avatarDerek Hughes

Summary

The article outlines strategic methods for writers to gain a competitive edge, increase their following, and enhance their writing income.

Abstract

The author of the article shares personal insights on how to succeed as a writer by employing unconventional tactics. These include increasing writing frequency, being truthful with readers, offering hope, writing concise introductions, promoting others, prioritizing reader interests, aligning writing with personal growth, minimizing distractions, ignoring public opinion, analyzing performance metrics, reading extensively, establishing credibility, providing actionable advice, formatting for easy reading, and offering a free course on crafting compelling content. The author emphasizes that these practices, consistently applied, lead to significant growth in audience and earnings.

Opinions

  • Writing more frequently is crucial for growth and improving odds of success.
  • Authenticity and honesty resonate with readers who are wary of exaggerated claims.
  • Offering hope and showcasing the possibility of transformation can set a writer apart.
  • Introductions should be concise and persuasive to capture reader interest quickly.
  • Promoting other writers and their work can lead to valuable networking opportunities and increased visibility.
  • Writers should focus on their readers' needs and desires, aiming to improve their lives.
  • Personal and intellectual growth should inform the writer's content, enhancing its impact.
  • Distraction-free writing sessions are essential for productivity and quality.
  • Writers should not be hindered by the fear of judgment and should write with confidence.
  • Analyzing which content performs well can guide future writing and strategy.
  • Reading widely and with an open mind can inspire new ideas and improve writing.
  • Establishing one's credentials can build trust with the audience.
  • Sharing specific, proven strategies is more valuable than offering generic advice.
  • Formatting articles for easy skimming, with clear subheadings and bullet points, acknowledges that readers often skim content.

14 Ways To Gain An Unfair Advantage As A Writer No One Tells You About

Sneaky tricks I use to get ahead and gain 50 followers every day

Photo by David Peterson:

I’m always looking for an edge.

A marginal gain that will help me get ahead. Put a load of these together and you’ll soon find yourself gaining 50 followers a day. And making more money writing than you ever dreamed of.

At least that’s my experience. So I know this stuff works. If you do it long enough.

But shhh. Don’t tell anyone our secrets.

Write a little more

Everything changed for me when I increased my writing from 1 post a week to 4. Setting this goal stretched my thinking and made me hungry for more knowledge.

You don’t need perfect writing you need more writing.

Ironically, you become perfect by writing more. Perfectionism holds you back. After writing 120 articles I’ve discovered you have no idea what will take off. So write more to increase your odds.

Tell the truth

Readers are cynical and sick of being spun lies.

  • make $10k/month
  • 3 quick steps to success
  • never have a problem in your relationship ever again

Tell them the truth. Say it’s hard. You’ll want to quit. Write for 12 months and nothing will happen.

Claiming smaller achievements makes you more credible and relatable.

Give them hope

It’s easy to be a cynic.

It makes you sound clever. Anyone can do it though. Be the wise guide who offers hope. Show what is possible. Reveal how it’s transformed your life.

Shorter introductions

I used to write my introductions first. They were too waffly. I thought I needed to warm up the reader. They use the introduction to decide whether to read.

So it needs to be packed with persuasive power. Show what problem you’ll solve. Why it needs solving. And get to the meat quickly.

Promote others

You fear turning attention to others means there’s less for you.

But the opposite happens. Giving to others by promoting their work offers an incredible ROI. Acknowledge sources. Mention those you admire. Recommend other writers.

Be generous.

Want the best for your readers

You get obsessed about your results. But it’s not about you.

You are not the hero. Your reader is. So think about them. A lot. Their pain. Their problems. Genuinely desire a better life for them. Get excited by their comments.

Make writing the overflow of your growth

Don’t let your content bypass your life.

Allow it to shape what you think and what you do. Then overflow that transformation into your writing.

It’ll give your writing power, authenticity, empathy and credibility.

Cut distractions

You can produce far more quality work than you ever imagined.

If you commit to some distraction-free writing every day. This is harder than you want to admit. Write for 10 minutes and you want to check your phone, open a new tab.

But it’s a muscle you can strengthen if you practice focused writing.

Stop caring what people think

Being anxious about what response your writing gets limits you. It makes your writing timid and fearful. And makes you miserable if you don’t go viral.

Set your own high standards. Write quality content. And then release it into the world like a balloon. And let it go.

Mine for gold in your numbers

Writer gaze at their metrics for the wrong reasons. Am I popular? Do people like me? All this is irrelevant.

Ask yourself. What is working? What sort of introduction keeps attention? Which titles do people click on? What are the comments revealing about what else readers struggle with?

Leave your ego at the door and learn from your metrics.

Read more

I read Adam Grant’s Originals recently. And it gave me so many fresh ideas and insights. I’ve been buzzing for weeks. Read quality content to upgrade your thinking.

Read hungry to learn not to copy and paste ideas.

Show your credentials

I’ll be blunt. Why should we listen to you?

Drop in your achievements. Reveal how you learned this. Leverage the content of others if you are small. Use numbers if possible (100 hours completing this course).

Don’t overdo this and become arrogant. A couple of sentences will do.

Share what works

Forget bland platitudes.

Don’t tell people what to do. Show them how to do it. Try stuff yourself first. Experiment until it works. Then share that. Go into detail about the process.

Be super specific.

People don’t read

They skim your writing. So help them out. Provide clear subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs.

Cut the fluff. Get straight to the point.

Discover how to craft irresistible articles with my free email course:

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