What Should I Write About?

When you sit down to write, do you ever feel like a little kid asking, "What should I draw?" Sometimes, it can be tough to come up with a topic you care enough about to create one logical point, let alone offer high interest facts or thought provoking creativity.

I was having a drought such as this recently. I wouldn't call it writer's block, but more of a lack of inspiration. This past week, I went on a trip and all of the sudden, it was as if someone opened the flood gates. A hurricane of things to write about was all around! I attribute this to three things; interesting people, unique setting and curiosity. One of these three things may be all you need to open the flow of decent ideas once more.

Interesting People

If you find yourself in mental foxhole, unable to escape, staring at a blank Word document will likely not help. The point is, to be inspired we generally need to be around something inspirational. Though this can often be found in art or a book, a truly quick fix is being around people. People are among the most interesting things around because they are constantly changing or talking, infecting our minds with thoughts that are not our own. Being around people forces us to see the world differently. It is inescapable and a much better place to be than in a foxhole, alone.

Unique Settings

Last week I was at a funeral; not an everyday setting. Though a sad setting, it gave me so much to think about and in turn, write about. If you lack spunk in your own thoughts, put yourself purposefully in an unfamiliar setting. Drive a road you never drive. Attend an event you would not normally attend. Go to a store that does not include you in its target audience. (Even better, strike up a conversation with someone at the store. This accomplishes two in one; "interesting people" and "unique setting.")

Curiosity is King

As a writer, you are probably prone to being a "thinker" or even accused of over-think things. Most likely, you have searched for something on the computer that peaked your curiosity in an effort to learn, double-check, or clarify. If you have, try this: Keep a running list of things you search for. If you are interested in that subject, others probably are, too and you can write about that. Honestly, as you aim to write about the topic you are searching, you will probably take a deeper dive and learn more in the process.

If you are sitting there thinking, "I wish I had my search list now," try going to your search engine and type in the word "How" or "Why" (or just type a single letter.) Odds are you will see a topic you have searched before as the search engine attempts to guess what you are looking for. At the very least, things commonly searched by the masses will populate. These populating topics just might trigger an idea! This may be all you need to jump start your mind and inspire the greatest thing you have ever written.

If you are in a writing funk right now, thinking about the funk probably isn't going to help. Getting around people or putting yourself in a unique situation will! And if all else fails, pull up your search engine and exercise your curiosity!