If you have time to grab a cup of coffee on the way to work, then that is a golden opportunity to find great article ideas. While the barista makes your drink, instead of checking Facebook, do a quick search to find multiple article ideas locally that you can start on this weekend.
Here’s what to search for:
Start by Googling “Top 10 things to do in (your hometown),” or “Top day trips from …” This will give you a wide range of quirky tours, nearby towns to explore, free activities, concerts, and things to do on the weekend with your family… all of which you can write about.
Perk: You may discover things you didn’t even realize were on offer in your town, find trails to explore with the kids, or get to do things you’ve always been meaning to do.
Added bonus: Spending the day wandering in a nearby town is a great day out for the family. It won’t break the bank and can be looked at like a mini-vacation as you discover cool things you didn’t know were there.
Next, try searching for a “Women in Business” breakfast or lunch in your local area. Or, try a local Rotary Club meeting. Chatting with the people there could give you important leads about the pillars of your local community. Profile articles sell well, help promote others, and inspire—which makes them fun to write.
Perk: In addition to writing a profile on a person, it’s easy to pick up extra articles by also writing about their businesses, restaurants, or latest hot trend in their industry.
For example, you can write about a local organic farmer who started growing berries to keep up with a health-conscious community that has gone “berry smoothie” mad.
Added bonus: Sometimes you’ll receive perks straight away—getting a free meal, tour, day trip… or even your week’s fresh produce, if they own an organic farm. Of course, you might not want to ask for these up front, especially if it’s your first time writing—but you’d be surprised how often these are offered as a thank-you.
The possibilities are as diverse as the people themselves. It’s a win-win: a published byline (and maybe a free perk) for you, and free publicity for them.
With one quick search while you wait for your morning coffee, a wealth of article ideas appear in front of you on a wide range of topics that are close to home. It’s as simple as that. So, enjoy your coffee while choosing which one you want to do this weekend and go land that first by-line. That’s what I did.