How to Find a Writing Topic:

Learning Some Pre-Writing Methods

 Learning Objective

• To learn the different pre-writing

methods to be able to come up with
a writing topic
Key Understanding
 Learning the different methods of finding and
selecting a writing topic is important in choosing
the suitable topic to write about.

Key Question
 What are the different methods that you can
implement in looking for and selecting a writing
topic?
What Your Writing Topic Should Be

 One that interests you, so that you can be

passionate, personal, and comfortable when
writing about it; and

 One that you know well of, so that you can be

credible and convincing to your audience with
your message.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
BRAINSTORMING

Step 1: Begin at the top of a sheet of paper,

and list down everything that comes
into your mind instantly for a certain
amount of time.
Here is a sample brainstorming list for a formal theme
with a free choice of topic:
• Southeast Asia • White beaches in Boracay
• Superheroes: Iron Man, • The Parable of the Prodigal Son
Captain America, Hulk • Patintero
• Eating halo-halo on • Singers: Taylor Swift;
an April morning Demi Lovato; Miley Cyrus
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
BRAINSTORMING

Step 2: After listing down all your ideas,

browse through them and pick the
one that best appeals to you, or the
one that you know best.
Step 3: You can also try to connect your
ideas, and see what meaning you can
create. These connections between
ideas can also be writing topics in
themselves.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
CLUSTERING or MAPPING

Step 1: Write a word or phrase at the center

of the page and encircle it; this
becomes your main topic.

Step 2: Think of other words and phrases

related to that main topic. Write them
down, encircle them, and draw lines
connecting them to the main topic.
These become your subtopics.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
CLUSTERING or MAPPING

Step 3: You can branch off the subtopics with

other supporting ideas, or you can
think of new subtopics related again
to the main topic. Just make sure that
each word or phrase you write down
is connected to the word or phrase
that suggested it.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
CLUSTERING or MAPPING

Step 4: When you are done drawing your

cluster, browse through all the ideas
and pick one that you would like to
talk about. If you want to expand on
your chosen idea, you can also use
the words and phrases you wrote
around it.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
Sample Topic Cluster
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
FREEWRITING

 It is an act of writing down your thoughts

nonstop, in the exact order, language, and form
in which you think of them.
 Contrary to brainstorming and clustering or
mapping, which use words and phrases, this
method uses the force of narration to draw a
stream of connected ideas out of the writer’s
mind.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
FREEWRITING
Advantages of Freewriting over the Other
Two Methods:
 It maintains some coherence between a writer’s
thoughts.
 Since the key to using this method successfully
is speed, you can write as quickly as you can to
create constant momentum for your thoughts to
keep on flowing.
 Writing fast can also get you writing down
thoughts you did not see coming.
Methods in Finding a Writing Topic
FREEWRITING
Below is a sample freewriting composition. Notice how it
abandons proper writing form and style to quickly get as
many ideas across as possible.
I’ve been to Trinoma Mall in North Avenue Quezon City yes it was
constructed by the Ayalas just like the Glorietta and Greenbelt malls in
Makati I like Trinoma better than SM North EDSA because it’s nearer to
my home in Mindanao Avenue plus it’s connected to the MRT so yeah it
makes commuting much easier I also like Trinoma’s design better it’s
more modern upscale and luxurious than SM North EDSA which is
actually more targeted at the masses the lower social classes and
Trinoma has the places that I like such as Zara Taco Bell Typo roy&biv
Gift Factory and Timezone these are not found in SM North EDSA which
is such a pity also did I mention that Trinoma’s cinemas are tons better
than SM’s cinemas the movie seats are comfier the comfort rooms are
cleaner and the service staff are much friendlier okay I’ll admit the
tickets are a bit pricier but I don’t mind paying a bit more for a mall that
cares for its customers better ah there’s also the parking in SM North
EDSA I am never able to find any parking space