Summary

The website content advocates for adopting the "1% rule" for consistent, incremental improvement in writing skills, which can lead to significant growth over time.

Abstract

The article emphasizes the challenge of becoming a proficient writer and the common pitfall of accumulating knowledge without applying it. It suggests that most people fail to utilize what they learn, often getting stuck in the initial phase of consuming information without progressing to skill development. The author shares their personal journey from struggling writer to gaining a substantial following and income by implementing the "1% rule"—improving writing skills by just 1% each day. This approach leverages the power of compounding, where small daily improvements lead to exponential growth over time. The author provides a simple method for applying this rule: selecting a small writing tip, displaying it prominently, using it consistently, and then repeating the process with a new tip each month. The article concludes by offering a free email course to help writers adopt this strategy and improve their craft.

Opinions

The author believes that the key to becoming a great writer is not just gaining knowledge but applying and improving upon it consistently.
There is a critique of the tendency to seek instant gratification from learning new ideas rather than committing to the long-term effort of skill development.
The article suggests that the majority of people do not follow through with their learning, as evidenced by the author's experience in a learning group where most members did not complete the course or apply the teachings.
The author posits that the "1% rule" is a straightforward and effective method for writers to achieve significant improvement, emphasizing that this strategy is accessible to anyone willing to commit to it.
The author's opinion is that small, incremental changes are more sustainable and lead to greater long-term success than attempting large, immediate transformations.
The article expresses the belief that by consistently applying the "1% rule," writers can outperform the majority of their peers who do not adopt such a disciplined approach to improvement.

This One Tiny Habit Will Make You Better Than 93% of Writers

How to become a brilliant writer with minimal effort

It’s hard to get good at writing.

When I started I grabbed all the knowledge I could. I bookmarked 100’s of articles. My inbox was bursting with email courses. And my laptop definitely felt heavier from all the ebooks I’d downloaded.

But I still struggled to get readers.

I was a failure. Weighed down by the endless writing tips I was supposed to follow. I constantly felt not good enough. And nearly gave up.

But then I discovered a simple practice that transformed my writing and quickly gained me 4900 followers. I still can’t believe I’ve gone from $0 to $800/month.

And anyone can do this.

The shocking truth about learning

The competition for attention is high.

If you want people to read your stuff, becoming a decent writer isn’t enough. You need to develop super strong writing skills.

But how do you get good at something?

If you watch closely you’ll notice the same pattern in every field. I’ve coached many people over the last 30 years and the brutal truth is this. Most people do nothing with their learning. Ask a colleague to give you 3 specific examples of how they’ve improved from a course. 95% of them won’t be able to.

Lack of knowledge isn’t the problem.

When I bought my first writing course. I was invited into a Discord learning group. So I completed the first module. Shared what I’d learned. Posted a piece of writing that used the idea. I got nice encouragements. But no one posted any of their learning. Most didn’t even complete the course.

We underestimate how hard it is to improve a skill.

Something in us resists getting good at something. Learning a new idea gives a dopamine hit. A buzz kicks off in your brain when you discover something new. But this causes a problem. You’ve got the reward. So there’s no motivation to take action.

Guess how much dopamine you get from using an idea.

Zero

There are no short-term rewards from skill development. There are only costs. The pain of hard work. This is why you enjoy reading about writing advice. But feel your brain shut down when you consider applying the idea.

And this is why most don’t do it. But if you can find a way to improve. You can unlock the growth you long for.

The easiest way to improve

The good news is that you can become a great writer.

I’m proof of this. I’ve transformed from a writer who no-one reads to one who gets feedback like on my writing course.

And it all happened when I started following the 1% rule. This is a super easy way to improve. Let me explain how it works.

Imagine you have $1 and it gains 1% every day. How much will you have after 1 year?

Our brains think 0.01 × 365 = $3.65

But the answer is $37.

That’s a 3700% increase.

This is because compounding is a superpower. It means you gain 1% on your previous 1% gain. Creating mind-blowing results. You can use this to become a great writer. And it isn’t hard to do.

If you improve your skills by 1% every day. You’ll be 37 times better by the end of the year. Do it for 30 years and your growth will be off the scale.

Here’s how to improve by 1%:

take a tiny idea
post it where you can see it
every time you write use the idea
next month take a new idea and follow the same process

Do it for 12 months and you’ll become a great writer.

For example, recently I learned it is more effective to put the benefit at the start of the sentence. Especially for hooks and titles.

Compare these two statements:

Writing online can make you money

Make money by writing online

The second one packs a punch because the benefit comes first. A simple but powerful trick. It’s my 1% for this month. I have a Post-it note on my desk to remind me to use it every day. Then next month I’ll adopt another tip.

The 1% rule is powerful. The improvements multiply rather than add together. Ten 1% improvements aren’t 10% but 1% x 1% x 1%… You’ll become a talented writer when lots of tiny improvements multiply. And anyone can do this.

Adopting the 1% rule means greatness is inevitable over the long term.

You don’t need massive changes. Small improvements over a long time reap boundless rewards. And remember most won’t do this. Which means it’s your chance to get ahead.

If you want some tips to fuel your 1% ideas. I’m giving away the writing system that’s brought me 4900 followers in 12 months. Join 671 writers:

This One Tiny Habit Will Make You Better Than 93% of Writers

How to become a brilliant writer with minimal effort

The shocking truth about learning

The easiest way to improve

Free email course

Three minutes a day puts the tools you need in your hands. Use them to become a compelling writer and raise your game.