Does Your Writing Take a Stance?

There’s a lot of writing out there in the world, but the stuff that stands out in our modern, noisy world seems to follow one approach: It takes a stance.

It puts a stake in the ground and says, “This is what I think and believe to be true. Here’s why.”

Why does it stand out? Because expressing an opinion (especially online) entails a certain level of risk.

  • People may disagree with your point of view (and take to social media to start a conversation about it.)

  • The internet never forgets, so if you change your mind, someone out there might dig up what you shared in the past and challenge you on it.

  • It can spark conflict, confrontation, and disagreements.

Putting your thoughts, feelings, and convictions into writing often feels scary. That’s why so many people just...don’t.

But guess what? Writing that doesn’t take a stance has its downsides, too.

  • It can lead to writing that reads as non-committal, wishy-washy, or fluff.

  • It can mean surrendering your platform to simply regurgitating what other people think/say on the issue.

  • It puts you on the sidelines where you’re not sharing your two cents and using your personal voice.

More and more lately, I find myself seeking out writing that takes a stance. Sometimes I agree with the author; sometimes I don’t. But either way, I appreciate when writers make the brave choice to share their personal thoughts on a topic.​

Take a look at a few standout examples I bookmarked that have come across my desk lately and see what this looks like in action:

  1. ​What Do You Mean “You Don’t Have a Bike”?!​

  2. ​You Probably Shouldn't Launch on Product Hunt​

  3. ​The problem with complaining about the system​

In all three of these examples, the author is coming down on one side of an issue and making an often *very persuasive* case for doing so. They’re shining examples of how to make a case for what you believe in with logic, data, and storytelling that’s all woven together.

So if there’s one thing I can ask you to consider this week as you sit down to write, it’s this: Share what you think.

You are a person with valuable, interesting personal insights. How can you leverage those to make a case for your point of view? It may open the doors to conversations and engagement like you’ve never seen before.