I’ve never been to college. I’ve never held a “regular” job. I have very little formal training at much of anything. I’m just a country girl, homeschooling my kids, and helping on the farm. I got married right out of high school and had a baby every two or three years for about ten years. And yet, after just three years, my content writing career has taken off.
When I first started out, I believed that I had little to offer to the writing world. After all, my life was pretty simple, and I’d never done anything “important.” However, the longer that I wrote, the more that I realized that the every day experiences that I took for granted were valuable knowledge to someone, somewhere.
As I’ve met experienced writers and those starting out, I’ve found that this is a common mistake. Unless you have hidden under a rock for most of your life, you do have experiences upon which you can capitalize. Much of the content on the Internet is just teaching uninformed people new things. If you have the writing skill to explain yourself clearly and succinctly, you can help someone out there on the Internet.
Do you have untapped skills that you can write about? Think through the following areas of life to make sure that you are taking advantage of all of your areas of expertise.
- Around the House–Home maintenance, decor, and organization are hugely popular online. Additionally, seasonal topics about lawn care, gardening, and outdoor living come up often.
- Saving Money–You don’t have to be a coupon-pro to write about saving money. Writing about shopping for car insurance, doing home and car repairs, or increasing the energy efficiency of your home can pay the bills.
- Life Skills–If you’ve lived long enough, you’ve probably registered to vote, bought a car, created a resume or burped a baby. How to remove stains, iron a blouse, and make a meal plan and grocery list can all be excellent topics for articles. Have you worked in retail? Use what you learned there to give customers tips for improving their experiences.
- Relationships–Have you lived through a divorce or stayed married for a long time? Are you a fabulous parent? Have you dealt with elder care issues with your aging parents? Can you write about being a good (or bad) in-law? It is unfortunate, but many people have no idea how to maintain healthy relationships. Share what you know online. Someone may thank you for it someday.
- Health–Have you had cancer or walked with someone through a bad diagnosis? Personally, the fact that I was born with terrible teeth and lived through years in braces has given me knowledge of orthodontia that I can use for inspiration. Spending a lifetime in glasses and contact lenses likewise gives me sympathy for those who are getting corrective lenses for the first time.
- Odd Niches–My family owns a farm, and a large percentage of my writing work comes from agricultural articles. Whether you have a passion for competitive ironing, calling hogs, hula hooping, or milking camels, you may be able to find a quirky writing niche online.
This is just the beginning. Whatever you have done in your life, wherever you have gone, use it as inspiration for your writing.
April F fooled her dear husband into marrying her with her orthodonically straightened smile and contact lenses. Unfortunately, genetics never lie, and the cows came home when they began having children of their own.
