Familiarize the unfamiliar
More topic inspo right up in here
Today, as an exercise, write about an issue within your area of your expertise (and don’t you dare “I’m no expert” me. Everyone has expertise in something; don’t be afraid of that word. The world uses it whether you rise up to it or not, so…). Perhaps write about a thing in your field/area of expertise that is bugging the shit out of you, or a point that everyone else seems to be completely missing about a thing. And, write in such a way that you make the familiar unfamiliar, or the unfamiliar familiar.
By that, I mean, explain a harder-to-comprehend aspect of your field of focus and do so by comparing it to something universally familiar (thus making the unfamiliar familiar to those outside your realm). Or, write about a very commonly understood aspect of your area of focus but explain an often misunderstood detail (thus making the familiar thing the vehicle for allowing others to think about it in a new and more expansive or nuanced way).
Once you finish, see what needs to be added to it to make it a publishable piece (likely only a timely intro—why talk about this now?— and and a doable conclusion—what you’d like folks to do after reading your piece) and pitch or post that sucker.
Words of inspiration from Viola Davis from a while back at the Time 100 Gala: “We're at this huge point in our lives in history where we need to step into our power and not give it over to anyone or apologize for it...and understand that in whatever we do. We deserve to be there and we deserve to have a voice."
