No matter how many times I have done it, facing the blank page is daunting. Sometimes I know what I want to write about, but many times I do not. And even when I do know what I want to write about, I still need to decide what I want to say about it. And even when I know what I want say about it, I need to figure out how I want to say it. And while contemplating these questions, I am often led to the most daunting question of all: will anyone listen to me anyway?
What am I qualified to talk about? I'm a 22 year old college student. I do not have much life experience, there is not topic that am an expert in, and there are certainly many people — both older and younger — that are more eloquent than I. What value can my writing provide to the world?
I am sure I am not the only young writer who has thought about this. In an age where anyone with an internet connection can start a blog, it can be tough to feel like your opinions can offer something special. However, I believe there are many ways fledgling writers can make their writing purposeful and impactful.
First off, not everything you write needs to be completely original. If you are writing about a hot, extensively-covered topic, chances are what you want to say has been said before. That does not necessarily mean you should not write about that topic. If you can put a new twist on it — look at it from a unconventional angle, present it in a new way, examine it in a different context, etc. — you can give a tired subject new life. If you are discussing a less understood subject, you can also try to introduce it to a new audience, explaining how it is relevant to them.
Secondly, just because you has less experience, does not mean the limited experience you have is worthless. I may not be an expert in anything, but I have learned a thing or two, and there are people who know a little bit less than I do about some of those things. I do not need to have an advanced degree to offer that knowledge.
Writing, however, does not always have to be about educating. It can also be about awakening. Sometimes, people are aware of an issue, but it is sitting in the back of their mind. They care about it, but they are too busy or too distracted to pay attention to it. A good piece of writing can jolt the issue back into their consciousness and even, maybe, get them to do something about it.
The last thing I want to say is it does not matter if there are people more eloquent than you. Very few people on this planet can say that there is no one better than them at what they do. You don't need to be the Usain Bolt of writing. If you have some skill, and you have a message that you think can be of value to your audience, just write.
You do not need have the most life experience, or the most knowledge, or be the most eloquent writer in the world to contribute to societal conversations. There are myriads of ways to do it. If you want write, find a way that suits you. That is all that should matter to a young writer.
