The Most Important Task I Do as a Writer Will Surprise You
You could build lifelong fans when you do this
Do you have any guesses on what my most important task I do as a writer? I probably spend close to two hours a day which is just as much time I spend writing my article. So you already know it’s not writing.
I spend a lot of time with my fans. My fans or my readers are where I spend a good portion of my time as I read their comments and respond to them. Your fans want to know you’re human people who have feelings and care that they left a comment.
It’s easy for your reader to leave a comment, but you need to acknowledge them. There is no secret to this, but you do need to block out time to read and respond to them.
- Time is one thing you need to prioritize as a writer.
- Time is your most valuable asset that you’ll never get back.
- Time gives you the opportunity to write.
Once you plan your time, this allows you to write your article, create a headline, review and edit your article, find your image (s), pick your tags, analyze your writing statistics, and then respond to your fans.
This is a lot you have to do — so you need to maximize your time. Wasting your time will only hurt you.
A lesson from Gary Vee
“Without hustle, your talent will only get you so far.”
Gary Vaynerchuk
I learned a few years ago, that Gary Vee said he spent hours on Twitter and commented to everyone who tweeted about wine or a category he was focused on. Now Gary is one of the most recognized entrepreneurs in the world.
What Gary did, you can do the same as a writer. First, you need to find the time.
- You may or may not respond to readers. This is the first thing you need to do.
- Go to the personal profile of your fan who left you a comment. Read their article and leave them a comment or highlight their article.
These are two things that I do. Sometimes I don’t have a chance to do this every day so I may respond a day or two later.
Other quotes from Gary Vee you should know:
“Skills are cheap. Passion is priceless.”
“You only regret the things you don’t do.
“Work hard. Work smart. Be patient.”
“Ideas are nothing. Execution is the game.”
“If you live the weekends and vacations. Your shit is broken.”
Final thoughts
Sometimes you have to do the unsexy things as a writer. You won’t get any more money from responding to your fans. But you do give a little bit of yourself.
Your fans will make or break you as a writer. Without fans, you’re nothing as a writer. Sometimes you have to give rather than receive.
Are you giving enough of yourself to your fans?
Tom Handy is a top writer on Medium, former Quora writer, and father of two kids. He retired from the Army and sits on several non-profit boards. You can find him on Twitter @tomhandy1.