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Explore Your Interests

Nobody knows everything, but most of us know a little (or a lot) about a few things — especially if they involve us personally. As you search for ideas for an informative essay, examine your daily life for inspiration.

Personal interests and hobbies. What do you like to do in your spare time? What magazines do you read? What television shows do you like to watch? What are your favorite Web sites? What makes you happy? Curious? Angry? What frightens you? Amuses you?
Academics. Your major and your favorite classes are rich sources for essay ideas. Think about recent class discussions that interested you, questions that puzzled you, or information that surprised you when you first learned it.
Work. Any past or current job, volunteer activity, or career you hope to enter involves specialized knowledge of some sort, from learning how to fill a soda machine to getting to know the U.S. tax code. Ask yourself whether you would be interested in informing others about this specialized knowledge.
Reading. What have you read recently that interested or surprised you? What annoyed you or made you angry? What have you read that made you think?

Any of these areas can serve as a jumping-off point for generating ideas for an informative essay. Spend some time brainstorming or freewriting about these aspects of your life, and then review your notes to identify the areas that seem most promising. (For additional suggestions, see the writing project ideas at the end of this chapter.) As you think about your ideas, remember that the best subjects are usually out of the ordinary. Instead of writing about the broad issue of capital punishment, for example, you would do better to consider a little-known but potentially important aspect of the subject, such as how inmates on death row spend their last day before execution or the role of DNA testing in overturning convictions. Once you’ve identified a few possible subjects, select one or two that interest you most, and jot down your thoughts about what you already know and what you need to learn before you start writing.