The One Writing Skill That Changed Everything

(And why most writers skip it)

Writing is hard.

You wrestle your ideas into something clear. You try to make it interesting. You add a story. Maybe even a lesson. And still, crickets.

For a long time, I didn’t get why. I thought if I just improved the craft, I’d connect better. Sharper sentences. Stronger hooks. Cleaner structure.

But it wasn’t until I learned one skill that everything started to click.

Step Into Their Shoes

Here’s the hard truth: no one cares about your story.

Not until you give them a reason to.

As writers, we live inside our own heads. We’re deeply invested in our ideas and experiences. But a stranger reading your work is skimming with one question:

“Why should I care?”

I had to learn to step outside my perspective and into theirs. To stop writing for myself and start writing to someone.

Not just “I went through this.” But “Here’s how what I went through might help you.”

Make the Unfamiliar Feel Familiar

It’s not enough to say what happened. You have to translate it.

Here are a few ways I do that:

• Use universal emotion. If you write about losing your job, talk about the fear of not knowing what’s next. Everyone has felt that.

• Create a before and after. Don’t just tell a story. Show what changed. Transformation is what makes stories stick.

• Ask the reader a question. Invite them in. “Have you ever felt like you were doing everything right, but still getting nowhere?” Now they’re not just reading your story. They’re in it.

Make Your Story Their Mirror

The best writing isn’t about the writer. It’s about what the reader sees in themselves.

When you show them a version of their struggle, and a glimpse of what’s possible on the other side, you earn their attention. You build trust. And you create something that lasts longer than a double tap or a scroll.

That’s the magic.

Take Away

Before you hit publish on your next piece, ask yourself:

“If I were seeing this for the first time, and didn’t know who wrote it, why would I care?”

Then rewrite it for that person.

That’s when your words start to work.

That’s when they start delivering real impact.