When a topic is left open, many writers put off getting started because they can’t decide what to write about. Experienced writers say that the best way to choose a topic is literally to let it choose you. The subjects that compel you—that confuse, puzzle, irritate, or in some way pose a problem for you—are likely to engage your interests and hence evoke your best writing. You can begin to identify a topic or problem by thinking through the following questions:

Deciding on a broad topic is an essential step before beginning to write, but you need to go further than that to decide what you want to say about your topic and how you will shape what you want to say into a clear, powerful message. Remember that regardless of the topic you choose, it must be manageable for the time you have to write and the constraints of your project (length limits, expectations of audience, and so on). For help with limiting a topic, see 3b and 10c.