How I Learned to Write About Topics I Know Nothing About
Challenge accepted (sort of).
I’m not a nature writer. I’m no scientist.
So, I was a little stuck after I wrote a simple story about how this spider could teach us about writing on Medium.
I felt stuck because the story generated this comment from one of my favourite people on Medium, Brenna Clark, who had trouble focussing on my writing:
Now, if all Brenna could think of was that stereotype about Australian creatures, all I could think about was how unqualified I am to answer her challenge.
How am I supposed to write about this stereotype of Australia being a place for strange creepy crawlies?
As I often find myself saying: “I’m no expert.”
So I thought about Brenna’s gentle invitation, and how to write about something when you’re out of your depth.
What are they really asking?
I know nothing about the weirdness or dangerousness of Aussie critters, except to say:
- I don’t notice the weirdness
- Despite living most of my life in Australia, I’m still alive. (I think this qualifies me for survivorship bias).
I certainly couldn’t write a peer-reviewed scientific paper on why the male orb weaver slowly traverses the web, trying not to get eaten by the much larger female (true story).
But is that what Brenna is asking for? I think from her comment, she’s actually looking for something a little less high brow.
Redefine “nothing”
When I say I know “nothing” about the subject, I do know something, I suppose.
And from Brenna’s comment, I suppose she would be happy to have a few examples of:
- dangerous Australian animals
- weird-looking ones
- and whether we Aussies live in mortal fear of being fallen on by koalas or gobbled up by crocodiles when we have a swim in our backyard pool (spoiler alert: neither of these has happened to me … yet.)
The word “stereotype” suggests Brenna would be happy to dispel the notion that we Aussies need to sleep in protective armour, wondering if we’re going end up as someone else’s breakfast.
So, maybe I do know something about this … at least enough to write about on Medium.
Choosing an angle
So, it seems a friendly, we’re-not-about-to-die sort of article may be in order. I think I can do that.
But I’d need to choose an angle.
There are some animals that are pretty well known even by people who have never ventured down under, so if I do intend to write something that’s mildly interesting, it might be worth looking for an unusual fact or angle.
For instance, there is such a thing as a tree kangaroo. 🦘
And the echidna — the spiny ant eater — which, according to Wikipedia, has:
elongated and slender snouts that function as both mouth and nose, and which have electrosensors to find earthworms, termites, ants, and other burrowing prey
Jump to it!
Brenna Clark is a great and engaging writer, and her stories and comments are full of life and empathy.
So, knowing that she’s not some harsh university professor, ready to fail me in my final exam, and knowing that although I know “nothing” about the subject, my nothing is probably a bit less nothingy than others’ degrees of nothing-knowledge, I’m going to jump to the challenge. 🦘
Something for writers
And as I like to write about writing, I’ll find a way to turn an Australian Wildlife 101 lesson into something that will have some practical advice for Medium writers.
If that’s something that interests you, you may like to follow me on Medium.
So, weave in a few fun facts, rather than an ornithological deep dive.
Now, speaking of fun facts, we do, in fact, see kangaroos where I live.
Fun fact
I’m on the outskirts of Sydney, we have kangaroos in bush land, and one time my daughter saw a kangaroo at her school bus stop.
As proof of the kangrooness of the area I live in, I took a photo of this road sign in a nearby street.
So, yes, kangaroos occasionally cross roads, and they’re not very obedient when it comes to “kangaroo crossing” signs.
And if you’re Canadian, I’ll bet you’re thinking: “Oh, deer 🦌“.
