How to Find a Topic for Nonfiction
Choose a broad main topic you are particularly interested in and would like to write about., Determine an audience., Make a chart of possible subtopics., Ponder the possibilities., Choose the mini-topic you are interested in the most., Look to make...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a broad main topic you are particularly interested in and would like to write about.
For example, history or science.
Don't make it very specific, though, like Medieval times or biology.
Sometimes, you can combine two subjects, like the history of science.
Other groups include animals, social studies, humanities, sports, cooking and baking. -
Step 2: Determine an audience.
Age group is one important factor.
For example, you might not want to write a short little 20 page book about honeybees if you would like to gain attention from adults, just as you would not write a novel-length book about physics if you wanted to keep the attention of little kids.
Know who you're writing for before you dive in.
Make a more specific audience.
For example, would you like to attract the smarter end of the IQ test takers? You might want to consider making it more in-depth and you would have to do more research.
Or, maybe you would like to attract people who have not a lot of time? Make your book short, simple and to the point. , Put interests on one side and disinterests on the other.
Keep your audience in mind.
Write down everything you could possibly write about, and give it a category based on whether you are interested in it or not.
These things should be broad, like birds or cooking, rather than mockingbirds and appetizers. , For topics that really interest you, take a smaller topic that particularly stands out to you.
Say you are interested in the Big Bang Theory.
You're topic should be the Big Bang Theory, not something like when black holes appeared after the Big Bang.
If you are considering writing this down, maybe you should write about black holes.
Repeat with every interest.
Keep your audience in mind.
If every topic you come up with doesn't work with your audience, it might be time to change your audience. , Make sure you are really interested.
Otherwise, your ideas can burn out during research because of lack of interest. , If there is, and you really want to, you can combine the topics
- say, fancy dinners and fancy desserts. , -
Step 3: Make a chart of possible subtopics.
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Step 4: Ponder the possibilities.
-
Step 5: Choose the mini-topic you are interested in the most.
-
Step 6: Look to make sure there isn't another mini-topic that could fit with your original mini-topic that you could add to the original.
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Step 7: There is your topic!
Detailed Guide
For example, history or science.
Don't make it very specific, though, like Medieval times or biology.
Sometimes, you can combine two subjects, like the history of science.
Other groups include animals, social studies, humanities, sports, cooking and baking.
Age group is one important factor.
For example, you might not want to write a short little 20 page book about honeybees if you would like to gain attention from adults, just as you would not write a novel-length book about physics if you wanted to keep the attention of little kids.
Know who you're writing for before you dive in.
Make a more specific audience.
For example, would you like to attract the smarter end of the IQ test takers? You might want to consider making it more in-depth and you would have to do more research.
Or, maybe you would like to attract people who have not a lot of time? Make your book short, simple and to the point. , Put interests on one side and disinterests on the other.
Keep your audience in mind.
Write down everything you could possibly write about, and give it a category based on whether you are interested in it or not.
These things should be broad, like birds or cooking, rather than mockingbirds and appetizers. , For topics that really interest you, take a smaller topic that particularly stands out to you.
Say you are interested in the Big Bang Theory.
You're topic should be the Big Bang Theory, not something like when black holes appeared after the Big Bang.
If you are considering writing this down, maybe you should write about black holes.
Repeat with every interest.
Keep your audience in mind.
If every topic you come up with doesn't work with your audience, it might be time to change your audience. , Make sure you are really interested.
Otherwise, your ideas can burn out during research because of lack of interest. , If there is, and you really want to, you can combine the topics
- say, fancy dinners and fancy desserts. ,
About the Author
Jean Lane
Specializes in breaking down complex hobbies topics into simple steps.
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