twitter
161
edits
Choosing Your Topic: Difference between revisions
m
Formatting
MarianGlyde (talk | contribs) m (capitalization, took out 'inevitable' as where it was used seemed to suggest your opinion.) |
m (Formatting) |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
== | == Brainstorm== | ||
Brainstorming transforms creativity into [http://library.deerfield.edu/research_guides/us_history/topic_worksheet.pdf organizational thought]. Individual brainstorming encourages writers to pour out their ideas in order to focus and reorganize them into a cohesive concept through personalization and brainstorming methods<ref group=>Mind Tools Ltd., "Brainstorming"</ref>. | Brainstorming transforms creativity into [http://library.deerfield.edu/research_guides/us_history/topic_worksheet.pdf organizational thought]. Individual brainstorming encourages writers to pour out their ideas in order to focus and reorganize them into a cohesive concept through personalization and brainstorming methods<ref group=>Mind Tools Ltd., "Brainstorming"</ref>. | ||
=== | ===Personalize It=== | ||
Begin brainstorming by writing 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. In addition to personal interest, 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. Most importantly, 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. | #Begin brainstorming by writing 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. | ||
#In addition to personal interest, 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. | |||
#Most importantly, 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 a Method=== | ||
With so many possible topics to consider, it may be beneficial to use brainstorming methods in order to produce an organized and manageable view of your ideas. These methods allow you to break down unmanageable and overwhelming ideas into their essential parts. | With so many possible topics to consider, it may be beneficial to use brainstorming methods in order to produce an organized and manageable view of your ideas. These methods allow you to break down unmanageable and overwhelming ideas into their essential parts. | ||
| Line 22: | Line 24: | ||
Another great tool used in brainstorming is [http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm Thinking Outside the Box], or 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. | Another great tool used in brainstorming is [http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm Thinking Outside the Box], or 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== | ||
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 [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. | ||
===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]]. | 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: | ||
* Educate yourself | |||
* Educate others | |||
* research a particular topic | |||
* learn through communicative discussion and debate | |||
* help other people with similar problems | |||
* convince others to support a particular cause | |||
* promote a particular cause | |||
* network with like-minded people | |||
* establish yourself within your profession | |||
* earn a profit | |||
===Differentiation=== | ===Differentiation=== | ||