Choosing Your Topic: Difference between revisions

references
(references)
Line 1: Line 1:
Choosing a worthy topic is essential to the success of the overall blog <ref group=>Carroll, 140</ref><ref group=>Rehner, "Choosing Your Blog Topic"</ref>. A topic expresses one essential idea within writing and unifies each successive post <ref group=>Loos, "What is a Topic?"</ref>. At first, a specific topic may seem to confine creativity, but focusing the topic actually provides endless [http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/10/06/blogs-without-topics-are-a-waste-of-time  creative possibilities]. A focused topic encourages the audience to engage more actively and interact as a part of a blog [http://www.briangardner.com/niche-blogging  community], ultimately enhancing the popularity of the blog. Creating a successful blog topic can take a significant amount of forethought and preparation and encompasses Brainstorming for Blogs, Focusing the Niche, Assessing the Idea, and Finalizing the Topic.  
Choosing a worthy topic is essential to the success of the overall blog <ref group=>Carroll, 140</ref><ref group=>Rehner, "Choosing Your Blog Topic"</ref>. A topic expresses one essential idea within writing and unifies each successive post <ref group=>Loos, "What is a Topic?"</ref>. At first, a specific topic may seem to confine creativity, but focusing the topic actually provides endless creative possibilities <ref group=>Trunk, "Blogs Without Topics are a Waste of Time"</ref>. A focused topic encourages the audience to engage more actively and interact as a part of a blog community <ref group=>Gardner,"Niche Blogging"</ref>, ultimately enhancing the popularity of the blog. Creating a successful blog topic can take a significant amount of forethought and preparation and encompasses Brainstorming, Focus, Assessment, and Finalization.  
 


== Brainstorm==
== Brainstorm==
Line 8: Line 7:
#Write down personal interests, dislikes, and topics that appeal to you. With a little introspection you can analyze and learn about yourself, your disciplines or “something that helps define your personality” <ref group=>Lucas, "Choosing a blog topic"</ref> and your passions.  
#Write down personal interests, dislikes, and topics that appeal to you. With a little introspection you can analyze and learn about yourself, your disciplines or “something that helps define your personality” <ref group=>Lucas, "Choosing a blog topic"</ref> and your passions.  
#Make sure you must have experience involving your topic ideas in order to establish credibility within your writing.  Consider your personal experiences and how they have shaped who you are and your writing style, your opinions as well as your qualifications.  
#Make sure you must have experience involving your topic ideas in order to establish credibility within your writing.  Consider your personal experiences and how they have shaped who you are and your writing style, your opinions as well as your qualifications.  
#Use your [http://www.unm.edu/~pre/law/archuleta.htm  personal character] to your advantage when brainstorming in order to allow the audience to understand a little more about you. This transparency will not only make you relatable online, but will also help identify your specific [[Audience]] and blogging community.
#Use your personal character <ref group=>Archuleta, "How to Write a Personal Statement"</ref> to your advantage when brainstorming in order to allow the audience to understand a little more about you. This transparency will not only make you relatable online, but will also help identify your specific [[Audience]] and blogging community.


===Use a Method===
===Use a Method===
Line 14: Line 13:


*Mind Mapping
*Mind Mapping
This [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concept_mapping_and_mind_mapping_software    method] begins with a central idea and builds outward, incorporating all possible related topic ideas. The [http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm    Mind Mapping] Method encourages you to “get out of the realm of words alone and see how different spatial representations might help you see the relationships among your ideas" <ref group=>The Writing Center, "Brainstorming"</ref>.  
This [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_concept_mapping_and_mind_mapping_software    method] begins with a central idea and builds outward, incorporating all possible related topic ideas. The Mind Mapping <ref group=>Mind Tools Ltd., "Brainstorming"</ref> Method encourages you to “get out of the realm of words alone and see how different spatial representations might help you see the relationships among your ideas" <ref group=>The Writing Center, "Brainstorming"</ref>.  


[[File:MindMap.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35| http://blog.iqmatrix.com/how-to-mind-map]]
[[File:MindMap.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35| http://blog.iqmatrix.com/how-to-mind-map]]


*Free Writing
*Free Writing
[http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm    Free Writing] is another useful method, especially when facing writer’s block, where writing starts and it does not stop. This method encourages continual thought through nonsensical ideas and pure imagination.  
Free Writing <ref group=>Mind Tools Ltd., "Brainstorming"</ref> is another useful method, especially when facing writer’s block, where writing starts and it does not stop. This method encourages continual thought through nonsensical ideas and pure imagination.  


*Thinking Outside the Box
*Thinking Outside the Box
[http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm    Thinking Outside the Box] is a technique where you try to understand a concept from a different perspective and then relate it back to your initial idea. For example, imagine for a moment that you are writing about your own culture. Think of all the different possible meanings for culture, such as a bacterial culture or referring to a refined group of people, and try to relate those concepts back to your original topic. Often, this method gives you a different perspective than you may have originally identified.
Thinking Outside the Box <ref group=>Mind Tools Ltd., "Brainstorming"</ref> is a technique where you try to understand a concept from a different perspective and then relate it back to your initial idea. For example, imagine for a moment that you are writing about your own culture. Think of all the different possible meanings for culture, such as a bacterial culture or referring to a refined group of people, and try to relate those concepts back to your original topic. Often, this method gives you a different perspective than you may have originally identified.


==Focus the Niche==
==Focus the Niche==
When a topic is narrowed and [http://litmuse.net/resources/digital-media/choosing-a-blog-topic   focused] into a niche, the writer can express more expertise on the subject, connect with more readers and essentially attract like-minded people. In order to find your blog niche, focus on your blog’s purpose, differentiation and inspiration.
When a topic is narrowed and focused<ref group=>Lucas, "Choosing a blog topic"</ref> into a niche, the writer can express more expertise on the subject, connect with more readers and essentially attract like-minded people. In order to find your blog niche, focus on your blog’s purpose, differentiation and inspiration.


===Plan the Purpose===
===Plan the Purpose===
Your blog’s [http://weblogs.about.com/od/startingablog/tp/Top-Ten-Reasons-to-Blog.htm    purpose] should focus the [[Readability|<i>Writing Style</i>]] of the blog subsequently helping to identify your [[Audience]]. Some purposes might include the following:  
Your blog’s purpose<ref group=>Gunelius, "Top 10 Reasons to Start a Blog"] should focus the [[Readability|<i>Writing Style</i>]] of the blog subsequently helping to identify your [[Audience]]. Some purposes might include the following:  
* Educate yourself
* Educate yourself
* Educate others
* Educate others
Line 44: Line 43:


# Use your personal experiences and character traits to tailor the topic in a way that allows you to express yourself. If you consider yourself a comedian, narrow your topic to express your comedic side. Or, if you are the analytical type, focus your topic so that others can sense that quality within your blog title.
# Use your personal experiences and character traits to tailor the topic in a way that allows you to express yourself. If you consider yourself a comedian, narrow your topic to express your comedic side. Or, if you are the analytical type, focus your topic so that others can sense that quality within your blog title.
#Use different perspectives, such as [http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming  journalistic perspectives] and geographical references<ref group=>Lucas, "Choosing a blog topic"</ref>.
#Use different perspectives, such as journalistic perspectives<ref group=>The Writing Center, "Brainstorming"</ref> and geographical references<ref group=>Lucas, "Choosing a blog topic"</ref>.
#Identify a virginal idea or an area of interest where there is a blog deficit.
#Identify a virginal idea or an area of interest where there is a blog deficit.


Line 51: Line 50:
*Other blogs  
*Other blogs  
*Articles
*Articles
*Research resources  
*[[Research]] resources  
*Personal experiences
*Personal experiences


Line 90: Line 89:


== References  ==
== References  ==
*Archuleta, Elizabeth. [http://www.unm.edu/~pre/law/archuleta.htm  "How to Write a Personal Statement."] UNM - New Mexico's Flagship University | The University of New Mexico. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.
*Carroll, Brian. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/041599201X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=humanindex-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=041599201X    "Writing for Digital Media."] Routledge; New York, 2010.  
*Carroll, Brian. [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/041599201X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=humanindex-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=041599201X    "Writing for Digital Media."] Routledge; New York, 2010.  
*Gardner, Brian. [http://www.briangardner.com/niche-blogging  "Why Niche Blogging is Better than General Blogging."] Brian Gardner // Starbucks Addict Since 1974. N.p., 7 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.
*Gunelius, Susan. [http://weblogs.about.com/od/startingablog/tp/Top-Ten-Reasons-to-Blog.htm    "Start a Blog-Top 10 Reasons to Start a Blog."] About.com Blogging. N.p., 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.
*Loos, Eugene E. [http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsATopic.htm  ''What is a topic?''] 2004. Web. April 5, 2013.
*Loos, Eugene E. [http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/WhatIsATopic.htm  ''What is a topic?''] 2004. Web. April 5, 2013.
*Lucas, Gerald. [http://litmuse.net/resources/digital-media/choosing-a-blog-topic/    "Choosing a blog topic."] 2013. Web. March 29, 2013.
*Lucas, Gerald. [http://litmuse.net/resources/digital-media/choosing-a-blog-topic/    "Choosing a blog topic."] 2013. Web. March 29, 2013.
Line 96: Line 98:
*Rehner, Amy. [http://choosingatopic.wordpress.com  "Choosing Your Blog Topic."] March 2013. Web. March 29, 2013.  
*Rehner, Amy. [http://choosingatopic.wordpress.com  "Choosing Your Blog Topic."] March 2013. Web. March 29, 2013.  
*The Writing Center. [http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming/  "Brainstorming."] 2013. Web. March 31, 2013.
*The Writing Center. [http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming/  "Brainstorming."] 2013. Web. March 31, 2013.
*Trunk, Penelope. [http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2009/10/06/blogs-without-topics-are-a-waste-of-time/  "Blogs without topics are a waste of time | Penelope Trunk Blog."] Get Career Advice from Penelope Trunk. N.p., 6 Oct. 2009. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.
twitter
161

edits