Two Years, $9k, and 200+ Articles. What I Learned As a Content Creator
Success is not only in your writing ability
March 2022 marks two years of my content creator journey.
As a marketer, I’ve never thought I’ll be writing content one day, even though the opportunity seemed quite luring.
Like most, I started side hustling during the pandemic and published my very first article on this platform in March 2020.
Two years of consistent content creation as a side hustle helped me achieve the following:
- 200+ published blog posts
- Launched my website — Self Made Millennials
- Conquered my fear of writing
- Landed a few collaborations with established brands and entrepreneurs
- Made good friends through writing
Not bad for someone working on content creation as a side hustle?
I am usually reluctant to publish “money” posts. However, some people need motivation and valid proof that they can make it even if they don’t have writing skills and are busy.
We all tend to compare ourselves with the “top performers,” forgetting that they’ve also started from zero one day. They have also struggled like you and made pennies for a while.
I believe I’m somewhere in the middle.
I am no longer a novice creator. However, there is still so much work to do to say, “I make full-time income writing online.”
Once you reach a certain point, new opportunities make you work harder to reach a new level.
Content creation is a never-ending game, where winners are those who are ready to play long-term.
As I conclude my two-year journey as a content writer on this platform, let me share a few vital lessons I’ve learned which might be helpful for newbies.
Success is not only in your writing ability
That’s something I want every new writer to remember.
I started with zero writing experience but kept trying to frame my words, so they made sense to readers.
Many established writers hone their skills for years to claim they write 10,000 words a day and charge $1 per word.
You will most likely not have these privileges from the very beginning. However, you don’t need them. Please, understand that your journey is unique, okay?
You should make your own mistakes and conclusions regardless of those “Here is how you can make money online” articles.
Success is not in your writing ability; it’s in your mindset.
I kept refraining from this conclusion for a long time, but I eventually admitted I was wrong.
Succeeding as a content writer means this for me:
- Writing daily at least 500 words despite other duties.
- Scaling up my writing capacity to 1000 words a day.
- Publishing one story a day.
This is how I grew as a writer. I thought it’s impossible for a long time if you have other duties, but that’s where your mindset can help you succeed.
Train your willpower, develop writing habits and write daily.
It’s the most basic answer any top writer will give you. But that’s the key. You just have to accept it and start changing your old habits.
Niching down is the only way to succeed
My first articles were all about marketing.
I quickly grew my income to three figures a month by publishing a few marketing expert posts.
However, I wanted to try other topics and earn more. Therefore, I followed the most popular topics and writers to create similar viral content.
Despite others saying it’s a bad practice, I’ve achieved some decent results with this blog post.
However, now, I admit it was a bad practice for the following reasons:
- People follow people, not blog posts!
- If you write about everything, you eventually don’t speak to anyone.
- You cannot be an expert on every topic. Someone will write more in-depth content than you.
- A desire for quick enrichment may lead to “shallow” content creation, which hooks readers but adds zero value.
Therefore, I niched down back to marketing. To be more precise, SEO writing and writing side hustles topics.
This way, I establish expertise, attract fans and grow my website.
Your reputation matters more than any quick wins — remember about it!
So, create an account with a pen name to write about different topics. This way, you can experiment without risks.
You’ll sooner or later overgrow this platform. So, start looking for alternatives.
Alternatives mean diversifying your income sources and building new (ideally passive) income streams.
Unfortunately, writing platforms often change their algorithms, not in writers’ favor. Therefore, being dependent means running a hamster wheel.
More content — but fewer views and decreased earnings.
I am not as active as many other writers on this platform, but most say it’s way harder to go viral now than it used to be.
I am sure writing platforms are not dying.
However, I vote for having alternatives that will help decrease dependency on one platform and earn more in the long run.
Here are a few alternatives I am building myself:
- I built and grew a website to 1000+ monthly visitors in six months.
- I am planning to sell digital products through my website.
- I am already partnering with other content creators. Here is a success story from Annie Macguire, a freelance conversion copywriter who works with Fortune 500 clients.
I do all these as a side hustle, which always makes me think I am moving slowly.
However, making money writing online has never been a quick and easy process.
Therefore, patience and consistency should beat emotions and laziness.
Final thoughts
You won’t believe it, but I’ve made a powerful conclusion for myself, which has been evident to many:
Treat your writing as a business.
If you get up at 7 am to commute to work, you can also do it for your writing side hustle.
If you have a roadmap and daily task lists at work, you can get your writing business organized too.
Otherwise, you’ll keep treating your side hustle as a hobby, which won’t pay off for a while.
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