Ask yourself what type of piece you'll be writing. Will it be an essay or a research paper? If it is an essay, what type of essay? Personal essay? Creative non-fiction? Know the type of project you will be undertaking so you'll have a better idea on how to prepare for the project.
Ask yourself what you want to write about. What topic will be more suitable to the type of piece you have chosen to write. For instance, a personal anecdote might be more suitable to a personal essay rather than creative non-fiction. If you want to write about a broader topic, such as efforts to create green jobs in a specific town, then producing a feature article or creative non-fiction might be more suitable.
Ask yourself why you want to write about this particular piece. What makes this topic important to you and why should readers be interested? Are you passionate about the subject? Is it a subject that has never been approached before? What if you choose a topic that has been written about before? What can you bring to the subject that is unique? Find a different angle on a cliched topic that will bring a fresh perspective.
Ask yourself how long your writing project will be. Depending on the type of project, whether an article or novel, it's important to know how long it will be, especially if you're working with a specific word count or page limit. For instance, book publishers generally publish first-time novels that are 300 pages long. Some magazine articles or literary journals request a specific word count. Have a general idea about what limitations you want for your piece then try to tailor it as you write.
Ask yourself whether you've done the appropriate preparation before writing. For instance, if your project requires a certain amount of research, then do the necessary research before writing. You might also need to interview people if you are writing an article. Set aside any and all preparatory work before writing a single word.