November 9, 2009

Have you ever wondered how great writers, authors and journalists keep pumping out material on a regular basis? The words of Isaac Asimov, Stephen King, Charles Dickens seem to go on forever. Where does this material come from? How do they remain so fresh, topical and interesting? Why do they attract such a large following? Where do they get all their ideas from? The answer is observation. They observe (or observed) the world around them, kept notes and wrote about what they observed.

What you write need to be topical. You must come up with fresh material or readers' interest will wane and disappear. Maintaining a blog or webpage designed to attract a following requires an interested audience who feed off interesting articles. These, for the most part, should also be topical and offered to your readers in a simple tone. Don't bore your readers; interest them. Don't preach to them, inform them. Offer them "eye-opening" articles that will have them asking for more. Readers read because they need entertainment and information. Cover these two elements and you are a winner.

So to keep drumming up fresh, topical articles, you use the world's most powerful tool for writers: OBSERVATION.

Article writing material passes each and every one of us on a daily basis. Wherever you live the facts are that a good to great story is unfolding right before your eyes. YOU need to become an observer in your field and figure that out for yourself. If you train yourself as an observer, you will soon find that you have too much to write about. You don't need examples, just a simple formula. Stick to this and you will have all it takes to be a consistent writer.

Read the newspapers, listen to talkback radio, the word on the street and the latest developments on the Internet. What's new? What are the latest trends? What are people talking about? Who has the best, the latest, or greatest money making ideas? Keep an open mind and leave home each day as an observer. Don't let things pass you by without reaction. Observe and react. Ask yourself, is this newsworthy? Observation is more often than not an intrusive tool. You spy on your neighbor, eavesdrop at your local coffee shop or hangout and you are never afraid to stick your nose in and "sniff out" a good story. It's all out there and it's all happening right now. You have to find it.

When you find a story you consider worthwhile, investigate it further. Ask questions. Arrange interviews. Search and research until it comes together in a neat start-to-finish package with a decent middle. Sometimes stories come easy and the ground work is minimal. Other times it's hard slog. However, it's the hard slog articles that pay dividends and get your name up in lights.

You can observe your soul out, but without some recording tools it can be a futile crusade. You need to recall facts, figures, names and details when you eventually start word-processing. A reliable pen and a small-to-medium-sized notepad should accompany you 24/7. Tape recorders, cameras and other types of technology are optional, but the simplest and easiest tool is a pen and paper. Important things to highlight when writing are correct spelling of names, accurate quotes and correct titles.

Judgment can be acquired only by acute observation, by actual experience in the school of life, by ceaseless alertness to learn from others, by study of the activities of men who have made notable marks, by striving to analyze the everyday play of causes and effects, and by constant study of human nature. 

RELATED

Blog