brain dead

Almost anything can make a good discussion. Remember that a good discussion topic should: 1) Have something in it which will engage people's interest 2) Actively encourage people to write descriptive and original responses 3) Allow you to have something of quality to say as comments to responses 4) (Obviously) Be within the Guidelines and Terms of MyLot. Finding a topic is just a matter of letting one's mind go its normal way but of using something like a pen-torch or a highlighter on everything it happens to light on. If your mind is engaged by something, then you have the potential of interesting someone else with it. The next thing is to find a way of presenting it so that it makes it into a discussion. Use open questions beginning with the 'wh' words ('how' is also one of them). Test them by answering the questions yourself (mentally). Does the question or topic make you want to talk or write at length on it? Does it make you want to give descriptive and original information? Or can it just be answered by 'Yes' or 'No'? How would you begin a conversation with someone? That is also a good way of thinking about how to start a discussion, except that one may need to put rather more 'meat' into the introduction. Making a good discussion is quite hard work (I'm aware that you probably know this but I'm writing for others as well). It is a skill that can be learned and is not as easy as responding. That's why I recommend that new members, especially, begin by responding. Since 'participation' involves everything that we do here, it's unlikely that you earn any more simply by starting discussions than by making good quality responses. The real earning potential of a discussion is when it really becomes 'a discussion' - that is, when you add comments to people's responses and a conversation develops.

well i like to start ones in my favourite topics which are frugal living, crafts and life because i know alot about these topics. other ideas i get for starting a discussion have to do with something i have read recently, heard on talk radio or seen on the news.