How to Find Ideas for Articles & Speeches

Written by Robert F. Abbott


Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?

I know have had at times, and others tell merepparttar same thing. At my Toastmasters club, for example, I've often heard members say they have difficulty finding topics for speeches.

But, I've learned, like others who write and speak a lot, to start with what I know. To use my own experiences or perspectives to make even a simple subject uniquely my own. And you can dorepparttar 104604 same.

Indeed, what seems mundane to you may fascinate someone else. Suppose, for example, you work in a fast food restaurant -- tell me aboutrepparttar 104605 best and worst customers, or tell me aboutrepparttar 104606 processes and training that make it possible to go from order to delivery in just a couple of minutes.

Here's a real-life example from my own experiences. I have a part-time job as a directory assistance operator for a telephone company, and that produces some interesting stories, likerepparttar 104607 time a woman called becauserepparttar 104608 door knob to exit her borrowed apartment was broken, and she couldn't figure out how to get out. She didn't know who to call except Directory Assistance, and we had an interesting time figuring out a solution. Now there's a story to get an article or speech started, and perhaps even a theme such as "Strange but true stories from a directory assistance operator."

Then, there'srepparttar 104609 idea of providing insights for others. If you drive a truck, for instance, you might create a Top Ten list of common mistakes you see onrepparttar 104610 streets and highways. As a professional driver, you have special insight intorepparttar 104611 patterns of amateur drivers.

Beyond your personal experiences, think about issues that intrigue you. If you're interested, doing research and thinking about a subject will be enjoyable and easy. Perhaps you can even satisfy your own curiosity as you prepare an article or speech that enlightens someone else.

These approaches should lead you to any number of story ideas. Make a list, of say five or ten possible topics. Now, ask yourself which of them will berepparttar 104612 most enjoyable or easiest to develop. You also might ask yourself if you have enough examples to illustraterepparttar 104613 points that fall under a specific topic.

From Bank Clerk To Entrepreneur

Written by Carolyn James


What seems like a century ago, I left school and joined a well-known High Street Bank. In those days working as a bank clerk was a well-established route for many school leavers and perceived to be a proper job with prospects. It wasn’t long before I became disillusioned withrepparttar world of banking and sought a change of job. In complete contrast to my previous job, I became a clerk inrepparttar 104603 local hospital dealing withrepparttar 104604 injured and infirm, but it was a role that I found strangely interesting and rewarding. In today’s parlance, it is known as job satisfaction.

My career progressed rapidly and after working in a number of different departments I became Admissions Officer of a major regional hospital where I soon gained valuable front line experience. There is nothing more conducive to honing your powers of communication, persuasion, resilience and empathy than dealing with people when they are at their most vulnerable. Working in an Accident and Emergency Department definitely puts one’s life completely into perspective and is like being part of a TV medical soap opera.

My career came to halt when I met my husband and moved away fromrepparttar 104605 area. I have to admit that back inrepparttar 104606 early 70’s marrying and havingrepparttar 104607 obligatory 2.4 children was stillrepparttar 104608 acceptable norm, although liberation for women was gathering pace. Being a conservative soul, I slipped intorepparttar 104609 mainstream and before I knew it I wasrepparttar 104610 wife of a career man andrepparttar 104611 mother of two children living in a three-bed semi. Returning to work was not a consideration and this proved to be a sensible decision as my husband was posted to four different locations throughoutrepparttar 104612 UK inrepparttar 104613 space of 6 years.

Atrepparttar 104614 end of this period,repparttar 104615 children were at school, our relocation days were over and we were finally able to establish some roots and settle down as a family. It was time to start considering my own needs and to plan a return torepparttar 104616 mainstream work environment. This was not an easy thing to do after almost seven years of raising a family, but I plucked up courage and found myself back inrepparttar 104617 health care sector as a part time receptionist at my local doctor’s surgery, a role that I found very satisfying. My confidence increased and my job gave me a focus outside of my immediate family. I regained some independence, earned my own money and met a new circle of friends. At last I had an opportunity to talk about something other than children and I felt thatrepparttar 104618 old grey matter was once again being stimulated!

After a while,repparttar 104619 novelty of working in a doctor’s surgery wore off and I felt that I needed a fresh challenge. Atrepparttar 104620 same time my husband also felt that he had had enough of corporate life and wanted to do something completely different. For a couple that had had a very structured life,repparttar 104621 crossroads seemed to be particularly difficult to negotiate. After two years had passed and a couple of false starts, I decided that I wanted to pursue my own business interest with a little bit of help from my husband. He had pursued a portfolio career and hadrepparttar 104622 time and expertise to help me develop my plans and make sure that I was onrepparttar 104623 right tracks.

The idea was quite simple and was borne out of my own frustration of finding quality lighting products locally forrepparttar 104624 home. Although we didn’t live in an isolated area, we still had to travel at least forty miles to find a lighting outlet that sold, what I considered to be, quality lighting. Upon further investigation, I found that there are many areas inrepparttar 104625 UK that are not well served with lighting shops and therefore I felt that there must be an opportunity to fill this gap inrepparttar 104626 market.

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