THE SELECTION OF THE SUBJECT

Many writers complain that their biggest difficulty is finding a subject. Sometimes that difficulty appears less complicated because the subject is identified in a writing assignment. But writing assignments vary in how they are worded, what they assume, and what they expect. For example, you may be asked to discuss two characters in a play you have read. This open assignment does not identify a subject; it merely identifies an area in which a subject needs to be developed. Another version of that same assignment might ask you to compare and contrast the way the two characters make compromises. This closed assignment identifies a sub­ject, but it assumes you know how to work with a specific form (the comparison and contrast essay) and it expects you to produce specific information (two ways of defining and dealing with compromise). In other words, although the second assignment restricts the subject, you must still select and arrange the subject matter of your essay.

When you have a free choice of subjects, your difficulties may appear more complicated. No one is helping you find your subject. On the other hand, no one is telling you what to do or how to do it. You are free to make all your own decisions. Rather than discuss two characters you have read about in a play, you may decide to compare and contrast two characters you know in your neighborhood. Or better still, you may decide to analyze how your favorite character (you) deals with the prob­lem of making compromises.

Whether you are responding to an assignment or creating your own, you need to follow certain measures if you are to find an appropriate subject. First, you should write about a subject you know or can learn something about. The more you know about your subject, the more likely you are to shape it according to your unique perspective. In particular, if your subject is familiar to most of your readers, then your personal experience with or research on the subject will help you write about it in terms of your observations, your ideas, and your values. Second, you must determine if your subject is a general subject that you must limit to a specific subject. A general subject is a large category of informa­tion, such as situation comedies on television. A specific subject focuses on a particular topic within that category, such as the portrayal of women in sitcoms. Or a specific subject can reflect a particular attitude or judgment that expresses the writer's personal view of the general subject: "Sitcoms insult the intelligence of their viewers." The more you can limit or specify your subject, the more likely you are to concentrate your attention on concrete information rather than vague impressions. Third, to ensure that you are willing to spend time working on your subject, you need to ask yourself three questions about it. Is it significant? Is it interesting? Is it manageable?

The editors of a national magazine such as Time try to answer these three questions as they put together each week's issue. They followed the first two guidelines, of course, when they established the policies of the magazine. They have hired reporters who are either experts on particu­lar subjects or who can become experts by using established research procedures. They have organized their magazine according to general subjects such as Science, Sport, and Show Business, but each week they must search for specific subjects to fit into those large categories. Their reporters have uncovered dozens of specific subjects that would be suit­able for each section, but they select only one. At this point, the editors ask each other the key questions: which subject is more significant — photographs from the newest earth-observing satellite or the research breakthough of an important geneticist? Which subject is more interest­ing — the final standings in World Cup skiing or the probable pairings in the NCAA basketball tournament? Which subject can be developed most completely within the space allotted — a review of the splashy new musical from London now opening on Broadway or profiles of the Acad­emy Award nominees?

As these examples suggest, the three questions do not have definitive answers. Each story must be considered on its own merits, in relation to the other stories, and in the context of the writing situation.

As you select your subject, you will discover that significance, interest, and manageability are difficult criteria to define in any absolute sense. If you looked up these terms in a dictionary, you would find simply another set of abstract words.

significant: important, noteworthy

interesting: engrossing, intriguing

manageable: controllable

Although these synonyms may add subtle shades of meaning to the primary terms, they do not really help you formulate three exact defini­tions. A significant subject does not need to be ponderous and weighty. It does need to be something that your readers are likely to have thought about or to find applicable to their lives and interests (for example, maintaining personal integrity, getting ahead, relations with one's fam­ily). Similarly, you should be genuinely interested in your subject and should be able to discuss it in a way that conveys your own distinct point of view, not merely the usual point of view associated with it. A manage­able subject is not one so limited that you can reasonably hope to have written the final word about it; on the other hand, neither is it one so vast or complicated that lengthy articles and books, to say nothing of your own essay, only begin to discuss it adequately.

Ultimately, like the editors of Time, you must develop your own defini­tions as you examine the choices available and as you consider your audience and purpose. When you compare subjects in the context of the complete writing situation, you will naturally prefer some to others. To decide whether one of your preferences will produce a suitable subject, you can measure it against the criteria set forth in the following guidelines.

Guidelines for Selecting Your Subject

1. What do I know about my subject?

Do Iknow about my subject in some depth, or do I need to learn more about it? What are the sources of my knowledge — direct experience, observation, reading? How does my knowledge give me a special or unusual perspective on my subject?

2. What is the focus of my subject?

Is my subject too general, too all-inclusive? How can I restrict it to a smaller, more specific subject that I can develop in greater detail?

3. What is significant about my subject?

What issues of general importance does it raise? What fresh insight can I contribute to my readers' thinking on this issue?

4. What is interesting about my subject?

Am I genuinely interested in this subject? What kinds of subjects do I usually consider interesting? Can I attract my readers' interest with this subject?

5. Is my subject manageable?

Can I write about my subject in a particular form, within a certain number of pages? Do I feel in control of my subject or confused by it? If my subject is too complicated or too simplistic, how can I make it more manageable?