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Kieran Drew Profile picture
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Jan 25 • 14 tweets • 5 min read
School has failed you.

There’s a different rulebook for writing online.

Here’re my 10 favourite models to help you create content your audience loves to read:
Less is More

At school you’re penalised for falling short of the word count.

But online we celebrate compactness. Great writing is lean writing.

Less words, more impact.

Slippery Slope

Teachers get paid to read your writing. The world does not. You need to earn attention and then keep it.

Follow this rule:

Every sentence moves the reader to the next.

Write Like You Talk

When you’re graded on sounding smart, you’re forced to sound clever.

But the thesaurus is no longer your best friend.

The true sign of talent is presenting information in its simplest form.

Begin in the Action

Schools want abstracts and introductions, but society wants immediate gratification.

It's a game you play or lose.

Spend 80% of your time on the first line. Hook them from the start.

One Rule to Rule Them All

At school you cram as many ideas as possible. But online, please everyone and you please no one.

Remember:

It’s just you and your reader. Be personal. Stay specific.

Output, Not Outcome.

Your teacher decided if you pass or fail. Online, you do.

We treat likes and followers like grades. But these are outside of your control.

Instead, track your output. Focus on value.

The results will come.

Done is Better Than Perfect

Publishing once a semester forces you to obsess. But if you want to learn fast, publish prolifically.

Gain confidence. Build an audience. Follow feedback.

Don't hide in the never-ending draft.

Skim to Win

8 pages of relentless paragraphs was a success at school. Online, it’s a death sentence.

The brain wants to conserve energy. We will always pick the path of least resistance.

Easy to read is easy to follow.

Walk and Talk

Being trapped in class kills creativity.

Ideas come from inspiration. And you find by experiencing life.

The computer is just the final stage of the production line.

A Different Tale

If you want to earn your teacher’s attention, focus on facts and figures.

If you want to earn your audiences’, tell stories.

The internet is busy. No one cares about content without context. It's noise.

Stories will set you apart.

Follow these 10 models and you’ll have no trouble writing online.

If you found them useful I'd appreciate if you share the thread.

Click below and up you go:

Thanks for reading.

If you enjoyed this content, I deconstruct storytelling and writing so you can take advantage of the digital age.

Drop me a follow:

@itskierandrew
And if you're writing online or hoping to start, check out my guide.

It'll help you define your niche differently so you stand out from the crowd.

writersniche.carrd.co

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More from @ItsKieranDrew

Kieran Drew Profile picture
Jan 20
Storytelling is the most powerful skill you can learn.

And every great story follows the same format.

Here’s an effective framework for you to create an incredibly compelling tale with your content:
The best businesses don’t sell products or services.

They tell stories that transform their audience. And they're loved for it.

If you’re writing online, you can do the same.

This is the StoryBrand framework 👇
Every story in a nutshell:

“A character who wants something encounters a problem before they can get it.

Then, a guide steps into their life, gives them a plan and calls them to action.

This action helps avoid failure and ends in transformative success.”
Read 20 tweets
Kieran Drew Profile picture
Jan 18
One of the hardest parts about writing online:

Finding your voice.

But what if you could develop a strong writing style your audience loves to read (in less than 10 minutes a day)?

With this exercise, you can:
Even the best ideas can be ruined by weak writing.

There’re two ways to find your voice:

1. Slowly and painfully (though an insane amount of content)

2. Quickly and deliberately

Today, I’ll show you the latter. This is the 'Analyse and Adapt' technique.

First:
Who are your top 5 writers?

These are the people you follow consistently. You enjoy their style and resonate with their message.

Pick no more than 5. Constraints create creativity.

Here're mine, for example:

Jack Butcher, Naval, Dan Koe, James Clear, David Perell
Read 16 tweets
Kieran Drew Profile picture
Jan 13
In September 2021, I set a challenge to write 30 threads in 90 days.

The result?

7018 followers. 613 email subscribers. And 5 job opportunities.

Here’re 7 reasons why you need to write more threads (and why 'growth hacks' are a waste of time):
The first 9 months of my Twitter were tough.

I’d spend hours replying to big accounts – hoping for engagement.

It was slow. Unpredictable. And seriously unrewarding.

And when you think about it, a waste of time.

Why? 👇
Your Twitter account should be a platform for business and connections, not platitudes and comments.

So even if you build a good following – the question is:

So what?

If you're serious about writing online, here’s why threads are the answer:
Read 15 tweets
Kieran Drew Profile picture
Jan 11
Writing online is one of the best ways to transform your passion into a career.

And with the right approach, you can do it fast.

Here's how to establish yourself as an authority in your field in 2022 (without pretending to be a pro):
James Clear. Ramit Sethi. Tim Ferris. Ryan Holiday. David Perell.

This model works.

Online, becoming an authority is less about your current position and more about controlling perception.
First:

What would you like to be known for in 5 years?

This is a concept from Jordan Peterson.

‘Future Authoring’.

You begin with the end in mind - define your future to decide your actions.

And with a long-term mindset, success becomes a matter of when, not if.
Read 19 tweets
Kieran Drew Profile picture
Dec 18, 2021
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.
Read 18 tweets
Kieran Drew Profile picture
Dec 9, 2021
Want to learn copywriting?

Not sure where to start?

You need to read this.

Here’s how to go from complete beginner to writing great copy in under 60 days:
First, a note:

Reading is not enough. Writing is not enough.

You want to maximise knowledge and application.

This thread is based around 2 hours a day.

Adjust it to your schedule.

The more time you put in, the better the result.
Week 1-2: The Fundamentals

You need to learn the basics.

So you start by studying the experts.

You're going to read for an hour a day.

Google the boron letters.

Then check out this booklist (go for the copy books first) 👇

Read 17 tweets

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