It is not a coincidence that this is not easy to do. Even if your blog or book is about everything and anything, you still should know what should not go there. For example, if you’re writing a book on sports betting, you need to make sure that your readers are aware of both the positive and negative sides of betting. Following their favourites for the Grand National or watching their favorite football game on TV gets a different dimension once people’s emotions and money get involved. These are the tips on writing about controversial topics. Keep in mind that if you do all of these, you might still offend someone or in another way – anger them.
By writing, you aim to get your message across, but it is not always the happiest subject in the world or the most normal. Sometimes you want to get up close and personal with your readers by talking about controversial clothes or things celebrities did.
Watch the Anger Level
Make sure your subject has the right introduction so your readers know that some of them might get angry by reading your article. If needed, you should restrict your post by forcing people to input their age to continue, sometimes this is a sign that they need to be careful, and that they are entering by their own risk. Don’t write something that is solely there to anger people. Always read your article a couple of times to make sure people do get some benefit from reading it.
Take Your Time to Research the Topic You are Writing About
Don’t rush with publishing the post, always research and research some more. Know ins and outs of the topic so you can stand your ground in the comments section or when you meet your readers while promoting your book, or on the street. In a way, you are representing a large portion of the readers who feel the same way as you do, so you are helping those who don’t agree- your side of opinion- and your readerships side.
Do Audience Research
If you are writing for the blog, check your research. If you are writing a book, check your past audience. Where are your books read the most and who reads your work? If you know your audience wants that kind of writing and if they respect your desire to be bold, then go for it. But if your audience is too broad, maybe you should think about softening things up or your traffic or readership will be reduced. Your blog posts would get only temporary traffic instead of the constant flow which is more desirable.
Controversial topics have a broad range, picking the right one for your audience is a good decision. They certainly do read your work because they can agree with it in a certain way, but nonetheless, always be careful and listen to what readers have to say and you will grow beyond what you imagined.