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How To Write Without Feeling Like A FRAUD !

by elaine drennan
13 replies
Hello everyone,

Just a little bit of encouragement for those starting to write - whether it is articles or content for blogs etc...

You probably feel that you need to sound like an expert and you don't feel like one yet.

Well, here is the good news!

Even if you are just a beginner in your field, you do know more than someone who has absolutely no knowledge in the field. As a teacher, you just need to be one step ahead of your pupils.

Only write about what you do know though - don't try to give the impression that you know more than you actually do.

Start out writing for people who know LESS than you do. You can be an expert at teaching the BASICS.

You will probably be BETTER at writing articles geared towards beginners than someone who has been around for a long time - because you can clearly remember what confused YOU most. You won't write "over someone's head" - you wouldn't even know how to!

But that will not be the case for ever. Your expertise will evolve given time. In the meantime, don't forget that there is a wealth of information just waiting for you...

Where is it?

On the internet, of course! Most of man's accumulated knowledge is now available online. If you don't consider yourself an expert in the field you are writing about, you can change that almost overnight if you are just willing to RESEARCH.

Pretty soon you will be telling YOUR pupils how to write article after article. And they will believe you - after all you are an expert, aren't you?!

Hope this helps someone...

Elaine
#feeling #fraud #write
  • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
    Elaine, well said!

    I've been on your email marketing list for quite some time now.

    At one point I think you read my mind when I got the email about a beginners guide to PHP.

    Anyhow you rock and I've sent you a PM.

    Best Regards
    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author skyward
    I agree. Sometimes I put way too much thought in to how I'm going to write an article.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    I'll second the need to become adept at researching quickly. Compile a list of ready resources, such as ehow.com, about.com, the Consumer Reports site, wikipedia, etc. Have them at the ready so no matter what the topic is, you can knock out the research fast and get to writing.

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author Mad Dawg
    Very well said. I've got my parents starting a store online and the first thing that came out of my dad's mouth when I told him to write article is "I don't know anything about that!".

    Good tips on writing for people who know less than you. I like that idea.

    Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author dou9las
    I sometimes struggle with this too...I either do as you say, "feel like a fraud" if I am very new to a niche, or else I just feel like I'm "reaching" in trying to come up with something useful to say.

    Actually I think this really applies when reviewing a Clickbank product for example, that I don't own but want to promote.

    Elaine, I like your idea about staying just one step ahead (at very least) of the readers who don't know a thing about your niche. Kind of takes the heat off, and takes away the excuses for procrastinating and/or making a mountain out of a 300-500 word mole hill

    And I lean heavily on Wikipedia, and others mentioned, for research. Great points.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kat Fuschillo
    Great post Elaine.

    I wish someone had given me such great advice when I was starting out.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Barnes
    Your worst enemy can be yourself. I have actually spent many hours writing on tutorial. Reality is... Sure your content can be better! But if you never get something on the screen and uploaded to the web, you will never get what your looking for.

    Thanks for the post Elaine.
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    • Profile picture of the author TimothyW
      Funny true-life story by John Caples (in his book, "Making Ads Pay" which for some reason sells for $400 or so -- it's out of print)...

      His boss at the ad agency asked him to write the ad for a book on (I think) nutrition. John said, "great -- give me the book to read." The boss said, "Umm, well y'see John -- the last guy we had write the copy for the ad DID read the book, and the ad didn't do so well -- so now we're gonna give YOU a crack at it, but we think it would be best if you write the ad WITHOUT reading the book" (!)

      So, as the story goes, Caples did write the ad without reading the book. Then, several weeks later he was in the famous Brentano's book store (8th street in NYC) and he happened to overhear someone asking a clerk about the book -- and he had HIS ad in his hands -- torn from a magazine! Caples thought -- this is my BIG CHANCE! I've tested so many ads, so many times -- but here's my BIG CHANCE to actually TALK to someone who was persuaded by my ad -- not just analyze a result -- TALK to the actual person!

      The customer did buy the book, and Caples followed him out of the store and tried to catch up to him wlaking down the street. Just as Caples was about to tap him on the shoulder and ASK HIM about the ad, etc., Caples STOPPED HIMSELF -- because he suddenly realized... the FIRST THING the guy would ask HIM was, "what did you think about the BOOK?" To wich Caples knew he would have to reply -- "Umm, I never really read the book" (!)

      It's the ultimate "feeling like a FRAUD" story, from the ultimate copy writer!

      Cheers!

      -- TW
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  • Profile picture of the author NightWriter
    Yes... research. Research is the key to writing with authority.

    I love doing research, so I keep digging on something until I find the information I'm looking for. I graduated with a degree in English Lit. I went to a tough, conservative private college - "research" is the key. I had to practically write a book to graduate and it amounted to a series of "research papers" on classical literary subjects. When you start out with anything you have to ask questions and find answers. The problem is sometimes even knowing what questions to ask. That's what I'm finding with IM - many unexpected questions arise as I go deeper.

    Sometimes it is better for writers and researchers (I'm thinking documentary filmmakers and the like) that they are not tainted by a lot of opinions when they begin to research something. You start with a premise and go from there, being prepared to change it if it's wrong and work from another angle.

    Good points by the OP.
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  • Profile picture of the author elaine drennan
    Guys!

    I am DELIGHTED with all this positive feedback - Thank You!!

    Elaine
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  • Profile picture of the author uncomman
    I got around this by taking existing PLR articles and rewriting them in better English, since I discovered that while the content in many cases was a high level of expertise, the writing and grammar were not. In this manner I saw myself as adding value, and the issue of 'fraud' went away...
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  • Profile picture of the author DyLan Lee
    Agree. Just go and explore the world purely staying at home using internet. There are still many failure out there waiting for you. One good news is the SUCCESS behind all this failure is worth your effort to go through all the failure.

    An well written article with no values is rubbish. Just to remind you warrior to always add some values in your articles.
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