How to find the right topic

The thing with writing is that you always need a topic. This is obvious: When you don't have anything to talk about, there won't be much sense in writing it down. Well, actually there won't even be anything to write it down. I guess you see the point. So what is there to do when you are supposed to practise your writing (which is of course not a bad idea) but you don't have a fixed theme? Usually in these situations, our mind is either blank or comes up with a billion vague ideas. None of these possibilities is really helpful.

So what I will try to come up with in the following, is different ways of finding wonderful topics:

1.) You have a brilliant teacher who tells you to write about the glamorous person 'x', the wonderful place 'y' or the amazing event 'z'.

This is quite easy (unless you don't particularly like 'x', 'y' or 'z'), so let us search for more possibilities requiring your own initiative:

2.) Have a look in the newspaper or watch the news on television. Writing about current affairs has the definite advantage that you do not have to justify yourself for writing about it. Prevailing politics and politicians have a justification for being talked and written about within themselves.

3.) Simply sit down, start thinking and write it down. Actually, you don't even have to actively start thinking because you are constantly doing it. Intelligent people call this method "stream of consciousness" writing. Isn't this wonderful - you simply type into your computer what is on your mind and people might find it fantastic literature.

4.) Considering your daily routine and your average week: Is there anything particularly important for you? I imagine things like different kinds of sports or music - your personal hobbies so to say. Or it could also be people with whom you deal every day or - as simple as that - your job. What I want to point out: You will probably be brilliant in writing about anything that you personally admire!

5.) (And this is to be read as a justification for writing this text...) Should you experience problems in finding a suitable topic - simply turn your problem into a topic. It will be faster than expected that you can come up with an entertaining and informative text containing 434 words.

Do you have any other ideas? Don't hesitate to tell me - I am sure there will be another time for me to have a blank mind and honestly, I cannot do this again and again...