As a Writer, You Need Your List of Topics to Be Successful
Your money is in your list
You need to keep a running list of topics to choose from to avoid that dreaded writer’s block. We all get them from time to time but having a list helps lower the chances of getting this.
In a few Facebook posts, I have seen writers mention what should they write about. Don’t worry, I’m not picking on you. I want to help you avoid this in the future.
I briefly mentioned a list in one of my recent articles but wanted to expound on this a little more.
Personally, I run my life on a fairly consistent routine. So keeping a list makes life a lot easier.
If you don’t have a list, create one today. It should only take you a few minutes to put some possible writing topics together. The topic may change when you finally decide to write the article so don’t spend too much time finding the best article topic. Just get a few ideas together.
When you finally write the article, you may decide to create multiple ideas from one topic. Then this gives you ideas for the next couple of days.
You waste time without a list
Time is one thing we all have but can never get back. We use time every second.
You don’t want to waste your time thinking about what should you write today. If you do this every day, you are losing valuable time that you could use for writing.
When you have a list, you can look at your list and choose what to write about today. Instead of thinking about a topic, you can easily look at your list.
This will create a lot of time that you once thought you didn’t have. You’re busy and have to maximize the time that you do have.
Do what’s best for you
There isn’t an exact science on where you keep your list. You should do what is best for you.
You can keep the list in a notebook.
You can write the list on your computer.
You can post your list on a notepad.
If you’re like me, you can keep your list in a notebook app on your phone.
Maybe you write at different places, so you could keep your list on an Evernote account. You can access Evernote from your phone and your computer.
There isn’t one way to keep your list, but use what works best for you. You may think of other list alternatives I didn’t mention.
How long should your list be?
The number of topics you have is personal. It depends on how often you write.
If you write every day, then you should have at least 10 articles to choose from.
When you write two or three articles a week, then having a shorter list is fine.
If you want to have a longer list, then that’s even better.
There may some days, you’re not in the mood to write a topic that’s on your list. You’re not a robot and should be flexible in what you decide to write about for the day.
Keep adding to your list
Once you have your list, if a new idea comes to mind, write it down as fast as you can. It’s easy to forget about a new topic if you don’t write it down.
If you need to dedicate a day in the week to review your list, then add that to your schedule.
When you have a long list, then maybe a monthly update is all you need.
You should always add new writing topics to your list.
The more topics you have the better off you’ll be.
Follow the trends and make the last-minute change
If a new topic is getting attention or trending on social media, then maybe you should change topics that day.
Most trending topics don’t last long. Sometimes you need to be ready to adjust and do this fast.
A hot topic may do great today but then tomorrow it could be a different story. A new trending topic will get all the attention. If you need to adjust your topic, do it. You don’t want to miss out on a trending topic.
The attention span moves very fast in your reader’s mind and they could be off to the next trend.
Do you keep a list of possible topics to write about?
Tom Handy is a top Writing, Finance, Investment, and Bitcoin writer on Medium, and the father of two kids. He retired from the Army and sits on several non-profit boards. You can find him on Twitter @tomhandy1.
