How I Make $2,000 Each Month Writing About Dark Topics
How to write and execute dark topics
I make $2,000+ each month writing about dark topics.
Over the last few years, I’ve written about dark, troublesome, or taboo topics that have earned me a good living.
The idea for this post came from another article I read recently called, Dark Topics Earn Big Money. That article got me thinking about my biggest earners.
Many of them cover manipulation, sex, and murder.
Others are about less controversial (but just as troublesome) issues with more mundane objects in our everyday life.
In this article, I want to share with you how I make money writing about dark topics — and how you can, too.
What Are Dark Topics?
Any topic can be a dark topic if you explore it in the right way.
Dark topics can be very effective for writing, as they evoke a strong emotional response in the reader. Some possibilities include writing about death, violence, abuse, and other types of dark and disturbing subject matter.
The first step is to find a dark topic that scares or disturbs you and explore it in depth.
Write about your fears, your nightmares, and the things that keep you up at night. Embrace a raw and honest perspective with your readers and show them the darkness inside of the topic.
It’s only by facing our fears that we can begin to understand them, and by understanding them, we can learn to transcend them.
The Dark Side of Good Products
Another way to look at “dark” topics is as problems with products, services, and life situations. Writing about problems (and their solutions) is highly profitable. People are always searching for information on how to solve their problems.
One of the most popular topics in the world is health and fitness.
People are searching for information on how to improve their health, how to lose weight, and how to prevent or cure diseases. But there is also a dark side to health — the diseases themselves.
People want to know about the symptoms of diseases, about the latest research on treatments, about miracle cures. They want to know about the dark side of health — and you can be the one to provide that information.
Another popular topic is wealth.
People want to know how to make money, how to save money, how to invest money. But there is also a dark side to wealth — debt, bankruptcy, foreclosure.
People want to know about the symptoms of financial problems, about the latest research on solutions, about ways to get out of debt. They want to know about the dark side of wealth — and you can be the one to provide that information.
You can also write about the dark side of relationships — divorce, infidelity, abuse.
Or the dark side of work — layoffs, discrimination, sexual harassment.
The list goes on and on. Just about any topic you can think of has a dark side. And people are searching for information on the dark side of those topics.
So, if you want to be a successful writer, don’t be afraid to write about the dark side. It can be profitable — and it can be therapeutic, too.
The Dark Art of How I Make Money Writing About Dark Topics (Step-by-Step)
Here is how I turn dark topics into bright earnings.
If you have a knack for writing and are interested in exploring some of the more difficult subjects out there, then this section is for you.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make money writing about dark topics.
1) Narrow Down Your Nightmare Niche
What are you passionate about? What ideas spark your mind and soul? There are many different niches buried in the darkness — choose one that speaks to you.
Choose the one that is easiest and quickest for you to write.
Also, if you run a website, focus on the dark topics within your niche. I suppose this is a form of sub-nicheing or micro-nicheing on the dark side.
For example, if you write about history, write about wars, conspiracies, and assassinations.
2) Research, Research, Research
You can’t just freewheel your way through dark topics — you need to be knowledgeable about your subject matter. Write from a place of authority.
Do your research using reliable sources. You want people to take you seriously.
Focus on the pain and the problems in your niche.
You can research using:
- Google Scholar
- User manuals
- Company forums
- Company FAQs
- Amazon Reviews
- Quora
- StackExchange
- Researchgate
- WolframAlpha
3) Create Dark Content that Is Captivating and Useful
The best content is engaging, informative, accurate, well-written, and highly-relevant. Offer something new or different that people can’t find elsewhere.
Be sure to proofread and edit your work before hitting publish.
Dark topics explore problems and pain. Your writing should make it clear that you deeply understand that pain — and then offer a clear and unique solution to help readers resolve the pain.
If you write about a difficult subject, make sure your writing is respectful and sensitive.
4) Find the Right Platform for Your Dark Content
Not every platform will work with your dark topic. Explore and experiment so that you choose the right platform for your specific niche and target audience.
Some places to consider include:
- Vocal
- Personal Blog
- Guest blogging
- SlideShare
- YouTube
How To Make Shadow Money Writing About Dark Topics (Example)
Don’t worry. Your bank takes shadow money (because it’s just regular money with a cooler name).
I’m a big fan of concrete examples.
So, let’s take a look at how writing about dark topics might work in the real world. Let’s say that you write about cryptocurrency, a hot topic at the moment.
If you know the topic well (which I don’t), then you probably already know the problems and pain surrounding crypto.
If you don’t, that’s ok, too. You can still find the dark path into dark topics.
One, you can research the subject matter (always a good idea anyway). Since this is an example, I’m going to use a shortcut.
My shortcut:
- Google cryptocurrency + problems
- Run the term “cryptocurrency” through keyword tools (free and paid)
When I Googled cryptocurrency + problems, I came up with the following dark topics: a lack of liquidity, volatility, scalability issues, and security risks to new cryptocurrency traders.
Those all seem like pretty good avenues for exploring the dark side of cryptocurrency.
After running cryptocurrency through keyword tools, I got:
- Why Cryptocurrency Is Bad?
- How To Recover Stolen Cryptocurrency?
- Why Is Cryptocurrency Going Down?
Those are just a few of the thousands of possible dark topics embedded within the financial market.
In case you’re curious, I used Ahrefs and KeywordSheeter as my keyword tools.
Once I have my topic-How To Recover Stolen Cryptocurrency-I’ll do as much research as necessary on the topic. I’ll check the competition to make sure it isn’t too competitive.
If so, I’ll niche down even smaller.
Maybe, How to Recover Stolen Cryptocurrency from Trust Wallet.
Then, I’ll do any more research required to write a 1,000 to 2,000-word article on the topic. Most of the time I aim for 1,500–2,000 words.
For a dark topic like this one, I’ll:
- Thoroughly answer the question
- Include clear steps
- Include helpful tips and resources
- Talk about case examples (if I can find them)
- Mention any troubleshooting issues
Ultimately, I want to offer the best and most helpful solution to the problem or pain of the dark topic.
My Best Tips for Writing About Dark Topics
After writing about dark topics for a while, I want to share a few of my best tips so that you can make the most money.
Don’t Forget the Balance of the Force
When writing about dark topics, it’s important to remember that it’s essential to maintain a sense of balance.
It’s easy to get lost in the darkness of these subjects and lose sight of the light that exists within them. As with any type of writing, it’s important to find the story’s heart and center your narrative around it.
By doing so, you’ll create a work that is both magnetic and memorable.
The Bigger the Pain, the Better the Topic
While it might seem counterintuitive, the bigger the problem or pain, the better.
Why?
Because if you can offer a solution to a major problem, you’ll be more likely to get attention (and traffic). Not to mention, if you can solve a big problem, people will be more likely to pay for your solution.
So, if you’re looking for a good dark topic to write about, look for the biggest problem or pain point that you can find.
Don’t Overlook Big Pain on Small Subjects
Some of my best (and most profitable) dark topics cover big problems with small products or services.
Yes, these products get fewer monthly searches from a smaller audience.
But they also come with much less competition.
By offering solutions to big problems with small products, you’ll still likely earn more from less traffic.
Always remember that Problems = Profit.
Final Thoughts
Writing about dark topics offers a great return on investment (ROI). You can spend less time writing shorter articles about smaller topics and still earn a big income.
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