The Struggling Writer

The chronicles of a freelance writer as he tries to make a living.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Cross Fertilization Makes Writing Stronger

One common thing new writers wonder about is where we get our ideas. Like a lot of things, the more you write the better you get at it. In particular as you write about multiple subjects, you find ways to link subjects to come up with new ideas and interesting perspectives on otherwise dull subjects.

Months ago I wrote a number of articles on window blinds and in the process learned a lot about how blinds help control the temperature in a room. Now I'm writing about portable air conditioners and am struggling to find good ideas. I can use what I know about window blinds to talk about supplementing air conditioners with good quality blinds. If I still had that blinds client, I could then write an article for them on how to supplement blinds with portable air conditioners.

I've written dozens of articles for a company that provides training on Microsoft software. I have a client now who trains on HAZWOPER certification. Many of my Microsoft articles can be repurposed for this new client since the basic concept of training is the same no matter what the subject. Less research = faster articles = more money.

Although the blank page is never fun, as you expand your background you will have a broader knowledge base to draw on when creating new work.

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