| New writers often complain that their lives aren't | | | | and are there any big issues affecting your home |
| exciting enough to write about. If they haven't had a | | | | town right now? What facilities are on offer to |
| traumatic childhood, climbed a mountain or battled a | | | | residents and visitors? Are there any significant |
| life threatening illness, they believe no one will want | | | | buildings with interesting histories? What are the |
| to hear what they have to say. This is not true. | | | | people like? What do they do to earn a living and |
| Everybody's life history is unique and a successful | | | | how do they spend their freetime? Is it a good place |
| writer will exploit their particular set of circumstances | | | | to live and why? Remember that relevant |
| and experiences to generate fresh writing ideas and | | | | photographs make a feature much more sellable, so |
| create sellable articles or exciting stories. | | | | get out and about and see what you can find on |
| Who are you? | | | | your doorstep. |
| Everything about you is a potential source of | | | | Who do you know? |
| inspiration. What do you look like? How old are you? | | | | You may feel you are not interesting enough to |
| What is your ethnicity? Do you have brothers and | | | | write about but what about other people? Perhaps |
| sisters? Are you healthy? What is the most vivid | | | | some of your friends or family have a story to tell. |
| memory you have from childhood? However | | | | What about famous people living in your area or |
| mundane you feel your responses are to such | | | | somebody who has achieved something special? |
| questions, your answers will be unlike anyone else's. | | | | There are lots of people out their keen to share their |
| What do you do? | | | | experiences and most of them will be only too |
| Are you working right now? What job do you do? | | | | pleased to be interviewed if asked. |
| Are you planning to start your own business, retired | | | | What do you love? |
| or struggling to find the right career? There are | | | | We often write best when we feel a connection |
| stories to be told in all of these situations. What | | | | with our subject. If you find something you feel |
| about your free time? Are you talented at a | | | | strongly about - write about it. If a news item makes |
| particular sport or do you play a musical instrument? | | | | you angry or a newspaper story leaves you in tears |
| What sort of company do you keep? Where do you | | | | - write about it. Write about the things you love to |
| like to hang out? Where do you take your vacations? | | | | do or the things you would love to have a go at. |
| Ask yourself questions like this and then think of | | | | Being a writer is a great excuse for trying out new |
| how your answers could generate ideas for articles | | | | experiences or researching subjects you have always |
| or stories. | | | | wanted to know more about. Immerse yourself in |
| Where do you live? | | | | the world around you. Be alert to new sensations and |
| Where ever you live, your locality should provide you | | | | experiences. Just remember to carry a notebook |
| with plenty of inspiration. What is the latest gossip | | | | around with you so can get it all down on paper! |
