The Much-Expected Freedom of Just Writing What You Love (Only Works for Good Writers)
Don’t write like the creator with 1 million followers; it’s a trap!
Do you ever feel paralyzed by all the writing advice out there? If you just tried this one weird trick, you too could be raking in the views and making a splash online.
But here’s a little secret: it’s really not that complicated.
All you need to create compelling content that resonates is to write what you love in your own unique voice. When you do that with consistency and care, people will stay to hear you out.
Not overnight, but with time.
I recently fell into the comparison trap after seeing another writer effortlessly pull in loads of views. “What’s their secret sauce? Do I need to niche down, broaden my topics, write personal stories, not write personal stories, and reinvent myself every month??”
Cue existential crisis.
But here’s the thing — their “secret” was simply writing daily about topics they found intriguing from their personal lens.
No tricks. No gimmicks.
Just their authentic voice sharing ideas they geeked out over.
Why complex formulas fail
We writers love our formulas. Give us a step-by-step blueprint for success, and we’ll greedily eat that up.
But here are a few problems with trying to cookie-cutter copy someone else’s path:
- You lose your uniqueness. There’s only one YOU out there. When you try to shape your content style, topics, and cadence after someone else’s, you end up becoming a second-rate version of them vs. a first-rate version of yourself.
- It screws with your sanity. Let’s be honest — writing daily when you’re just starting out is freaking hard. Trying to force yourself into an unsustainable mold burns you out quickly.
- Optimizing for the long game is vital. You want this writing thing to not feel like a chore you resent or, God forbid, another 9–5.
- No formula perfectly fits your situation. What worked for that other writer depended so much on their circumstances. From 27 years of marriage to $150,000 in student loans to their mom’s passing two years ago. Their path likely won’t neatly translate to yours, so don’t force it.
Here’s a super simple secret to stop second-guessing yourself as a writer:
Write the stuff ‘YOU’ want to learn about on topics that light ‘YOU’ up, as often as feels good to ‘YOU.’
It really is that simple when it comes to crafting compelling content.
Stop worrying so much about what everyone else says you “should” do. Stop driving yourself crazy trying to analyze their strategies.
Instead, start with yourself.
What ideas get you eagerly typing away to unpack more?
What topics could you gush over for hours, giving your opinion?
What feels like play, not work, when you write about it?
Let the joy of exploration guide you. The more you can tap back into that newbie passion for discovery through writing, the more your readers will come along for the ride.
They might not arrive overnight. But as you nurture consistency around sharing uniquely YOU day in and day out, your tribe will gather.
Still optimizing? Focus on the ideas
Of course, strategy isn’t completely dead. If you want to build an audience around your writing, some intentional thinking helps.
But if you find yourself still confused and overwhelmed trying to choose between the million pieces of advice out there, just remember this:
Optimize for sharing compelling ideas and stories above all else.
It’s not ultimately about how often you write, how you structure your content, or what tactics you choose.
It’s about the lightbulb moments your words spark in others. The new pathways your ideas lead them down. The beauty, truth, laughter, or horror you awaken.
That’s what great writing does. It resonates not through gimmicks and tricks but by connecting people to ideas that fascinate them.
So if you only take away one thing:
Share the ideas that light YOU up.
The strategic details will sort themselves out in time. Just keep nurturing your curiosity through writing. The rest will follow.
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