Whether a book, speech, or TEDx talk, “what is it about?” is the first question to answer. Before you write an outline, choose a title, or plan your marketing strategy, you need to choose a topic.

If you’re doing talks every week for your Toastmasters club, there’s really no reason to put a ton of effort into selecting a great topic. The point is to practice how you speak, not what you speak about. Talk about your sock drawer if you like.

If you’re composing Tweets, Facebook updates, or blog posts, opportunities are plentiful. If something doesn’t work, try a different Tweet five minutes later.

But, for competitive opportunities, opportunities where the potential to reach millions of people is high, or time-consuming endeavors (speaking at a conference like TEDx, getting a book deal, writing a book), it makes sense to craft the best topic possible.

Here’s why it matters. [Read more…] about How to choose a topic for a TED Talk or book