Inspiration for better article writing through life enrichment

Taking time out to peruse the magazine aisle can provide inspiration.

Inspiration for writing can come from many sources. Friends and acquaintances who subscribe to my work often ask where all that inspiration comes from. Honestly, sometimes inspiration just pops out of my head from nowhere. Sometimes the inspiration for articles came from the very people who ask; my friends. Nevertheless, the best writing inspiration usually comes from simply getting a life beyond the computer. Living life to the fullest is the best inspiration for writing.

Friends and acquaintances.

Maintaining a wide circle of friends can be the best source of article inspiration. Having a variety of people as friends can really open the mind to different experiences and knowledge. Writers and other artists tend to be loners. This can limit the scope of articles seriously.

Reading the work of others.

A well read author keeps abreast of new writing trends and subjects. Use other writers for inspiration, not plagiarism. It's alright to be inspired by the work of others. You may even write on the same subject. Just be sure it isn't the same angle or idea.

Browse the magazine aisle at the supermarket or book store.

See what type of subjects article writers are featuring. There's inspiration for article writing in even the gossip mags and tabloids. These type of articles do sell. It may not win a Pulitzer prize but it will earn page views. We all need money to survive.

Read or watch the news every morning.

If there's a story that moves you, this could be the inspiration for a commentary or editorial piece. Go to online news sites as well. See what people are excited about. Try writing an article on the same subject with a new twist. Research the subject and find the history behind it to enrich the article.

Pay attention when social networking

What are people “buzzing” about? What excites them? What makes them angry? Is there something they have questions about? Do you have the answer to those questions? Social network sites like Facebook and Twitter can easily provide you with hundreds of article ideas in a week. In fact, you may get so many ideas that you can't possibly tackle them all. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum is life experience....

Just get out of the house.

Take a short walk. Go window shopping or to the park or another fun venue. Chances are there will be some type of interesting encounter or experience to begin writing about. Sometimes inspiration for an article can come from a product on a shelf. The human mind works in strange ways, who knows what connections to inspiration it will make while walking around town.

Take a day or two off to clear your head.

Article writing is just like any other job. Inspiration has a hard time finding it's way into a burned out brain. Experiencing new things gives much inspiration to article writing. Take the weekend off and go on a road trip. All the new sights and sounds are sure to give inspiration a hand in your next article. Keep those eyes and ears open and write on!