The Easiest Way to Make Your Content Stand Out as a Writer
You don’t have to struggle to stand out
Every writer wants to stand out. But what does it take?
You can talk about finding a unique voice, writing as you speak, and writing from your heart. Sure, these are valid points. But an underrated way to stand out is by writing personal stories.
We’re all inherently unique, and sharing those exclusive personal stories can naturally get you to stand out without forcing things.
The rise of personal essays
Personal essays are becoming a popular form of non-fiction writing.
They add an exciting dimension to writing. And with the lines between fiction and non-fiction blurring by the day, the appeal only gets stronger.
We can’t all be teachers and advisors doling out advice to readers. Once in a while, someone has to tell a personal story that resonates with their readers.
Every writer should look to add that extra string to their bow.
Give readers a breath of fresh air from the recycled content
Only so many new ideas exist. And there are only so many ways to share those ideas before they become stale. Or at least overdone. We see it when writers rehash the same old points on the same topics (like what I’m doing, I admit) on different platforms.
Sure, there’s always a chance someone hasn’t heard your shiny advice (and mine). And people always need reminders, right?
Under those conditions, we can give ourselves a pass for harping on about the common topics and solutions everyone else does.
But that’s all the more reason to embrace writing personal stories as a writer.
A well-done personal story gives you the chance to give readers a welcome breath of fresh air. Yes, some angles to your personal stories may not be otherworldly, but your unique experience could add some variation.
That breath of difference massively appeals to readers. You don’t want to sleep on that promise for your writing career.
Personal essays give you more freedom to be authentic
When you write about some genres, notably in the online space, you force yourself to chase trends and sacrifice authenticity to fit a profile.
I have nothing against chasing trends, as it can help you adapt your writing career to talk about almost any topic. And look, if it works for you, excellent. It works for many writers, so no complaints there.
But trend-chasing stifles your freedom to be your most authentic and vulnerable self. If those are points you consider, personal essays can set you on the right track.
When you write a story about yourself, your challenges, and your experiences, you can’t help not holding back.
You give yourself the freedom to say what’s in your heart and how you want to say it. Some readers will identify with those points. Imagine the healing, the freedom, the strength you get from telling those authentic stories.
Some readers can get the same benefits from you reading your touching personal stories that resonate with them. Others will even admire you for gathering the courage to write about what they dare not try.
Better still, you may inspire other writers to come out with their stories, too.
Writing the best personal stories
What does it take to produce the best personal essays? A lot. But in this article, we’ll touch on these two crucial factors.
Know your goals
Personal stories will take different forms, depending on the end game. When you know why you’re writing your personal essays, things become much easier and more coherent.
And, of course, you’ll know how to structure things.
For example, if you’re only writing to let off steam, you don’t care too much about dropping takeaway lessons every other paragraph.
On the other hand, if you aim to monetize your personal stories, you can’t ignore averting your gaze to your readers. As much as you want to tell your stories, you also want to give these readers value.
And that could affect how you write these personal stories.
Know how much you are willing to share with the world
That personal essays allow you to be authentic, open, and vulnerable doesn’t mean everything goes. You don’t have to expose everything about you to the world.
In the online world, it’s easy to attract lots of negative reactions to your stories. How ready you are for the backlash that will determine how much to share or hold back?
Beyond the backlash, you may have to protect others’ interests in your personal stories, as some characters won’t love to star in your pieces. If you need their permission, make sure you get it. If you have to change names and tweak aspects of the story, that’s also an option.
In writing your personal essays, there’ll always be that fine line for you and others. You want to find it and respect it.
Personal essays done right will help you stand out
Some people find personal essays easier to write. Like many others, I don’t. But every decision has pros and cons, and choosing to share your stories with the world in personal essays is no different.
When done right, you give yourself tons of writing ideas that also help your content stand out. However, things are less straightforward.
Depending on your goals, you’ll have to structure these stories to benefit you — or the audience.
And you also have to consider the challenge of putting yourself out there and the feedback you could get.
If you can navigate these little obstacles, personal stories are a gateway to writing what matters the most to you. That’s a small price to pay for the immense benefits writing personal essays gives you.
If you found what you just read useful, can you support my work by buying me a cup of coffee here? You can also grab my free writing guide here.