Search Terms as Writing Prompts

Posted by annastan on August 20th, 2010. Filed under: Random Fun.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a little obsessive when it comes to looking at the stats for my website. Google Analytics and I are very good friends. I’m especially fascinated by the search terms people use to find my website. Most of them are writing-related, some sound like students looking for help with assignments, and some make me stop and think.

I thought I’d share some of the more interesting search terms from the past few months. I love imagining what was going on with people when they typed theirs into Google. I feel like each one has a story behind it.

-don’t talk about distraction to me

-feeling stuck in a city novel

-giving myself some break

-how to revise when you are sad

-she enjoys your writing

-tragedy is when i have a hangnail

Couldn’t each of these be a prompt for a writing exercise? What interesting search terms have you come across recently?
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7 Responses to Search Terms as Writing Prompts

  1. Brad
    August 20th, 2010 at 9:39 am

    Right now my quirkiest one is “itt tech commercials.” Though I had something about burying bodies a few weeks ago.

    Which leads me to highly question just who my readers are.

    theBrad (verla tag)
    http://www.bradmouth.com
    http://www.facebook.com/bradmouth

    P.S. Let me know if you’d ever want to write something for bradmouth, I think you’d fit in.

  2. Andrea Vlahakis
    August 20th, 2010 at 9:43 am

    Anna, you’re right—these all have a story behind them. And they are great exercise prompts—especially the hangnail one. :)

  3. Jonathon Arntson
    August 20th, 2010 at 10:06 am

    Wow. Who knew search terms could feel so powerful.

    I feel a short story anthology coming on.

  4. Sheri Larsen
    August 20th, 2010 at 10:13 am

    I haven’t really examined the whole Google thing yet. I think me must!! I think any of those would be great writing exercises.

  5. Laura Marcella
    August 20th, 2010 at 10:27 am

    That last one is funny! I have Google Analytics but I always forget to check it, haha. I guess I should do that today!

  6. Ara Burklund
    August 20th, 2010 at 10:36 am

    Ha! I love the hangnail one. Now I’m wishing I wrote down the weird search keywords I’ve gotten over the years. Mostly I just get people searching for advice on past vs. present tense.

  7. annastan
    August 20th, 2010 at 10:46 am

    Brad, burying bodies? Wow, I think that takes the prize. Perhaps it was your “how to bury a body” post that did it. :-)

    Andrea, the hangnail one really is a story in itself. The “revising when sad” one makes me sad…

    Jon, what a cool idea for an anthology! I think one of us has to write it.

    Sheri, Google Analytics is the perfect way to waste time and procrastinate. It’s fun but also the devil. :-)

    Laura M, most of the search terms are pretty normal, which is why the interesting ones really stand out.

    Ara, how funny, I get A LOT of people searching for past vs. present tense, too. I guess it’s a hot topic!