Write what you know … and what you don’t know

In writing, we have a saying:

Write what you know.

It applies in blogging, too. Blog what you know.

It may seem like a simplification, but it’s true. Stick to what you know best.

• If you go fishing all the time, write about different kinds of bait, places to fish, or what it’s like to land the big one.
• If you’ve served as a Red Cross volunteer, explain how you got started, what duties you performed, and why it’s important to help out.

The opposite, believe it or not, also applies: Blog what you don’t know.

Sounds  crazy, right? I could fill libraries with what I don’t know. But let’s go back to our examples above:

• If your hobby is fishing, write about a new technique you’d like to try but haven’t, or ask about places to go fishing next fall, or how others got started.
• As a Red Cross volunteer, ask what would get people to sign up, or what other organizations you could try.

Part of blogging is knowing and admitting the limits to your knowledge and experience — and then, asking your readers to share their questions, stories and tips.

No one likes a know-it-all, right? So write about things you know and care about. But also, leave room for questions big and small, the things you don’t know … yet.