Writing 101 How to Write an Unknown Article

When I say ?Unknown Article,? I mean you think you need to write an article but you are clueless as to what it should be about. This means that no burning cause is there for you to expose. You didn't learn to make waffles for the first time yesterday and you want to tell everybody about it. You are not mad at Dick Cheney or the President. You have no great religious axe to grind. In fact, you are as I said, ?clueless? as to what to write. Here are some ways to find the idea that will get you going on that ?Unknown Article:?

Go to your word processor and write in html italics ?b? and ?/b.? Between them write ?Unknown Article.? When you get your article idea, replace the title.

Now leave your computer and read the morning newspaper. In the first section of the newspaper, look for the hottest controversies, most exciting news stories, and that stinging editorial against cloning or gang rape.

Go to your computer, bring up Notepad and jot down the few ideas you found even though you have no plans to develop any of them in the present article. A bad idea for an article today will become a good idea when you are really hurting for article ideas. Take my word for it.

Now you are going to need some help here. Here are some stories in our daily rag this morning followed by a possible article idea or two:

Committee OKs raises for some state workers: State of Idaho Unfair to Most State Workers, Idaho Favors Some State Workers over Others, State Thinks Prison Guards More Important than School Teachers.

Guards foil terrorist strike at the heart of the Saudi oil industry: Gunfight at the Ol? Saudi Corral, Saudi's Fake Attack to Raise Oil Price, Phony Oil Price Raise, Saudi Refinery Guards Outshoot Terrorist Suicide Bombers.

Wild in the Classroom: Teacher Threatens Students with Dangerous Reptiles, Idaho Snakes Don't Kill, PTA in Uproar about Snakes, Serpents Invade Classrooms Worldwide.

Castleford arsenic plan too expensive, state agency says: State Says, ?Let them Die,? $500,000 Grant Declined to Castleford, State Abandons Castleford, State Says to Drink Arsenic laden water is Okay if you Live in Castleford.

South Dakota Legislature passes abortion ban to challenge Roe v. Wade: Rape Pregnancy Okay in South Dakota, South Dakota Says the Bodies of Women are not Temples of God that Sometimes Need Purifying, State of South Dakota hates women and Okays incest, Planned Parenthood Fights South Dakota Governor.

Our local rag is rich in article ideas today. Here are some other article ideas generated from Section A:

Child Turns into Old Lady and Dies (from obits), Paratroopers Discharged for Bad Jump (from sex scandal), U.S. Against Civil War They Caused (Iraq article), Great Statesman Says Gays Bring Diversity, Utah Cans Polygamist Judge, BSU Wants More Blacks, Smoke Money Chokes Legislature, Idaho Legislature Favors Candy Machines in Schools, McCall ?Fines? State, Cameras in Grade School will Thwart Gangs, Attorney Gets Caught in Internet Trap, Water Beds Good for Dairy Cows (I'm not kidding), Mouse Virus Causes Prostate Cancer, Bush Administration Drifts Back toward Port Deal, Gulf not Ready for New Katrina, Judge Backs Libby.

Hey! Where did you go!

We've got three more sections to cover.

There's more to this article than just the newspapers. There are other ways to generate article ideas.

Oh, well.

The End