This has been a crazy year already! 

Coming up with a subject and an angle for your article is one of the most important steps in the journalism process. However, many writers spend far too much time figuring this out, which can leave them overwhelmed and stressed. This doesn’t have to be the case.

Writing is an art. It’s supposed to be fun. But before you can begin writing you need to find a relevant topic. Without a topic and angle, you don’t have an article. However, it isn’t as scary as it sounds. Here are a few tips when trying to come up with a topic for your article.

Organize Your Ideas

Writers often have hundreds of ideas for an article. That is precisely why it is important to organize all your thoughts before starting anything. Your ideas ultimately make up the content of your article, and as author of ‘Time Leadership’ blog, Jim Estill, describes it, “Content is king”. Many writers swear by using mind maps – linking your ideas physically and visually  – to help get the creative juices flowing. By brainstorming your ideas, you can begin to edit before you start writing. This will help you to establish the best content for your story.

Know your future readers 

Knowing exactly what your readers want will contribute to your brainstorming process. There is no point in writing an entire article about Bathroom Sanitizing Procedures for the Green Lake Yearbook. You must look at who they’d want to read their article. Write and edit to suit the reader’s desires. 

Use Past Articles for Ideas

To gain other ideas, you can look through the past two yearbooks. Pablo Picasso once said “Good artists copy. Great artists steal.” In other words, getting a few tips from past publications may help you create a successful topic to sell.

Become an FBI Agent

Research should be a hobby for all writers. Researching facts on your topic is an obvious requirement, but researching reasons behind the facts will make your article interesting and relevant. 

Keep your Deadlines in Mind 

Articles can quickly pile up if you procrastinate, and subjects can forget valuable details the longer you wait to interview them. Try to get your articles written in a timely manner to avoid digging yourself into a hole from which you can not emerge.