Alright Reader, this is a partially angry email, but bear with me - I promise that the message will change how you think about the online writing world. Over the past five years, I've worked with thousands of writers. I worked with them inside my signature program, Medium Writing Academy. In my Write • Build • Scale Membership. In 1-on-1 coachings. And for the past 12+ months, as an editor at one of Medium's largest publications. Even though every writer's journey is different, there are some similarities that are quite easy to spot. One of them is that most writers are looking for the perfect platform to publish their writing. The problem is, perfect platforms don't exist because.. well, platforms are not built for you. They're built for profit. Everything they do is with long-term profit in mind (cruel capitalism, I know). This means two things for you:
If you want to share your work, grow your audience, and get paid, you have to focus on building credibility, a portfolio, and an ecosystem that supports your goals. Of course, certain platforms are more suitable for certain stages of your journey - if you're a writing beginner, for instance, writing on Medium is a much better idea than writing on Substack. Because Medium is simple and allows you to make your first dollar within just a few days. Substack is complex and much harder to monetize if you don't have a background in marketing or an existing audience that is already willing to pay for your work. What matters is that you're not the b*tch of those platforms. Use platforms. Don't let them use you. If you want to build a reliable online (writing) business through your work, you have to stay focused on the few activities that will actually move you forward. And if you're not even publishing your writing yet, you have to finally get out of analysis paralysis and learn how to take the first steps as quickly as possible. You need to:
As long as you know how to do those things, platforms can't fail you and you can build a reliable writing career on the internet. I know that the first steps you take on your online writing journey are the hardest because it's easy to be confused and intimidated by all the different options and opportunities that exist. I don't want you to be confused like Joey - that's why I've been working on a unique opportunity to start your online writing journey with 100% clarity. I'll share the details tomorrow, so keep an eye on your inbox. 🚨 |
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Hey Reader, I became a full-time writer in 2020 and have since written any kind of content you can think of: Personal stories Listicles Reports How-to guides I also worked as a freelance/ghostwriter and published dozens of pieces with and for my clients. And while I love the diversity of being a digital writer, there's a specific type of content I like to write most. It's case studies. I love to be in the trenches with my audience, try new things, run experiments, do research, and report back...
Hey Reader, I don't know about you, but I'm more than ready for the weekend. I had a busy week full of exciting conversations and video recordings for a brand-new program we're currently building for you. I can’t reveal much about it yet, but I wanted to share a tiny sneak peek of a wonderful interview I recorded for this new project: Watch Now Whether you’re brand-new to online writing, struggling to grow your audience, or chasing the next big goal, I hope this 4-minute clip gives you a...
Hey Reader, How are you? Like, how are you really? 🫶 Emotions and noise have been high across the internet this week, which is why I decided to remain rather silent the past few days. Well, that and the fact that I've hosted daily Coaching and Onboarding Sessions for our newest members at Write • Build • Scale. 😅 If you've been following my work for a while, you might know that I've always been a huge believer in community, feedback, accountability, and peer learning. That's why we've been...