Write what you know.
It sounds simple because it is. I've spent years trying to craft the perfect fictional plot and research and send off queries on topics I thought magazine editors might find compelling. It wasn't until I started letting my life dictate what I wrote about that I truly found success. What good is the amazing journey of life if it doesn't provide a writer with the ultimate inspiration? My advice to any writer who is struggling to find ideas is to look inward. What topics are weighing heavily on your mind? What challenges have you faced in your life? How did an experience your child faced at school affect your family? Now . . . write.

Example:
This past year my family had to rethink the foods we were eating after my son struggled with a leaky gut issue. Organic foods became a large part of our lives. While eating organic just a few years ago may have been too costly for the average American family, I took what I learned to help readers in Charlotte discover the  healthiest and most economical places to buy organic on a budget.

The Story:
Go Organic on a Budget

Example:
Before the birth of my first child, I began my maternity leave a week early in order to finish the baby preparations and indulge in a little pampering as well. What I didn't do was plan what our meals would be the first few weeks home with the baby! We were lucky that several friends brought by meals and provided us with gift certificates, but we still weren't prepared like we should have been. This inspired me to write my very first published parenting article, and has since been rewritten and reprinted for other publications.

The Story:
From Stork Clubs to Frozen Dinners: Meal Solutions for Brand-New Parents