Thread by @ItsKieranDrew

Writing is a game of consistency.

But most people quit before the reward.

Here’s my advice after learning how to write in under 12 months (whilst working 50 hours a week):

==THREAD==

There’s a delay between effort and outcome with writing.

What Seth Godin calls ‘The Dip’.

Your mind tells you to quit.

That life ‘is too busy’.

But trust me when I say persistence is rewarded.

Here’s what helped me make becoming a writer a reality:

Start With Why

Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

The path to a writer is long and uncertain.

If you attach deep meaning to action, you leverage internal motivation.

For me, it was freedom. To do work I believe in.

Use purpose as fuel.

Strip to the Essential

There’re 1000 paths to success online.

But here’s the truth:

Only one guarantees it.

Writing.

Getting great at the craft. So ignore the shiny objects.

You don’t need a podcast. You don’t need a website (not yet).

Invest effort where it counts most.

Go to Your Audience

The conventional path is to build blogs and write books.

But the internet is evolving.

You want to grow with it.

Instead, focus on the path of least resistance—social media.

You don’t need CSS or SEO.

You build in public.

And share your journey.

Topics

A great heuristic:

Only write about what fascinates you.

It's easy to get sucked into writing what you think people want.

'To be engaging'

But fuck that.

Curiosity is an essential pillar of growth. Follow it.

My Little Pony? Who cares?

You'll find your tribe.

Build a Brain

Writing is 20% words and 80% thinking.

Don't rely on ieas to arrive when you sit to write.

Your notes system is key.

Make a pact:

Write down ideas you have immediately. Swipe every great quote, tweet and thread.

Inspiration comes from collation.

Routine for Results

Some days I drilled teeth from 9am till 9pm.

But I never missed a day writing.

If you’re serious, you need to commit.

Willpower doesn’t last.

Make your morning sacred.

Start the day by building your dream. Not your bosses.

80:20 Your Time

It’s tempting to go hard as a motherfucker.

Wake up at 5am to write. Write after work. Rinse and repeat.

I get it. But trust me:

It's a recipe for burnout. Instead pick allocate reasonable time.

15 min/day. 30. 60.

Make success as small as possible.

Set a Goal

‘Write every day’ is uninspiring. It's boring.

Your goal should propel you forward.

So get specific.

Like Aristotle says, “You’re more likely to hit the mark with a target”.

Say, 100 threads in a year.

That’s 2 a week.

Now we’re cooking.

Tell people

The monkey mind is powerful.

Commitment bias will keep you on track when you doubt your path (because you will. A lot.)

Tell yourself you’ll stick to your goal = ok.

Tell your friends = better.

Tell the world = solid.

Use your mental flaws as tools.

Change the Game

@jackbutcher talks about lead and lag metrics.

Results = lag. They take time. They’re out of your control.

Focusing on them is a bad idea.

Likes. Retweets. Followers.

It’s all noise.

Instead celebrate your effort. Your input.

What you put in will pay off.

Fix your Identity

‘Oh, I’m not a writer – it’s just a hobby’

Not gonna work.

Project your mind forward & let reality catch up.

Tell yourself you’re a great writer and act like it.

Like @JamesClear says,

"Every action is a vote for the type of person you wish to become."

Have Faith

I can't promise when you'll make it.

But if you love writing before the external validation rolls in, follow your energy. Double down.

Take @seanwes's advice:

Give yourself 2 years. Publish your work. Enjoy the journey.

You'll be grateful you did.

Thanks for reading!

If you enjoyed this kind of content, why not give me a follow:

@itskierandrew

I share content on becoming a writer and leveraging the internet to find freedom & fulfilment.

Are you writing online at the moment?

Struggling with your niche?

Want to create engaging content?

You should check out my guide.

It's free, simple, and will help you ace 2022.

writersniche.carrd.co

Still here?

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Thanks!

https://twitter.com/ItsKieranDrew/status/1472222660708999170

TL;DR

Some tips that helped me immensely on how to be a prolific writer when busy.

Best of luck.