What to do when writing a difficult topic

Corzhens Level 1

August 20, 2017, 5:25 am

Write the reason you're deleting this FAQ

When you encounter a difficult topic to write, there are 2ways to do it. First is to do a research on the internet and second is to seek
help from people who are knowledgeable on the topic. I’m sure we all use the
search engine for getting information on a subject matter. But for me,
inquiring from an authority on the subject would give me the confidence of the
accuracy of my writing. In this digital age, you can text, send email or
private message in social media so getting a confirmation from the authority is
a breeze. But when the subject matter is alien to me, like rocket science or
maybe microbiology, I would decline the offer to write for sure.

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Tronia

I have actually previously declined a few articles just because I was completely unfamiliar with the requested topic and there was literally no good sources to find over the internet.

I just didn't feel comfortable and I think that it's best to just say no than to force something and make a bad product. However, I do agree with you. Reaching out to somebody else that's an expert in the area is really, really good to do. They might provide you with some very unique, fresh, information that would be hard to find on a search engine.

9 years ago

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Baburra

I think this would be the best way to go about it since if you force it, you might just end up disappointing the client and ultimately tarnishing your reputation. I always try and push myself and try and write about things outside my comfort zone, but when it is too far away from what I am familiar with, I think the step is far too drastic and may just end up hurting me in the end. If I were to dabble in unknown territory I'd probably want to start out first with something that at least has a bit of a relation to what I already know so that I can take baby steps further away from what I'm used to instead of jumping too far off.

9 years ago

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TommyCarey

Contacting the authority or the source is usually a good way to write on a topic if there isn't a lot of content out there about it already.

What I like to do is find the authority or source and rewrite their content in my own style so that it's unique but still gets the same message across

This way you're still the authority within the niche and you can broaden your writing categories at the same time

But yes, if there aren't many articles out there about the topic you're targeting, it's best to contact someone that knows what they're talking about rather than winging it and trying to sound like you know what you're saying

9 years ago

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Baburra

You're right to just decline topics which you are not familiar with. I do the same and it has served me well for years. Sometimes it can be difficult to say no when you know you can be paid well for an article, but if you don't know enough about it and you take the job, you risk tarnishing your reputation and that can cost you more in the long run. I myself just stick to topics that I know I can tackle, and even when I come across some topics that I feel may be out of my depth, I just weigh each one with regards to how much time I would have to put in for research and see if that would be worth the money I will get for doing so.

9 years ago

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DenisP

I think your method of research is also going to vary depending on what format you're writing in. For example, if you're writing a blog article, I don't see anything wrong with simply using search engine results as sources. It's not as serious of a setting and most readers would be more than content with you just being able to site sources. On the other hand, if you're writing a book, I think it would look far more professional to actually contact people who are knowledgeable on the topic you're writing about. It shows that you put much more dedication and effort than the average person would, and really makes you look professional.

9 years ago

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DarthHazard

It's always easy to write about a topic that you are extremely knowledgeable about and a topic that you know almost everything about. But if you have to write about a topic that you find difficult, then the best thing to do is to research the topic a bit before you start writing. Make sure to write a bit about the research that you find and then when you get into trouble whilst writing the article, you can just look at your notes really quickly.

9 years ago

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giovanniiiii

I have learned the hard way that writing topics shouldn't be forced. There should be adequate knowledge about the topic. If I cannot write yet, I will set it aside and read about it. What also helps is reading other blogs about the topic since you can get ideas as to how other people approach the topic. One thing that I learned too is that these topics should not be hurried and can be put aside as long as should be, until it can be written perfectly.

9 years ago

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augusta

Exactly this is what I do with some topics that I need professional input.I leave such topics especially health topics for rxperts.It wrong to mislead people,so it better an expert handled some topics but for the difficult ones I research alot.

9 years ago

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Pixie06

Whenever I have to write about something that I am not well versed in I try to conduct as much research as possible both online and offline. I usually go to public libraries to have more information on the topic. Furthermore, at times if I am stuck I try to get into contact with those who are experts in the subjects.

9 years ago

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Krisleen

I do the same things you have mentioned above. A difficult topic definitely needs a lot of research. I do online and offline research for this. I ask people who have knowledge about the topic then I do my research online. I combine both information. I encountered this when I was asked to write an article about spinning tops. Being a 90's kid, I played a lot of outdoor games except for spinning tops so it's difficult for me to write about this. I just did my research on this and came up with an article that compares the ancient and modern spinning tops.

9 years ago

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coolavender

I find it a challenge to handle difficult and unfamiliar topics. I've been brave enough to claim some of those writing assignments specially when I know that I can reuse the research material for future assignments. As long as you're interested, nothing is too difficult to write about as there are tons of online and offline research materials about almost everything under the sun and beyond.

Honestly, I'll be bored to death if I keep writing about the same things so I love to occasionally do some in-depth study or even take short online courses to prepare for a topic. As a result, I've learned several programming courses and human languages. Just recently, I completed a 20k biography of a top internet billionaire and it entailed pure research from start to finish all within a prescribed time limit. When taking this type of assignment, I always make sure to plan ahead, create an outline, and break the subject down to manageable levels.

9 years ago

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jaymish2

When I first started freelance writing work, I was open to writing on any subject, but I soon realized that this was pure torture. Especially as the time given was limited. I had to understand the topic and subject area, then I had to research the topic and write on it. I soon realized that this was no way to operate, it also affected the quality of work I was able to produce. I have decided now to only write in a subject area that I like and that I understand. It is really hard to pick a niche, but this is the best thing to do if you want to enjoy your writing and earn big from it.

9 years ago

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TimothyAlex

The only topics that I have trouble with are those that require insider knowledge, and if the clients can't give me the information, I turn them down. You get these guys who want you to write an article like "Why x-type companies need a y-type system to effectively perform z-type actions". Well, it turns out that x-type companies, y-type systems, and z-type actions are such a small niche that an online search produces nothing, zero, zip. But, the client acts like all his shop talk is common knowledge stuff. Well, if they can't hand me the information I need, and they don't want to pay my time to research their topic, then I can't be bothered.

9 years ago

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vinaya

recently, I received a writing job on the topic I did not know. In fact, I had not even heard about the topic. To get started I did a simple Google search. The topic seemed to be extensively covered online. I read numerous articles and made notes. The reading helped me to understand the topic and the notes helped me to extend the ideas. Once I was familiar with the idea, I started writing. When I sent the first few pages, the client was impressed. Research can help you write on any topic you want.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

I also got that advice from one blogger that you can work like a copywriter by doing research in the internet. As you had experienced doing that, I guess it is true that writing has been made easier by the search engines that you can continue searching until you get enough data for your writing assignment. However it is still the best to write about subjects that you know very well.

8 years ago

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Seoclerks

What to do when writing a difficult topic

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