RE: Writing articles about topics you don't understand or have experience in. - The do's and don'ts.

Oh, my God, what a topic have you touched! It is very important, indeed. But I want to share one-two examples from my experience.
The first is as follows. Once my client had orderd me 30 articles about... lift shafts. I have no idea how do they work. I have no idea about the technology. I am a "pure humanitarian".
Seeng my doubts, he asked one question only: "Do you write in Russian?" I agreed. He added: "So, don't worry, they are in Russian. You will!" And I DID. I had no way out and I needed money. Sure it was a bang to my brains, and I spent much time studying how does it really works. Now I have no idea again, how does it work, but I wrote rather good articles and the client was glad.
Next example.
One more task was about hotels in Thailand. Something about 200 articles. I have never been in Thailand. Some time later intelligence service could use my knowledge. I could explain "what, where. and when" about that hotels even being suddenly awakened at night))) Now again, I am not sure, that I know much about them. But, I can not say that the work was not interesting and I got a pleasure from it. Thank you for your interesting post!