Turning a topic into an idea

Many people have a lot to say and write, but when it comes to actually doing it and share their stories or point of views with the others, something happens and words don’t go together as planned. In order to achieve the goal you set and be able to say ‘Yes, I did it! Read this – I wrote it!’, there are just a few simple steps to follow.

It doesn’t take a big detailed strategy, but it is important to ask two questions: ‘What are you interested in? and also of very high significance – ‘What are the other people interested in?‘. This goes both ways because you see, you really need to like the topic you are about to write about and do your research on and also, in order for it to be a success, you also need to think about what people are interested in reading about. A good way to find out what people’s interests are, is to research a bit the topics that go public online, in newspapers, at TV or at the radio.

Topics are general subjects or issues and they become an idea when you narrow it down to something. A topic can be about sports or the environment, technology or fashion. An idea is a plan or strategy about how to act on the topic you chose. An idea is a smaller part of the a topic and to see which one to write about, you can use the help of these following three factors: type, place and time.

The type of the topic is the actual niche that you have interest in. Such as, if you are passionate about fashion, think of whether the best idea is to write about shoes, clothes, bags or jewelry. When you got your mind set on a certain type, think of the place that you are writing about. It might be your city or country, or even a certain location or activity – going out to the fanciest restaurant. The time of the topic also helps. Think if you want to enhance an outfit that is trending this year. Or maybe you can compare the current trends with the ones last year. So, if you are passionate about fashion (topic), you can write about the appropriate outfits to wear when going out, according to current year’s trends (idea).

This being said, now it’s time for the research part. A great deal in writing is doing the right research before. Search the internet, read articles or news on the idea chosen, see what specialists in the field have to say about that. Make sure you have gathered accurate information before making it public!

At first, all this plan, strategy, steps might seem a bit difficult to you. You might wonder how can some people write one articles or story after another when there’s so much to do beforehand? Truth is – it gets easier in time. The first few times, you need to check the plan but afterwards it just comes natural and the steps have been already learned so that practice gets easier and easier and you will save a lot of time.

My advice to you is to write as much as you can. Think about topics and ideas as much as you can and research those. Practice makes perfect, remember!

 

Startup Stock Photos

 

 

 

Photo source: here.

31 Days Challenge – Intro

Who doesn’t love a nice little challenge?

Well, in my many many wanderings through Social Media I found this blog and kind of a dare. As a person who loves those, I started reading. So, you have to write on your blog for 31 days, on any subject you like.

‘Oh boy, oh boy, that sounds lovely… And there were so many topics going through my mind… But…wait. I don’t have a blog… Yet.’

So that’s how it all started 🙂 I wanted a blog for so long but I was always unsure of what I would write on it. Even though I do have lots of stories to tell, at least my friends always tell me how interesting my life is and how I live every moment, something just wasn’t right. But when THIS came along, it felt just perfect. Maybe because just a few days before that, a friend of mine was annoyed with the fact that I was narrating a story and I only share it with a few people.

So, this is it. You’re on my blog now, so it exists, yey! I joined the ‘Write 31 Days’ Challenge, that starts on the 1st of October and I plan to write the whole month, one post a day. At least one that’s related to the topic I chose especially for this and then others of my day-to-day life.

You might be curious about my topic… But that’s going to come out when the time is right. Let me tell you a bit about ’31 Days’. So it’s an online writing challenge started by blogger Myquillyn Smith. And it’s where bloggers pick one topic and they write a post a day on it. There’s also a community where we post those articles, and also a Facebook group, so that everyone can read the ones they’re interested in the most.

I thought this was the perfect place for me to be in my blogging beginnings. It was all the motivation I needed, plus the social interaction with people that have the same determination and enthusiasm as me, but most of all, the same purpose.

I was looking at all those categories and I knew that I would never write on ‘House & Home’ or ‘Family Life’. In the end, I just knew that I belonged in the ‘Too Awesome to Categorize’ group. Ok, now may be the right time to tell you about my topic.

Initially, I was thinking about listing lovely words like ‘Sausade’ or ‘Wanderlust’, words that have a certain meaning that makes them interesting. But then, there would be no ‘ME’ in there… And since my friends tell me I have some interesting stories to tell, and they even got angry with the fact that I keep them to myself – there you have it, okay? I’m going to take out my memories box out of the closet and for the 31 days of October I will tell you 31 lovely, funny, stories that made my life until now.

After deciding on my topic, I needed just one other thing – a title. How was I supposed to call it? 31 Days of what? Memories, stories, happenings, they were all too specific. One dear friend even suggested ’31 Days of Sunshine’. I did like it, it just wasn’t right enough. And I got to thinking that all those memories were made at the right time with the right people for me to be a part of them. Most of them were unexpected, the people and/or the happenings, I wasn’t looking for either of them… And that made me remember my fav word in the whole world 🙂 I just felt it, it was right, it was ME. And that one word is ‘Serendipity’.

 

31 days of serendipity challenge write 31 days anamariapopa.com blog post ana maria popa

 

To get the latest ‘31 Days’ posts, simply follow #Write31Days on Facebook. You’ll especially find me by following that hashtag of course, but also #ampblog and #31daysofserendipity, starting the 1st of October!

Anyone who wishes to take part in this lovely project can find more info here.

 

31 days of serendipity challenge anamariapopa.com blog ana maria popa

 

 

 

Later Edit: Below you can find all my posts that are ‘Too Awesome to Categorize’ 🙂

Day 1 – I’m (Still) a Barbie Girl

Day 2 – Learning to Let Go

Day 3 – First (Business) Meeting

Day 4 – Beyond Comprehension

Day 5 – First Friend

Day 6 – Red and Blue Love

Day 7 – Obsession

Day 8 – The Aww Factor

Day 9 – Mood for Love

Day 10 – Coincidence or Fate?

Day 11 – My Thing

Day 12 – Always a ‘Bridesmaid’

Day 13 – Happy as A Child

Day 14 – Angel

Day 15 – Barcelona of My Soul

Day 16 – I Heart Burberry

Day 17 – My Fortune Cookie

Day 18 – ‘Something to Remember Me By’

Day 19 – Second Beauty Queen

Day 20 – Hey, Bartender!

Day 21 – Why Settle?

Day 22 – Full Age

Day 23 – Princess Me

Day 25 – My Vienna

Day 27 – Virtual Friend