I love to write. In fact, I love to write so much that I attempt to finish two articles every single day. Mostly, I educate people about the internet, computers and the world wide web, but occasionally I try to inform and give opinions about other subjects as well.
One question that I get quite often is where do I get my ideas from? I decided to write this article to help answer that question. Where do I get my ideas from? From life and from being alive. You see, things are happening around me all of the time, sometimes interesting things and sometimes not. I just keep my eyes open, look around, and start asking questions of myself. Before long, I've got an article mapped out in my mind.
That bum on the way to work who asked me for a dollar - how did he get to where he was? How does he survive? Does he sleep on the street, and if so, how does he stay warm? It won't talk long until I talk to the man and ask him some questions, and out of that will come an article.
Or the local gang member with the tattoos all over his arms, neck and back. Don't those hurt? What do those little pictures mean? Why does he have them in the first place? How did he get the tattoos and do they have gang significance? What about the colors of his clothes - is that important? A qUick conversation with the man and I've got enough material for several articles: one on gang tattoos, another about what it takes to be a gang member, and yet another about how to talk to one in the first place.
Other subjects which I've written about:
And so on. Some of the areas where you can look in your own life for ideas are described below.
Your job - If you hold a job, any kind of job, then you have something to write about. It doesn't matter whether you flip burgers, work in a market, run a nuclear reactor or operate computers. Think about your job - you solve problems all day long. Let's say you work in the local burger joint: even in that job you're doing something that other people find interesting. What kind of people have you met? What are their stories? How do you prevent accidents? What's the best way to cook food? I could go on and on and on. There are literally an infinite number of articles to write from any job.
School - Ah yes, the good old days of school. There are thousands and thousand of stories and articles that you could pull from your school days (whether you are still in school or not). Everything from how to study to how to party to how to clean up the mess after the party (how to articles are always very popular). On top of that, you've got the personalities (that strange professor or the interesting habits of your fellow students), the campus and the surroundings (how did that school get to be there, anyway?)
Travel - Of course, any adventures you've had while traveling are always something to write about. I remember when I went to the Grand Canyon and woke up early to see the sunrise. It was dark when I went silently outside and watched as the sun came up over the canyon. I looked around and saw I was surrounded by animals, everything from deers to racoons. Think of all of the articles that could result from that one morning: how did those animals get there, what do they eat, how are they protected?
Romance - Naturally, there are an infinite number of articles and stories that could be written about romance. Think of all of the adventures you've had over the years and what you've learned. How to talk to the opposite sex, what to say (and what not to say), how to prepare dinner, what gifts to give and how to handle the holidays.
Holidays - These special days provide for an infinite number of articles. Just look around the next time you have a holiday: why are you there? what's it all about? What kind of food are you eating and how is it prepared? How do people act differently on holidays than on normal days? The opportunities are endless.
Social gatherings - How do you handle yourself at a social gathering? How do you dress properly and why? How do you speak, stay sane, and have fun? Hundreds and hundreds of articles are available here if you just keep your eyes open.
Other people you've known - People always want to know about other people. What are their stories? How do they survive, make friends and live their lives? Just think back on everyone you've known and write about them. How did your boss get promoted? How did Joe get that project done? Why does Jane party so much and what does she do at them?
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Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.