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Article Writing: Build Your Idea Cache
Article Idea #1: Keep a Dream Journal I’m not talking about writing down your “night” dreams in a journal. This dream journal is a book of your ideas. We writers have busy brains. We often get tons of ideas every single day. Some ideas we follow, while countless others are forgotten about. Purchase a small, pocket-sized notebook and write, “My Dream Journal” on the cover. Every time you have an idea, write it in your Dream Journal. You’ll build a vast number of ideas using this technique alone. Article Idea #2: Read lots of magazines and newspapers I’ve gotten several ideas for fictional stories using this method. The Internet has made it even easier for us to access many news stories and articles online. If you can’t afford subscriptions, get online and do a quick search for a handful of your favorite newspapers and/or magazines. Headlines and unique stories often spark another article or story idea. (Don’t forget to build your “stash” in your Dream Journal!) Article Idea #3: Read similar articles on the same subject Do you know what you want to write about? A quick search on Google will give you similar articles on the same subject. You can find articles on a variety of subjects in free articles directories online as well. A few personal favorites are: Ezine Articles, Lady Pens, and Go Articles. Article Idea #4: Do keyword research Yahoo has a cool keyword selector tool that I use a lot when writing articles. Type in a word or simple phrase and click on the arrow. After a few seconds, you’ll get a list of similar words and phrases that people have searched for. This is a fast and easy way to get a few ideas for articles when you’re feeling stuck. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Hope Wilbanks is co-owner of Out Of The Box Writers, a place where writers can write without being boxed in by writing “rules.” Are you boxed in? Step outside your box: groups.google.com/group/outoftheboxwriters |
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