Thursday, March 01, 2007

Never Miss Topics

In continuing my notes from a writer’s conference, the following comes from Dr. Dennis Hensley about non-fiction writing.  He gives 7 Never Miss Topics and 4 Fairly Safe Categories.

 

Never Miss Topics

  1. Lifestyles:  People what to know how and why people live the way they do.  For example, why do people give up careers to do missions?
  2. Money:  How to make it, collect it, invest it, handle it etc.
  3. Personal advancement ideas and plans:  telling people how to get ahead in life.
  4. Activities:  individual, family, group.  People don’t know what to do without a TV.  What to do on trips.
  5. Physical Fitness:  Exercise, diet, living longer, how to look and feel better.
  6. Mental health and emotional fitness:  how to deal with stress, find peace
  7. Entertainment:  the cheaper the better, how do you have a good time without spending much money?  What to do with your family.

 

Fairly safe categories

  1. Profiles:  people enjoy reading about people, has to be someone interesting, not necessarily famous
  2. Unusual events:  get an angle
  3. Crime:  people are worried about crime.  How can they prevent it?
  4. Schooling and schooling innovations:  why are there big movements in dealing with public school?  How do parents help students with homework?

 

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