9 Effective Ways to Choose an Essay Topic

Choosing a topic to write about in your essay can be very challenging. It needs an effective brainstorming in which you sit down, relax and think of the many topics that are related to your subject. Once you have all the possible topics listed down, it would be easier for you to figure out which one is best suited for your essay. Here are some effective ways that can help you choose an essay topic for both fiction and non-fiction essays.

1) Choose a topic with a strong introduction

A strong introduction is a vital part of your essay. It should reflect the tone, mood and direction of your paper. A good way to start is by choosing a topic with an interesting story to tell. Introduce it with a short anecdote or joke that immediately piques the interest of your readers and get them hooked on for more.

2) Ask questions about the topic

There is no such thing as a boring subject, there are only writers who cannot ask good questions about their topics. A good way to figure out a great topic for your essay is by asking yourself the following questions: What do I think about this? Why am I interested in it? How can I make others interested in it too? By getting answers to these questions, you would be able to come up with a strong and interesting angle that will be worth writing about.

3) Don't be afraid to write about the "boring" topics

Most people avoid such topics believing they would bore their readers. But truth be told, any topic, if written with a fresh perspective and good storytelling skills can become an interesting read. So do not shy away from them just because of your personal opinion of them.

4) Think of a topic that you are most knowledgeable about

Write only on those topics where you know all the ins and outs. This would be your biggest advantage as it would give you an upper hand over other writers. It will also help boost your confidence as well as your interest in writing which would reflect in your work.

5) Come up with a list of random topics

Grab a piece of paper and write down all the possible topics that come to your mind under headings such as "Things About", "People I Met", "Quotes I Heard" etc. Now look at each heading and choose one idea from there. This would help you explore different areas that you have never thought about. You might just come across a very interesting topic as a result of this exercise.

6) Brainstorm with friends

If you are unable to think of anything on your own, try brainstorming with friends or classmates. They could give you some great ideas for topics which you may not have thought of earlier. Once you have a list of possible topics, narrow down to one from there and start working on it.

7) Look at the world around you

You may not always have to do a lot of research to come up with a topic because there is so much that goes on around us everyday that we can write about. All you need to do is look closely and see if there are any interesting events or happenings from which you could draw some inspiration.

8) Think of an interesting title

If you are still unable to choose a topic that has both depth and intrigue, then try coming up with an interesting title. Once you have one, run it past your classmates or friends and see which one they like the most. This would help you narrow down to a much better topic.

9) Look for inspiration in your surroundings

Sometimes we do not realize that things happening all around us would make for good topics. For instance, the way your dog behaves with other dogs or the experiences you had during a vacation like hiking etc., can be turned into interesting essays. All you need to do is observe and write about them.