You have something unique and powerful to say. Unfortunately, this means you are vulnerable to a big problem: Experts often have trouble explaining their ideas to others. This problem is a well-known cognitive bias called the Curse of Knowledge. If you’re an expert in a specific skill or topic, it’s easy to assume others have the same assumptions and background information that you do—even though they probably don’t. Another way that this problem can manifest is that the things that interest you aren’t accessible to others to even begin thinking about.
For most writers, this is a big problem. You could write a whole book about topics that are interesting to you, exploring unanswered questions at the periphery of the territory of your domain. Unfortunately, questions like that often aren’t accessible to others to even begin thinking about - let alone interesting.
Imagine a professor who likes to hear themselves talk so much that their lecture runs over class time, and there’s no time left for questions. Everyone’s starving, in a rush to get to lunch or their next appointment, and frustrated that they’ve been lectured at for over an hour about topics that are way above their current comprehension. You want to be the opposite of that professor!
Don’t worry. There’s hope. The solution is simple.
As a pre-requisite, make sure you’re regularly sharing your ideas with others. No closet geniuses or isolationist artists here. I know it can be hard to share your work, but release early, release often (RERO) applies to any creative act, not just software. Simply by sharing your ideas with others, you expose yourself to the perspectives that can solve this dilemma and make your ideas and thoughts more accessible to others.
You’ll also want to make sure that you encourage an environment of asking questions. Be the speaker who allows questions at any point, not just at the end.
Practicing soliciting questions is easy. Use a social media platform like Twitter or Reddit to ask fans, followers, and/or random bystanders for questions about your topic. Say loudly and clearly: “Ask Me Anything!” (AMA) What are the biggest questions they have? What are the biggest obstacles? What ideas have you shared that just didn’t make sense to them, or didn’t seem persuasive?
Keep track of the questions you’re asked, no matter how simple. Do this every time you’re asked questions about your area of expertise or interest, not just when you go out of your way to ask for questions. If you’re repeatedly asked a question, it might be a sign that you’re not explaining something clearly enough.
Lastly, take time to review the questions you’re asked. Practice answering the questions. Experiment with new answers to the same questions. Go the extra mile to explain any background information or assumptions. Try imagining simple but powerful analogies that capture your main points or ideas.
What's next?