What possibly could I have to write about? I never was good at it
anyway. It doesn't matter how hard I try, I just sit and stare
and stare at a blank screen.

Sound familiar? Don't worry. We all have gone through this. It
happens to me periodically. If you experience this at any point,
it is a good signal that you need a change in creative direction.
Here are a few tips to help you find topics to write about and
get your creative juices flowing.

I personally like to write with pen and paper. For one, I can
take it anywhere. Well, o.k. with a laptop you can take it almost
where ever you wish as well. But, when the battery is gone and
there is not a single electrical outlet in sight, I will still be
sitting there writing until I get my fill.

You periodically need to change your scenery. This always helps
me. If I am at a block, I get up, take pen and paper and head out
of the house. I frequent outdoor cafes when I can. The openness
and fresh air helps me think. You can also just try a different
part of your house.

I try to at least keep a notebook, or sticky notes somewhere
within reach at every point in the day. Why? Ideas usually come
to me when I am not at my desk. One of the best ways I have
developed to find new topics is to spend what I call "routine
task time" thinking about recent articles I have read. Routine
task time is the time you spend washing dishes, cleaning, driving
home(of course pay attention to the road here as well!), etc.
Make use of this time if you can.

Write down any idea that comes to mind. Don't worry about whether
is seems reasonable at the moment. You will edit and refine later
if need be. More than likely you will throw away half of the
ideas you come up with. You'll find however that these ideas
bring out other topics that you may never have thought about.

Go to the web. I can't stress this enough. Need new topics? See
what other people are writing about. Try www.CNet.com, or any
other internet / technology or business website to find the new
hot topics. Are you writing about hobbies? Check out the top
hobby sites. Don't hesitate to use the internet and what others
are doing to keep your writing up to par.

Writing articles for your own E-Zine or to be published elsewhere
for advertising is the most powerful resource for promoting your
online business. Practice it, develop it, prune it. Trust me, you
won't be disappointed. This is the most prized resource that you
can pull from to succeed online.

About the Author

Dan J. Fry is an independent researcher and owner of
e-Kinetic.com, a site devoted to providing resources for small
budget home businesses. He has a PhD in Physics and is married
with two daughters and two cats. Subscribe to his free E-Zine on
home business resources at mailto:e-kinetic@GetResponse.com or by
visiting his site at http://www.e-kinetic.com . He can be reached
at mailto:comp@e-kinetic.com .