How to Write About the Things You’re Not Interested in or “The French Fries Method”
Freelance writers know a thing or two
When your job is to write content for many different clients, it is inevitable to learn new stuff. For example, I once did research on how to do background checks on people in every single US state.
Was this the most interesting topic for me?
Not so much.
Did I give up? No way!
People often ask me if I get bored with doing research and writing about topics that I personally don’t find interesting. Sure, sometimes I really want to cry if there is absolutely nothing on the Internet that can help me with my project, but that is just the part of the experience. Being a freelance writer is all about gaining various experiences.
Content writing is all about change.
As a writer, you change your style whenever the client needs a different tone in your writing. You change your sources when you can’t find useful information in the usual places. You also change your clients from time to time, and that is the true beauty of this job.
But let’s go back to the title of this article — How to write about the things you don’t care about or “The French Fries Method.”
You can probably guess what the first part means, but what is The French Fries Method?
The French Fries Method is the universal way of diving into your own project.
It is a combination of research, workflow, enthusiasm, testing your own skills and obtaining new ones. It is blood, sweat, and tears with a strawberry on top. It is the core of every project if you take your writing seriously.
I named this phenomenon “The French Fries Method” because, when I was studying Dutch at the University of Belgrade (yes, that happened), one of my first assignments was to write about French fries.
Just like that, I was supposed to write a serious piece of work about the origins of French fries in the traditional Belgian cuisine.
I came home that day with nothing but blank space in my head.
“Am I really supposed to search for Belgian potatoes on the Internet?”
That was exactly what I was expected to do.
And then I realized: this was actually a good thing.
By writing about the things I genuinely don’t care about, I learned how to do proper research. I also learned how to get over myself and write the best damn piece about something as simple as French fries.
Soon, I realized that it felt good to learn new information about the history of French fries.
It sounds crazy, but when you write for other people, you have to be curious 24/7.
Later on, I got my first job on Elance (now Upwork) because I accepted to write 30 articles about background checks in the US.
It wasn’t easy, but I decided to make the best out of it. I thought that if I do this research as if I am personally interested in this topic, my clients would be satisfied as well.
Finally, I believe that “The French Fries Method” can be a great exercise for all (freelance) writers. While searching for a new project, write down all the topics that drew your attention.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you are not chosen for the job. Just try to do the research anyway. This way you will test your skills, your patience, and commitment to work.
