Act Like A Journalist, Not A Columnist
When starting to write, a fear might slip into your head that's hard to ignore.
Who am I to say what I'm saying?
It can be frightening sharing your opinion with the world for fear of attracting haters, naysayers, or worse, experts who are going to disprove me.
But waiting until you're a subject matter expert is not the solution. (In fact, writing is one of the best ways to become an expert faster).
You know who else isn't an expert on specific subjects? Journalists. And yet we consume their content day after day.
It's not because they offer their opinions or because they've experienced it – it's because they do a great job of filtering out the noise from the signals.
Rather than positioning yourself as the expert, it's much easier to compile the best information available like a journalist would.
There are a number of ways to act like a journalist when you write:
- Summarize industry trends
- Interview your peers and ask for referrals to more experts
- Notice trends and nuances that non-experts won't have access to
When getting started writing like a journalist, use your inexperience as a benefit. It gives you permission to ask dumb questions (which often end up not being dumb, but others are too afraid to ask).
Act like an investigative journalist, not a columnist. There will be plenty of time to write with your own POV in the very near future.
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