There is nothing quite as frustrating to a new writer than to be told to write what they know.
For most of us the phrase activates shutdown of all creative thought. The brain experiences immediate paralysis, quickly followed by a onslaught of thoughts of “But I don’t know anything!”
And there we are in the quagmire of knowing nothing and therefore unable to write.
Make a List
There are ways around this. Forget about writing for a moment and think about you. What are your interests and hobbies?
Take the time to write up a list of your experiences. What jobs have you held? Where have you visited? What really interests you? What do you do with your free time? Do you have pets? Children?
Its human nature to assume others already know the things you do. They don’t.
Think Like a Beginner
Perhaps you grow a vegetable garden. Now that you have experience with that, you assume that everyone else knows it too. They don’t. There are still thousands of people out there who are looking for answers to basic gardening questions that you can answer.
Think back to when you began your first garden. Surely there were a thousand things you didn’t know. What questions did you have? Maybe you didn’t have the slightest clue how to make compost, but now you are an old pro. Share what you have learned with others.
Do this with your other areas of interest. Think back to the questions and concerns you had before you became more informed about the topic.
Share Everyday Knowledge
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that because you aren’t a neurosurgeon or work for NASA that what you know isn’t of value. The truth is, neurosurgeons and NASA aren’t likely to be searching for your article in the first place, but plenty of plain old folks like you and me are always looking for information about everyday topics.
Post Your List
Spend some time today thinking about what you do know and compile a list of possible topics to write about. Post this list in your work area. Add to the list anytime an idea pops into your head. You’ll be surprised how the list will grow once you get past the mistaken notion that you don’t know anything.
