If you need to get a book written, edited, published, marketed, promoted, translated, or sold, all the resources you want are available here.



Choosing an Article Topic
By Jeff Davidson MBA, CMC

The best topics for articles are derived from successful work that you've already done. This includes reports, papers, summaries, guides, and exhibits that you've prepared, perhaps for work, which can be generalized and applied to a larger audience. Even if you've never written about a subject, you may have an article if you have special knowledge or insights.

Here are some ways to generate article topics and start getting published.


Clip Articles That Stimulate You

Every time you read the Sunday newspaper or a professional journal, save articles that strike your fancy. You might not even know how you'd use the article when you clip it. File all of the clippings by topic or subject area. Months later, review your clip file, and you'll find that what you've clipped serves as the catalyst for numerous article ideas. Freelance writers have successfully used the clip file technique for years.


Think "How To"

Think of six, eight, or more ways to do something better. The market for "how to" articles is strong as more and more people thirst for "do-it-yourself" information. By putting a number into the title of your article, such as "7 Ways to Accomplish XYZ," you have a hook that will attract readers.


Generic Article Topics

Here are ten generic Article Topics to help get you started:

1.How to___________________________________________
2.______Reasons Why________________________________
3.______Ways to Improve____________________________
4.______to Consider Before_________________________
5.______Pitfalls___________________________________
6.New Developments_________________________________
7.A______________Approach to_______________________
8.The Art of_______________________________________
9.Overcoming Resistance to_________________________
10.Planning for Your________________________________

Here are how these topics were turned into potential articles:

1.How to Ask for a Bigger Office
2.Six Reasons Why Using a PC Will Decrease your Efficiency
3.Eight Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary
4.Items to Consider Before Changing Jobs
5.Four Pitfalls in Working for a Government Agency
6.New Developments in Laser Technology
7.A New Approach to Group Decision-Making
8.The Art of Closing the Sale
9.Overcoming Resistance to Reorganization
10.Planning for Your Next Job Promotion


List Your Gripes

A list of gripes or discomforts in connection with your work can actually contain the seeds of articles. If something bothers you, it undoubtedly bothers others. Discuss the problem in broad terms and offer suggestions for redress. By recognizing the universality of a problem that you face, you'll be creating material for an excellent article.


Remember the Memorable

An unforgettable staff member (or boss), a favorite professional experience, your biggest disappointment, or other memorable event can lead to some underlying lesson, something we can all use in our lives.


Focus on Your Potential Readers

If you concentrate for a moment on who will be reading your article and what impact it will have on them, your writing will flow more smoothly. Think of the last time you wrote a letter to a friend or relative. Your writing task was on a one- to-one basis and your target audience was perfectly defined. Your words and ideas probably flowed freely. You can achieve the same effect when you precisely define the target group that will be reading your article. If it helps, write the name of your target group on the top of your outline, such as "peers," "project staff," or "executives earning over $180,000 per year."