
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What topics are you interested in? Write in one of those.
conclusion
When frustrations arise and you’re having trouble coming up with a suitable topic for your next article, there are a number of helpful things to consider. But the first thing to do is relax and cool off. Put the problem aside briefly and when you feel refreshed, review it and consider the ideas presented in this article. By asking yourself the proposed questions and applying the ideas suggested here, you should be able to select an interesting topic to write about.
© 2013 Douglas M Midgley, JD All rights reserved worldwide