How to Choose a Topic
They say writing is easy. All you have to do is stare at a blank piece of paper until drops of blood fall on it. Hard enough, right? Well, choosing a topic to write is far worse. This is the first step and maybe, one of the crucial steps to writing a story, especially for journalists. As journalists, you are under pressure to come up with a story that is significant and relevant to the readers and to the society. However, perhaps you have been trapped many times in a situation where you didn’t have the slightest idea where to find that story.
There are several fields which are a good source of topics; nevertheless the three listed below are some of the things considered by my classmates in choosing one. Hope this will help you in getting a topic to write.
Write stories related to sports
Sports has always been a popular source for a topic. I guess you have a thousand sports fans out there waiting for some fresh stories and updates about their fave sports stars. Sports is one of the most widely read stories, and people just can’t get enough about it. Here are some suggestions that might help you in finding a story in sports.
1. Know its latest—it is an advantage if you know the current trends of sports. Watch news, read and browse the internet to stay updated, and you might just bump into a good angle for a story. Remember, readers always want the latest.
2. Ask sports enthusiasts—get ideas from people who know sports by heart. They are active in sports and probably talk nothing but sports. Ask for their ideas and I’m pretty sure they have loads to share to you.
3. Watch out for sports activities—know upcoming sports events. People should be aware of future sports activities. Also, you’ll find interesting angles from it, like the cause or purpose of such sports activity, or perhaps the participants involved in the tournament.
4. Attend sports tournaments—watch tournaments. Be the eyes and ears of the people who weren’t able to watch the game. Interesting feature stories evolve from these tournaments, so be observant enough.
Get ideas from brainstorming
Why not do a brainstorming of ideas with your friends? The suggestions from other people will make you aware of the things that matter to them. Also, since there will be a throwing of ideas, you have numerous options to choose from. Simply ask for their suggestions regarding a topic to write about, and ask them why they choose such topic. Make them feel that you value their ideas. Just let them voice out their wild thoughts and you will be surprised to the big help they can give you.
Consider topics that just pop up in your mind
Since these are topics created in a blink of an eye, or just unexpectedly came in your mind, they are a bit risky to pursue. And you might find it difficult to write because it may be lacking some vital elements like relevance and source. Other factors you should bear in mind, too. If this happens to you, think of it carefully and consider questions like: Will readers find this topic interesting? Are sources available? Is this relevant to them?
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