3 Ways I Generate Ideas for Articles

Creating ideas for articles is difficult. But it doesn’t have to be.

Ideas are all around. We just have to be on high alert and know where to find them.

Here are three ways I generate ideas for articles:

I People Watch All the Time

I love people watching. It’s one of my all-time favorite hobbies in the world.

Normally, I sit on a bench at the mall or park and do so for about an hour. In the summer time, my spot is usually at the state fair.

I just sit and watch people. I observe how they act in public, listen to what they say and try to find some idea from it.

And I always ask “What if?” too.

For example, I tell myself: “What if that dog walker is really just a private investigator looking for a criminal?”

Or I say: “What if those kids aren’t really kids but robots made by their parents to grow a family?”

Most of the time, they aren’t real scenarios. But they put the gears in my head to work and ideas start to church.

All because I spent time watching people.

It’s a great activity to pursue. Who knows, maybe your next great story idea will come from this too.

I Dive Deep into Wikipedia

I love learning new information online. And Wikipedia plays a major role in my journey of education.

Most of the time, I look up something in particular on the website. However, with the links to other articles, it leads me to more information.

Thus, more story ideas.

As all of the information floods to my head, ideas come to life. I ask “What If?” once more and keep thinking.

Most of the time, some of my best story ideas have come from the fact that I spent time on a certain Wikipedia page. And they always end up being some of my favorite stories I’ve ever written.

Wikipedia may not be a credible source for scholars. But for everyday people, we have all of the information in the world at our fingertips.

So if you want a new story idea or want to learn something new, Wikipedia is the way to go. Your next great story could be found within its pages.

I Read Books to the Extreme

Name me a writer who doesn’t read.

That’s okay. I’ll wait. There’s a great chance that all writers are readers way before they put pen to paper. It’s just the force of nature.

But in order to become a better writer, and generate more ideas, you have to read all of the time. You have to make it a habit of doing so.

And it doesn’t have to be books either. Read brochures, magazines and articles. The written word read again and again will grind your gears into motion.

When you read to a certain extent, your mind will flood with inspiration and new ideas. You’ll feel like you’re on top of the world as a writer. As you should be.

I’ve been reading ever since I was a small child. I really haven’t stopped since. This everyday habit of mine has turned me into a great writing career.

And I don’t see it stopping anytime soon.

So if you want more ideas, start reading. Read anything, because I’ve never met a writer who was never a reader.

You may just find your next story ideas this way. You won’t know unless you try.

Closing Thoughts

Like mentioned before, writing is difficult. But like anything in life, the more we do it, the better we will be.

That goes for ideas too.

Sometimes inspiration won’t always be there. We have to work for it.

Take these above tips with a grain of salt. They’ve worked for me over the years. I have no doubt they will work for you too.

Try one or all three and see what happens. I can’t wait to hear your new ideas.