Your superpower as a writer

people want you to use it.

Hi, writer friends. Confession: I wrote this post nearly a year ago. It was one of the first issues of One More Question, back when there were maybe 30 people reading it. Today there are nearly 1500 of you! Which, just… I can’t tell you how good it feels that you want to cozy up in this corner of the internet and read about writing.

I promise I won’t make a habit of recycling past posts. But I think you’ll like this probably-new-to-you issue that only dates itself with some early-pandemic vibes.

(And I’m working on some very new Q&As with editors and writers that I’m very excited to share with you in the coming weeks…)

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I was working on something recently that I wasn’t super excited about. It felt like one of those flimsy topics that won’t matter to anyone unless their wallet is directly attached to it, and then they’ll probably only read the headline and then get mad at me because what the hell do I know, really. (My attitude towards this assignment was really freaking positive, let me tell you.)

And then I called someone for an interview. This was actually the third interview I’d arranged with this person. He’s a busy businessman and kept canceling and rescheduling for one reason or another, so I was half expecting him to cancel again. But he didn’t. He picked up, sounded flustered, and said, “Can I call you back in five?”

*eyeroll*

Sure, of course. No problem.

He called me back in five.

“So sorry. I just walked in the door, and I had to put the phone down to wash my hands.”

Ah. Right. Even busy businessmen whose lives I assume are nothing like my own are stressing out about washing their hands right now.

I thanked him for taking time out of his busy schedule, feeling self-conscious that talking to a stranger was probably the last thing he wanted to be doing right then.

But right away, I realized I was very wrong about that. He wanted to talk. He needed to talk.

He told me how hard these last few weeks have been for the people he works with, and he told me of all the pressure he’s under to help certain businesses stay afloat. At one point there was a long silence, and I thought our call had dropped. Right before asking, “Did I lose you?” I realized he was crying.

This was completely disarming for me, and I admittedly got a little awkward about it. But I was also so touched. I realized this conversation was important. It was a wake up call for me, as a journalist. A big part of our jobs as writers is giving people the space to tell their stories. No matter the topic, and no matter our level of expertise or passion for that topic, it is often our job to ask questions and then offer silence for someone else to fill. And then it’s our job to hold what they give us with the sensitivity and the context that turns it into something others can hold, too.

(Yes, it can often feel like being a therapist—only we’re packaging the sessions to be read publicly!)

Occasionally these conversations are pretty cut and dry. Sometimes people have memorized a few lines from their company’s “values” page and they won’t actually give you any substance. Sometimes you get curt, disinterested answers and you have to poke and prod for any kind of detail. But I find more often than not, people really want to talk.

This is your super power as a writer. Questions. Conversation with a point.

People often feel trapped in their own story. And you get to give them the escape door, and talk about something bigger than the confines of their day.

As a writer asking questions for a story, you can give people the space and the words that connects them to the outside world. You get to skip the small talk and say, “Hey I know you’re busy, so let’s get right to it. What do you think about, [insert thing that really matters]?” And then they will tell you what matters. And often, it all ends up mattering more than either of you realize.

Don’t have an assignment that requires interviews? You don’t need them. Talking to people can be the gateway to new stories you haven’t thought of yet. And editors LOVE it when your pitch includes a character, or an expert source—not just a story idea. Start reaching out to people who know a lot about something that interests you, and go from there.

The businessman’s perspective made me care about that story. I saw the humanity behind something that seemed so uninteresting at first. But it was personal to him, and once he shared that, it was personal to me, too. I hope he felt a little lighter after we spoke, because I immediately felt the weight I was looking for.

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That’s all for today friends. Enjoy your weekend!

Stay inspired,

Britany