Write What You Think, Not What Others Want

Content-audience fit is easy when you decide to just be yourself

It’s hard to become a successful writer. The main challenge lies not in the writing per se, although having the discipline (and courage) to sit down and write every day is hard enough. The main challenge lies in finding the ‘content/audience fit’.

Similar to startups, where 100% of a venture’s success lies in finding the ‘product/market fit,’ a newbie blogger or writer is forced to find their own fit, between the content produced and the readers with their tastes and preferences.

That fit is what kills writers and creators. But it’s also exactly that fit that can make them successful.

We Have Two Variables

Or so it seems. It would be logical to say that in the pursuit of ‘content/audience fit’ we’ve got two things that we can alter.

Content — i.e., experiment with different writing styles, topics, ideas, etc.
Audience — i.e., tinker with audience interests, age, demographics, etc.

Hence, the logical process would be to make one constant, while changing the other. And vice versa.

But I would argue that we’ve actually got only one variable: the audience. With the content being a constant.

Content is what the writer (or video maker, musician, and any other artist) has inside their brain and heart. You can’t change that. You can’t alter or experiment with your ‘truth’ — what you think, feel, or have to say. You can’t change what you care about, although you might have several things you would like to talk about.

If you’re a creative and you’re experimenting with your content, it’s probably because you’re misled by trying to create something you think other people would like.

But the truth is, your best content is — you.

Vulnerability Is Key

The more I read success stories of mature authors, the more I see this idea over and over again. The more honest your content is, the more it’s real to the author, the better it is. It takes some authors decades of work to realize this important yet simple truth.

But in every story, once the author realizes that being honest and vulnerable is important, their success skyrockets. Nobody wants generic posts. But that’s exactly what you’re creating when you’re trying to please your audience.

I suggest we try the opposite: Say what you really have to say, and then look for an audience that will get you. We want to hear your story. We want to know what you’re thinking about. It’s definitely not comfortable to broadcast your honest thoughts to the whole world, but that’s what creation is. That’s what writing is.

And the pain of going outside your comfort zone — that’s the price of it.

I have been blogging in two languages ever since I was 16, and I’ve written 1000+ posts to this day about a whole range of different topics. I’ve also worked with brands, startups, and people to create and promote their content.

And I’ve learned one thing over the years: Everyone is interesting to someone. Hence, in the pursuit of ‘content/audience fit’, you should try to optimize your audience to your content. Not the other way around.

Your content is you. Now, you’ve just got to find your readers. The good news is, you only need 1,000.

Writing Is an Experience for the Author

So is composing music for the musician and painting for the artist. Creative people want to be liked (and they want to be commercially successful), but the main reason why we started creating in the first place is for the experience of creation.

In my experience, if it’s enjoyable for me to write, it’ll be enjoyable for the readers to read. And there’s only one way to write something you enjoy writing. That is to say what’s actually there. Be honest, be vulnerable, be real, and don’t worry about what other people think.

Writing is, in many ways, like psychotherapy.

Create for yourself. Something you’d enjoy reading. Create, like Srinivas Rao says, ‘for the audience of one,’ and you’ll be able to reach an audience of millions. And even if you don’t, at least you’ll be enjoying the ride. I strongly believe that if you’re having fun creating your work, so will people consuming it.

You Shouldn’t Care What Other People Think

I know it’s tempting, but try slapping yourself every time you start worrying about other people’s opinions. Your main authority and judge is you.

I used to hate Medium for a long time. And I did it just for that, there is so much generic content out there. People copying other people, everyone writing in a similar style, about the same topics with cliche clickbait headlines. It’s very boring.

But when I tried searching a little bit better, I started finding people who go against the tide, who don’t write generic posts. They followed their own voice, and said what they really thought.

I respect people who are honest, and so does everybody else. Honest people (and especially honest creatives) are the ones who get the most publicity. To win in the creative game, you’ve got to be unique. But if you think about, honesty is just another word for unique.

Being unique is easy. Just be yourself. You’re already one of a kind.