You know that sinking feeling when you sit down to write about something important only to discover that everyone and their grandmother has already covered it?
I felt this last week. I wanted to write about meditation, I typed it into Google and found about 47 million results. My first thought? Why bother? What can I add to this conversation that hasn’t already been said?
But here’s the thing: every important topic has been covered thousands of times. Self-improvement, productivity, relationships, mindfulness—if it’s important to people, it’s written about. a lot.
But for some reason, the new sounds are still cut out. New perspectives still resonate. Readers still crave a fresh take on familiar themes.
So how do you write about something that isn’t boring without making everyone cry?
Your experience is your superpower
I used to think I needed solid research or revolutionary ideas to write something worthwhile. Then I realized something that changed everything: no one else lived my exact life.
When I write about meditation, I’m not just repeating what I read in books. I’m sharing how it helped me through a particularly difficult situation when I was building my business. I talk about the particular resistance I feel, the excuses I make, and the little breakthrough moments that keep me going.
Your personal stories and struggles are what make general advice something real and relatable. They’re the ones who make readers think, “Finally, someone who gets it.”
Think about it. How many productivity articles have you read that all sound the same? Think about those who are stuck with you now. I hope they include specific, personal examples that make you feel less alone in your own struggles.
Find the gaps that no one is talking about
Even the most covered topics have blind spots. The trick is to look for what’s missing rather than trying to cover everything.
Take fitness for example. There are endless articles on exercise regimes and diet plans. But what about the mental game of getting back into the gym after a long hiatus? Or dealing with gym anxiety as an introvert? These special angles are often overlooked.
I discovered this while writing my book Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How to Live with Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego. Buddhism has been written about for centuries, but I focused specifically on how the ancient wisdom applies to modern ego struggles. This narrow focus made all the difference.
Start by asking yourself: What questions did I have that no one else answered directly? What misconceptions did I have about figuring out the hard way? What problems does your particular audience face that others can’t solve together?
Challenge conventional wisdom
Here’s what most writing advice won’t tell you: sometimes the best way to stand out is to respectfully disagree with what others have to say.
I’m not talking about dissent for the sake of it. But if your actual experience contradicts the general advice, please share it. If the default approach doesn’t work for you, explain why and what it does.
When I started writing about productivity, everyone was preaching waking up at 5am. But this advice almost killed my creativity. I write best at night, and fighting against my natural rhythm backfired. Sharing this alternative perspective resonated with thousands of night owls who felt broken because they didn’t fit the early bird mold.
What seems obvious to you may be revolutionary to someone else, especially when you turn the script into common sense.
Write for a specific person
Most articles about popular topics try to appeal to everyone. This is why they feel generic and forgettable.
Instead, imagine a specific person struggling with this problem. Maybe it’s you from five years ago. Maybe it’s a friend asking for advice. Write to them directly.
When I write about relationships, I’m not trying to solve everyone’s problems. I am writing for someone who is struggling with the same patterns I have faced before. Someone who intellectually understands what they need to do but can’t break the cycle.
This focused approach naturally eliminates the common pitfalls that plague most writing on popular topics. When you’re writing to someone specific, you can’t hide behind vague advice.
Combine topics in unexpected ways
Some of my most successful pieces have come from connecting dots that wouldn’t normally be connected.
What does Buddhist philosophy teach us about career burnout? How can game strategies improve your meditation practice? What do long-distance runners know about building lasting relationships?
These combinations work because they offer truly fresh perspectives. You’re not just repeating the same tired advice; you bring previously unapplied ideas from one domain to another.
The main thing is that the relationship is not forced, but meaningful. The overlap should illuminate something new about both subjects, not just a clever trick.
Focus on execution, not information
Here’s the brutal truth: most people already know what to do. They read articles, watched videos, bought books. What they lack is a bridge between knowing and doing.
This is why I focus so much on the messy middle of implementing advice. Not just “meditate for 20 minutes”, but “for the first two weeks this is what I did to the voice in my head that told me this was stupid”.
Share your failures, changes, solutions. Talk about what it feels like to actually change, not just outwardly change.
This approach turns even the most common topics into something valuable because you’re solving a different problem—”what should I do?” no. but “how do I do this thing that I know I must do?”
Last words
Writing about popular topics is not about finding an untouched corner of the Internet. It’s about bringing your whole self into the conversation.
The unique combination of experiences, struggles and insights makes it a worthwhile read. Even if a million people write about your topic, none of them have an accurate perspective.
The next time you hesitate to write about something because “it’s done,” remember that every song uses the same twelve notes. Each story follows similar patterns. However, we still make music worth hearing and stories worth telling.
Don’t try to find a topic that no one else has covered. Start finding your voice on topics that everyone needs to hear. Because the truth is, someone out there needs to hear this message specifically from you, in your words, filtered through your experience.
It’s not anymore. This is necessary.
