π The New Way Writers Are Gaining Traction In The Digital Age π
Since 2014, I have been writing every single day on the Internet.
That's not "the secret" to success.
The REAL secret is the strategy I used to pick high-performing topics.
Here's the framework βοΈπππ
Step 1: Write, publish, and gather data points.
Every time you publish something on the internet, you are generating a data point.
Write 1 thing per year, that's 1 data point.
Write 365 things per year, that's 365 data points.
More publishing = more data.
Step 2: Every 10-20 data points, look for trends.
Writing 1 thing on the internet and deciding whether or not you are a "successful writer" is pointless. You're examining data in a vacuum.
Instead, look for trends among data points.
Here's how π
Trends are:
- Which article/Tweet/Thread/etc. got the most views or engagement out of the past 10-20?
- Which content buckets got the most attention? (Personal dev or finance?)
- Which formats, styles, headlines, etc., work best?
The more you publish, the more trends you see.
Step 3: Double-down on highest-performing trends.
In 2015, I made a hard pivot in what I was writing about on Quora.
For almost a year, I had been writing about topics like Marketing or Bodybuilding. But data told me my Life Advice content was killing it.
So, I went all-in.
In 2015, I almost exclusively answered Life Advice questions on Quora.
As a result, I became the #1 most-read writer on the entire platform, generating tens of millions of views.
Still, I sprinkled in other topics along the way b/c I wanted to keep generating new data points π
Step 4: Turn high-performing content into longer-form content.
Once you get signal on what's working, you start to learn where your time, energy, and resources are better spent.
You have confirmation from the market that Topic A resonates with more people than Topic B π
Once you notice something is working, don't be afraid to cut your losses.
Abandon your low-performing topics and *keep following the data* signaling your high-performing topics.
Do this over and over again, and your most loyal readers will reveal themselves.
Step 5: Learn which topics resonate with Masses vs Niches
As time goes on, you'll learn:
Some topics have massive reach, but aren't sticky (low engagement).
Other topics have smaller reach, but are super sticky (high loyalty/engagement).
You want to write both. Here's why π
When you learn which topics of yours get the most reach, you can leverage those topics to expose lots of different audiences to your writing.
Your niche topics then turn a portion of those mass-readers into loyal readers.
They stick to your web of content.
Step 6: Turn longer-form content into assets.
Before you spend a few hours creating a course, or writing a 60,000 word book, you should have data confirming your decision.
- Is this a proven topic?
- Does your audience engage with this type of content?
- Etc.
Here's a good framework:
- Atomic Essay/Twitter Thread performs well, turn into ~800 word article
- Article performs well, turn into long-form piece
- Long-form works well, turn into (longer) free email course, download, etc.
- Download works well, turn into paid product $$$
Step 7: Repeat this process until the end of time.
There is no "finish line" as an online writer.
In fact, the more you write & publish, the more data you will generate for yourself, the more you will WANT to write because you have more and more validated ideas.
This is the new way writers are gaining traction on the internet.
If you want to start using data to become a prolific writer, we just opened enrollment for the first cohort of Write The Ship.
1. Write Atomic Essay 2. Post image on Twitter 3. (Bonus) Copy/paste text as thread 4. Find relevant Question on Quora. Copy/paste Atomic Essay + image. 5. Copy/paste again on Medium. 6. Again on LinkedIn 7. Win
Guide below βοΈπ’π
Step 1: Write Atomic Essay
I really enjoy writing right inside the Figma template. It helps give me a good sense of exactly how much "real estate" I have/have left before my time us up and I'm out of space.
Once finished, I export the image and send to my phone on Slack.
Step 2: Post image on Twitter
Before I publish my Atomic Essay on Twitter, I use the Edit/Photo Markup function on the iPhone to highlight standout sentences.
These are usually power-phrases: things the reader skims and thinks, "That's interesting," prompting them to read more.
πΈ The 5 Revenue Streams Every Writer Should Build For Themselves πΈ
Today I have ~9 different revenue streams for myself, but these 5 are the big ones that have fueled my career for the past 5 years (and allowed me to quit my 9-5 & go all-in on writing) ππ§΅
1/ Writing as a service
This is without question the easiest revenue stream to build, and where most writers start.
The first big jump in my income as a writer came from ghostwriting. Once you learn how to provide writing as a service (and get paid $$), you're off to the races
2/ Write books/guides/etc.
My 2nd paid product online was a $30 "How To Become A Top Writer On Quora" course. My 1st was a eBook series called "Skinny to Shredded."
Create assets that can be sold infinitely at scale. Small numbers ($$$) add up over time.
[THREAD] How To Successfully Launch A Startup, Inverted
1/ Mention the incumbent in all of your marketing materials. That way, everyone knows youβre 2nd best.
2/ Pick a category someone else already owns. Itβs best to use marketing dollars trying to convince people to stop liking something they already like.
3/ Spend top dollar on branding. When customers (or investors) are judging your product, utility & clarity of the problem it solves is irrelevant. Humans are monkeys. If itβs shiny, people will want it.
[THREAD] How To Find A Mentor (No Matter What Industry You're In)
I have attracted dozens of mentors since I was a teenager. As I've gotten older, I've realized these relationships were the secret to my growth.
Here's how to find mentors of your own πππ
1/ Don't obsess over finding The Expert.
This is the BIG mistake anyone looking for someone to "mentor them" makes.
All you need is to find someone who knows the very-next-thing you want to learn. Technically, anyone "a little bit further along" can be your mentor.
2/ Start to see everyone around you as A Mentor
- Your co-worker with 1-2 yrs more experience is a mentor
- Your family friend who is always telling "war stories" is a mentor
- Your neighbor, cousin, aunt, uncle who has done what you're trying to do, can all be mentors
Hemingway vs. Faulkner: The Little-Known Rivalry Between 2 Of America's Most Famous Writers
π§΅βοΈπ
1/ If you thought the 2pac vs Biggie feud in the 90s was competitive, let me tell you the story of Ernest Hemingway versus William Faulkner.
Hemingway grew up in the Midwest, and shortly after high school entered WW1. This inspired his 1st novel, A Farewell to Arms (1929).
2/ Faulkner meanwhile grew up in Mississippi in an educated household. His mother (and Gma) were painters & photographers, and are credited with informing Faulkner's later visual-heavy writing style.
He did not enter the war, and instead attended the University of Mississippi.