Forbes.com featured some of the world's most expensive desserts in a slideshow in honor of Valentine's Day. Most expensive, least expensive, or other surprising qualities at either end of the spectrum make for great articles. Some other suggestions include:

• Most expensive coffee makers
• Least expensive cars
• Smallest dogs
• Largest houses
• Longest films
• Oldest man-made structures
• Most expensive art sales

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If you're a single freelancer, chances are good that you don't have health insurance. And, if you do have health insurance, chances are also good that your premiums are going up, your coverage is fluctuating, and you're overall displeased with how the insurance company jerks you around. So here's your weekend writing idea. Write about the health insurance industry.

• How does one find a good health insurance company?
• What does a person who does not have health insurance do when they get sick?
• What are some ways to save on health care?
• How does a person find doctors in their health insurance network?
• How can a person object to a health insurance company's decision?
• What do you do if you have a "pre-existing condition"?
• What are lawmakers trying to do to change the health insurance system? (Are they really doing anything?)
• What can individuals do to take a stand against the corrupt health insurance system?
• How is health care different for the insured vs. the uninsured?

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As most of you know, I've been a long-time fan of Slate. (Recently, its content seems to have taken a dive in hopes of attracting bottom-feeders, but that's another issue.) Slate runs a column, written by various contributers and interns, called Explainer. Explainer's writers researches a topic relevant to the news to give the reader the inside scoop on the subject. Explainer has answered question in the past like, "Can a doctor force you to undergo a procedure against your will?" and "How do you survive a 47-storey fall?"

Your weekend writing idea is to write and Explainer-like article. Those writing for the Explainer interview experts and do research - you'll probably just want to do research, since this is an article written on spec. However, concentrate on surprising questions that will garner even more interesting answers.

Maybe, instead of offering suggestions for questions that I don't know the answers to, I'll open up discussion to you. What's a burning question you have that you'd like someone else to research and answer? Feel free to discuss here or in the forum - whatever's easiest and most conducive to interaction. For inspiration, click on the link to Explainer above - you'll see just how creative you can be, and you might get some ideas for other articles while you're at it.

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Even celebrities can't steal the spotlight with primary elections in full swing and candidates dropping like insects. While people follow the results with either rising gorges or whoops of elation, there is a dearth of understanding about the whole process behind choosing presidential party nominees, as well as the controversial electoral process. Your weekend writing idea is about answering questions (your own, or common ones) and clearing up misconceptions about how the United States manages to fumble through this whole mess.

Topics of consideration:

• What are delagates/what role do they play?
• What is a caucus?
• What is the electoral college?
• How do states tally votes?
• What's the issue with primaries?
• How does a party pick a nominee?
• How does the process today differ from the process 100 years ago?

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This weekend, think about a niche audience to which you can appeal. Constant Content excels at providing content that reaches broad audiences, but sometimes requests for content that appeals to a certain type of audience or made. To write knowledgeably and enthusiastically for an audience, the writer would ideally be a part of such an audience or have close affiliations with potential audience members.

For example, Constant Content could use more:

• Content geared towards members of ethnic groups
• Content that explores religions besides Western-style Christianity and Paganism
• Content that speaks to aficionados of all types (think beyond "Wine 101," "Golf," or "Collecting Antique Maps for the Beginner")
• Content that offers advice to individuals suffering from certain diseases or disorders, or that seeks to educate those who may be close to to someone with a certain disease or disorder
• Content for and about sexual orientation and gender issues
• Content for single people who are not looking for romance
• Content for the person who is already an expert in his or her field

While there may not be as much demand for these types of articles, it doesn't hurt to pleasantly surprise the customer who is searching for the right article to speak to their chosen audience.

Have a great weekend!

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