Surprise Discovery — Small Ideas Result in Big Success
How I found tiny ideas create the biggest writing wins
If there's one piece of writing advice you're sick of hearing by now, it could well be "Write about your problems".
The challenges we each face in our day-to-day lives can seem huge. They're certainly worth writing about. Somewhere, someone else is experiencing the same difficulties. They would welcome any advice you have to share.
But as the writer, these massive issues have already taken so much of our energy to solve.
Tackling the task of writing them up can seem overwhelming.
There's another way to look at it, though.
Over the last few years of blogging, I've realised that life's smaller challenges can be the more rewarding source of inspiration.
The more specific you get, the more valuable your advice becomes.
If you're finding that writing about the biggest issue of your day is taking its toll, you're not alone.
Today, you will discover how taking a fresh look at life's smaller problems can create a win for you in two ways.
Let's take a (little) look.
It Was Difficult Enough To Start With
So, why make it even harder by trying to write about it?
Yes, the most significant issues of our lives are worth discussing. The approaches we attempt and the fixes we find? They become advice we can pass on to others.
But not all essays have to be enormous. Not all blogs have to be big.
You've used all your mental and physical energy to tackle the original problem. The idea of then writing it all up for others can sometimes feel too much.
We're going to uncover three techniques to gain greatness from granularity.
And we'll see two immediate benefits of concentrating on the little things.
Your bonus tip before we dive in:
Bigger problems can be divided into a collection of smaller challenges.
One potential article could become many.
(Don't say I never treat you!)
Pick One From Three Options
Your writing challenge for the week, should you choose to accept it:
Identify your tiny problems. Your smallest challenges. Address one thing. One specific thing. Go as focused as you can.
And then sharpen it up even more.
Make a list of those single problems during the day.
For each of the tiny troubles you've found, consider the following three options for how to write a helpful article:
Find the ones you solved — Write the solution
Find the ones you couldn't — Ask the question
Find the ones that led to bigger things — Discuss the bigger things
I can guarantee that the more granular the subject you describe, the more engaged you will feel as you write about it.
Your excitement, interest or consternation will shine through your words.
And guess who else will feel more engaged as a result?
Your Two Winning Outcomes
Over the last few months of tuning up this process, I've discovered two ways in which it wins:
A more atomic subject can be easier to write about
Drilling down and being more specific means more interested readers
That second one's intriguing, isn't it?
It goes back to the old mantra of "Write for everyone, and you write for no one".
If the subject you're writing about is too big, the resulting article can be too broad to help anyone.
Which is better?
One thousand readers who get twenty seconds in and then quit reading?
Or ten readers who treasure your every word and read your story twice through in one sitting?
Thought so.
So, take the pressure off yourself a little for a while.
Make a list of today's tiniest problems. Those intriguing little sources of annoyance. Those minor inconveniences.
And you'll find you can turn them into your next big success.
Don't forget to check out my other newsletter, The Dancing Stepdad, for insights into the challenging and rewarding world of step-parenting.
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