The internet is a treasure-trove of information vital to the aspiring or established writer. Whether you are an article writer, book writer or looking to write content for websites, the following will help.

Before looking at the free ways to gather information, you may like to know there's a new tool on the block for conducting internet searches and it's called Search Automator.

To say that Search Automator is a comprehensive search tool is an under-statement. It includes a phenomenal range of search options all focused in one place. All you need to do is type in the word or phrase you want to search on. You are then presented with a vast array of useful options related to your search: lists of websites, ebooks, tutorials, resources, checklists, guides, tips, tricks, articles, MP3s, videos, images, pdf files and so much more. It's got neat built-in keyword research tools too. All in an incredibly easy to use interface.

It's fast, it's slick and no other search tool on the internet even comes close to what Search Automator can offer. It really is worth your while to check out the full specs of this very reasonably priced and amazing time-saving tool.

If your budget won't stretch to Search Automator right now, use the google.com search engine to find writing material. Here are some ways you might not have thought of:

Type a keyword or phrase relevant to your subject into the google.com search box. Then, read through the websites of the first five search engine results on the left side of the page to stimulate your thinking. Additionally, search on the keyword or phrase and review e.g. type used cars + review in the google.com search box. The resulting search engine listings may reveal all kinds of reviews and comparison sites from which you can extract information and ideas. It's important to point out however, that what is written on other people's websites is copyrighted, which means you cannot copy what they have written but you can certainly use their websites to harvest ideas.

Look for key terms used on the websites e.g. used cars includes words like: prices, values, private sales, how to buy, how to sell, auto financing etc.. A list of these terms can be noted as you browse through each site. Here's another example using the term "baby clothes": designer baby clothes, gift ideas, accessories, photo albums etc. etc. These terms can then be used as building blocks for writing paragraphs.

Does the website have a sitemap? Look in the sitemap for things like a feedback area which will have customer comments, or a press release section - again, a rich source of writing ideas.