Coming up with your own topics for articles can be the most stressful part of the whole process for many people. It seems as soon as you need them, the ideas just stop coming. But when you have absolutely no need for them, they come pouring in through the chimney. I have experiences where I have spent more time looking for a topic to write about than actually writing the thing.

There are ways to get past this, though. There are techniques that writers use to keep the flow of ideas more consistent. They’re all very simple, as well, which is what makes them so appealing to busy writers.

The ultimate way to get the ideas you need when you need them is to write down all your ideas as soon as you have them. Some of the best ideas I’ve had for articles have come when I’m idly browsing the internet. I write down these ideas immediately, and when I get some time, I go through my list of ideas and pick one to write about. A good strategy for this is to always keep a small notebook in your pocket, and then when you get a spare minute, put the ideas from your notebook into an organized list.

Sometimes I get some ideas on my list that I just never write about, usually because I don’t like the topic or something like that. But, as long as I have ideas coming in, this isn’t a problem. I just cross that off the list and don’t do it. Simple.

If you need ideas fast, however, nothings beats a good trawl through the internet. Reading other articles and seeing what questions they left unanswered is a great idea. You could even link back to the original article to help build some links and get higher up on google rankings. As they say, great ideas come from other great ideas. Or perhaps they don’t say that. But that’s beside the point.

You could even use the Google Adwords keyword tool to find some topics you could write about. Just go to the keyword tool, put in a few words that describe your hobbies or interests and see what comes up. If you see something you could write about in there, go ahead. Write about it. If you see something that gives you an idea for something completely different, go ahead and write about that. Possibilities are endless.

Ideas are in every dimly lit metaphorical corner of the universe. All we have to do is bring them into the light. Just remember that next time you need some lame inspirational quotes for your facebook page. Good luck, and don’t panic!