Hang out where your readers do.
Since I’ve begun editing the magazine for a national organization, I’ve made a point each month to drive an hour-and-a-half one way to attend a chapter meeting. It’s not the club business that attracts me, but the conversations before and after.
They’re some of my best opportunities to connect with members’ concerns. If the publication’s going to scratch where they itch, I need to stay connected.
But that’s just once a month. So I regularly visit the organization’s Facebook page — not just the initial posts, but especially the back-and-forth of people’s comments.
Sometimes I simply find article topics. Other times, I ask those who’ve posted to write articles — especially when there’s been extensive discussion.
Finding relevant topics isn’t hard. All you have to do is watch and listen.
