Don’t Know What To Write? - Write About What You Love.

Write with the door closed, and rewrite with the door open. Your stuff starts out being just for you, but then it goes out.

Upcoming episode on Becoming A Writer podcast this Saturday — we are going to talk about why it is important that we write for ourselves first.

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Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

Write with the door closed, and rewrite with the door open. Your stuff starts out being just for you, but then it goes out.
- Stephen King

Niche down! Write in a niche topic! Write for a niche audience!

When I was looking for advice to start an online writing journey, this is what every content creator was screaming at the top of their voice. And I would scream back, metaphorically, of course, "I don't know what my niche is!"

As I was scratching my head and tearing off my hair over the idea of a niche, I realised that I am human.

I am a human, and just like other humans, I have various areas of interest. Out of these, there are some I really love talking about. So what if I divided my week into these areas of interest and started writing about them.

So that's what I did. My topics were as follows - 

Monday - Life Lessons

Tuesday - Writing and Creative Life

Wednesday - Books

Thursday - Movies and Shows

Friday - Short Stories

And I got my results in six months.

Within six months of this experimentation, I learnt that I don't enjoy writing about books or movies and shows. I didn't enjoy it because I only want to talk about them when I find something worth talking about, which doesn't happen every week. Neither did my readers enjoy these articles. Short stories did get mild positive responses, but I knew I could do better if I got more time to write them. Lessons on Life and Writing Life, on the other hand, got the most views and engagement. So those two were the clear winners here.

So I switched gears and started writing and posting my essays twice a week on Life Lessons & Writing and Creative Life.

Cut to another six months gone and I noticed my readers preferred my essays about Writing and Creative Life.

Long story short - I started my online writing journey by writing about the topics I loved. Then, over a year, keeping track of what I am enjoying writing about and what the readers are enjoying reading about, I ended up with one area of interest. AKA, my niche.

The lesson I learnt, and might come in handy to you as well, is to start your writing journey by writing about what you love. You'll eventually find your sweet spot.

Why Should You Start Your Writing Journey By Writing About What You Love?

Writing about what you love lets you tap into your passion, your enthusiasm, for the topic at hand. This makes the writing process more enjoyable and fulfilling. When you're genuinely interested in your subject, your enthusiasm shines through in your writing, therefore making it more engaging for readers.

Writing about what you love allows you to leverage your existing experience, knowledge, wisdom and expertise. You'll likely have a deeper understanding and connection to the topic, making it easier to communicate your ideas effectively. This can boost your confidence as a writer and help you build a strong foundation for your craft.

In the beginning, you don't know your calibre as a writer. Writing about what you love gives you the space to figure that out. It allows you to experiment, take risks, and develop your own writing identity. As you gain confidence and experience, you can then branch out to explore other genres or topics. Starting with what you love is like laying down the first strokes on a canvas—it's personal, exciting, and sets the stage for a creative journey.

Writing about what you love also acts as a powerful motivator. On the days when you face challenges or moments of self-doubt, your love for the subject matter serves as a driving force, keeping you committed to your writing journey. It becomes less of a chore and more of a joyful exploration.

Here's The Caveat.

This is an incident that happened even before I started my online writing journey. It is a mistake I unknowingly committed on Instagram, as part of the bookstagram.

When I joined Instagram in late 2016, and I found the thriving community of Bookstagram, I was over the moon. I didn't know so many book lovers were out there who were as crazy as me (some even more) about books. In no time, I became part of the book-reviewing community, reviewing ARC books of authors, old and new. Then, as I dove into the self-help genre, I started following book recommendation accounts to keep myself updated with new books I might find helpful.

Earlier, when I read a book, I did so in leisure. Now, it had a purpose - either a review deadline or trying to fix something wrong in my life. Attaching a purpose to my reading hobby, counterproductively, sucked all the joy out of it. Instead of enjoying my love for reading, I made a chore of it. And I gave the decision making process of what I want to read in someone else's hand. As Haruki Murakami said, "If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking." 

The last time someone told me which books I should read was my school syllabus. I don't need that curriculum anymore. Now, I protect my reading hobby and my love for it at all costs. I can't let this relationship turn sour again.

In the same way, when writing about what you love, protect it and your love for it at all costs.

What Should You Keep In Mind When Writing About What You Love?

Be clear about what you want your writing to do for you and you for it. Whether it's self-expression, personal growth, or sharing your passion with others, having a clear understanding of your purpose helps you stay true to your original motivations.

Be clear on whether you are creating content or art. Content is created with the aim of eventually selling something - a product or service, an idea or a dream. Art is created in self-expression, in trying to make sense of the world from your personal lens and sharing it with the world. If you want to continue loving what you write, try not to convert your art into content. 

Set boundaries with trends. While it's essential to be aware of trends and audience interests, don't let them dictate the entirety of your writing. Use trends as points of reference or inspiration, but always return to your core passion and unique voice.

Be you. You don't need to sound like others. Write the way you want to share your thoughts. Recognise that what makes your writing special is your unique perspective and voice. Embrace the aspects of your passion that set it apart from the mainstream, and don't be afraid to showcase that you are different.

Consider your audience thoughtfully. While staying true to your passion, be open to understanding your audience. Engage with them, listen to their feedback, and consider their perspectives. This doesn't mean compromising your core message but rather finding ways to connect more effectively.

Use algorithms as tools, not as your boss. If you are writing online, let algorithms provide insights into what works well, but don't let them dictate your creative process entirely. Use analytics as tools for optimisation rather than strict guidelines for content creation. An algorithm can be taught what humans desire, but it can't be taught what humans really need. Provide that humanness through your writing.

Periodically, reconnect with your passion. Take moments throughout your days and weeks to reconnect with the initial spark that ignited your love for the subject. This could involve revisiting what made you fall in love with this topic in the first place, engaging in related activities, or simply reflecting on what makes the subject special to you.

Stay curious and allow room for evolution. Know that as you grow older and, hopefully, wiser, both you and your passion will evolve over time. Be open to exploring new aspects or perspectives, and allow your writing to grow organically. Keep your curiosity alive. Ask questions, explore new angles within your passion, and let your writing be a journey of discovery. Curiosity fuels creativity and keeps your writing fresh and engaging. This adaptability ensures that your work remains genuine and relevant.

How To Start Your Writing Journey By Writing About What They Love?

Stay true to your love. You want to stay authentic to it and write about it just because you love it so much. Don't attach any agenda or reward to it. Writing about what you love will be rewarding in itself.

First, write for yourself. Don't worry about what the readers want or how it aligns with external expectations or trends. Allow yourself to explore and capture the pure essence of your love for the subject.

Now that you have written for yourself, first, then consider your audience. Think what's the core message you want to share with what you just wrote. Tailor your language, tone, and level of detail to your audience in such a way that it would be the best way to share this message. But again, don't change your initial writing so much that it stops sounding like you.

Make your writing personal. We are humans, and emotions move us. So, share your personal emotions and stories. Infuse your writing with emotion. Your passion likely elicits strong feelings—whether it's excitement, joy, or even challenges. Use those emotions to connect with your readers on a personal level. When readers can feel what you feel, your writing becomes more impactful. Nothing makes readers more happy than feeling related to the author through personal, shared or similar experiences.

Share. Sharing is caring. When you share a piece of what you love, you are also sharing a piece of you. Of course, this will make you feel vulnerable sometimes, but unless you share your words, you'll never know the people out there who share the same feeling. Your words could help someone, heal someone, and make them feel more alive and less lonely. Your words could give someone the necessary push to make their life better. Your words could brighten up someone's day, just like your favourite authors did for you.

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