How to Make Old Stories New Again: Insights from HackerNoon Editors

Hey Hackers!

Have you ever heard or seen the popular quote “There’s nothing new under the sun”?  How about this one “Ideas are unfaithful partners”?

Both quotes point to the fact that, for the most part, everything we think, feel, or do has been thought, felt, or done by someone else at some point in the eternal crawl of time. This also applies to blog posts. Whether you’re writing a guide on how to create effective integration tests or an opinion piece on the AI bias problem, chances are that someone, somewhere has discussed a similar idea. This brings us to an important question:

How do you float a unique POV in a sea of saturated subject matter?

1. Research, Research, and Some More Research for Good Measure

This goes without saying, but just in case you need a reminder, research is arguably the most important part of a solid article. It’s an exercise that takes your ideas from mere speculation to valid theories. Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), you must first research the topic at hand extensively. Find out what existing articles, on credible platforms, have to say about the topic. Look out for gaps, recent developments or emerging trends that haven’t been extensively covered yet. Fill those gaps!

2. Niche Down!

Instead of trying to take on an entirely saturated subject matter like “What is AI?”, focus, instead, on a specific aspect or subtopic within it, like “How are Underdeveloped nations adjusting to the AI revolution?” This can help you find a unique perspective that hasn’t been addressed yet and position you as a thought leader in the field. Not to mention, it’s great for SEO purposes!

3. Lean on Stats and Data

Nothing helps you stand out better than supporting your ideas with cold, hard data and statistics from credible sources. What’s more? The same data can tell different stories. For example, in a sample size of 10 people, if 50% like pineapples on pizza, you could frame the story in two ways. Story one: "5 out of 10 People Enjoy Pineapples on Pizza: Here’s Why." Story two: "Why 5 out of 10 People Dislike Pineapples on Pizza." Same data, two different narratives.

4. Analyze Contradictions or Controversies

Sometimes, exploring contradictory viewpoints or controversial aspects of a topic can lead to interesting insights and a new angle. Here’s an example of two contradictory opinion pieces on the elusive identity of Satoshi Nakamoto:

• Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto
• Craig Wright is Not Satoshi Nakamoto

5. Think Outside the Box

I know, I know. This is cliché advice. But, it is also important advice. When working on an idea that has been discussed extensively, always challenge yourself to look at it with a different lens. For example, if the topic is usually approached from a technical standpoint, consider exploring its social or ethical implications. And vice versa.

The #bitcoin Writing Contest

The #bitcoin Writing Contest, presented by Rootstock and HackerNoon, is now live with a total prize pool of $17,500 up for grabs!
This once, you don’t have to worry about a new angle.

Summarily, for this contest, we welcome submissions on various Bitcoin topics like Runes, ordinals, layer 2 solutions, sidechains, and more. We're also interested in technical insights on SDKs, APIs, smart contract development frameworks, and tutorials for building applications on Rootstock.

And that’s not all! There are more contests where that came from like The Crypto API Writing Contest by CoinGecko.

You can find more details at contests.hackernoon.com

Discover All HackerNoon Features on One Page

We're constantly adding new features to help our writers create and share content effortlessly. Now, you can explore all these functionalities in one place! Visit our new Functionalities page!

That’s all for today, Hackers.
Until next time, keep reinventing the wheel!