Recently, I heard that some followers started their writing journey because of my writing posts, and even applied what they learned in the workplace with great results. This surprised me quite a bit, so I've been gradually organizing an online writing course, hoping it helps newcomers interested in entering the online writing field.
First, let me emphasize that my articles are not the type with ornate language or literary appeal. Rather, they're quite realistic, making it easy for people in different situations and life circumstances to understand the emotions or conditions the article is trying to express.
People often say my articles have warmth. I believe having warmth doesn't just mean readers feel moved—it means certain phrases trigger their memories and suddenly create a resonance with a moment in their lives. That's why it's called having warmth.
So how can you write about personal experiences without flaunting expertise, while still making the emotions you want to express understandable to everyone?
My method is "situational simulation."
What is situational simulation?
Do you remember the story of Helen Keller? She was an American writer who lost both her sight and hearing as a child. But her teacher was extremely patient. The first word she learned was "Water." Do you remember how she learned it?
Her teacher guided her hand to touch seawater, so she could feel its cool sensation. Then her teacher wrote the English word on her hand again. Helen Keller memorized the word firmly, and at that instant, she understood what the word meant: "water is a liquid flowing through my palm."
Written words should evoke this kind of resonance.
Look carefully—the bold section above is also written with resonance in mind. If it weren't written that way, I could have rewritten it like this:
When writing articles, you should make people feel something and create warmth by combining personal background and common knowledge—that is, using examples of things everyone knows.
If written that way, readers probably wouldn't understand what I'm actually trying to say, and it would be much harder to apply practically.
Throughout the article, I'll use a piece I recently wrote as an example:
In the title, I've already simulated that "knowledge" is an ocean, and to catch unfamiliar knowledge (unknown waters) you must "cast your net wide."
Because everyone shares common perception about fishing, but people have different views on how to acquire knowledge. My article wants to emphasize the need to acquire information through "broad information gathering" and "exploring the unknown," so I framed this process within an ocean backdrop.
The first paragraph of the article directly addresses the topic, hoping readers have the same "prior knowledge" when reading it.
I'm someone who executes quickly once I make a decision—not afraid of making mistakes or worrying about regret afterward—because I believe every choice has its necessity. But before making quick decisions, what I actually need to do is "absorb large amounts of information." I think this process is like casting a fishing net into the ocean, casting and spreading it multiple times at different depths and in different waters. When the net is pulled back up, that's when you'll discover what kind of "unknown" lies at the ocean floor that you've never seen before. And remember, what you've never seen might just be someone else's daily life.
In paragraphs two through four, I weave in my personal life experiences, sharing two anecdotes that reflect the consequences of insufficient knowledge. This helps readers feel the contrast between my past lack of knowledge and my current understanding.
In paragraph five, I return to real-life situations, summarizing my own circumstances and the changes I've gained from applying these methods practically.
In the concluding sixth paragraph, I provide a summary for the entire piece, using language that echoes the beginning—"caught," "execute quickly," and "not afraid of mistakes."
I think facing anything is like this: understanding things in the world without any preconceived notions, taking action to gather large amounts of information, catching the most practical knowledge. Through this process of "being selective," you'll understand yourself better, allowing you to face any decision with the ability to "execute quickly, not fear mistakes, and not worry about regret"—all because you were already prepared and willing to take responsibility.
This method works practically for any situation and emotion. The benefit is that even though you're writing about life experiences, once you add "situational simulation," it won't become just a mundane account. Instead, it allows far more people to feel a genuine connection.
On the other hand, it increases the richness and depth of your article—it's not merely experience-sharing. This way, it becomes more meaningful to a broader audience.
