As a New Writer, These 5 Decisions Opened Unexpected Opportunities

Quantity isn’t the only road to quality

Hello, hello, it’s Michael from the Writing to (L)Earn team. Welcome to our first article of the year!

Today, I’m sharing five pivotal decisions from my writing career that unlocked new opportunities and shaped my journey as a writer. Let’s dive in!

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When I began writing eight years ago, I didn’t think I’d have enough ideas for ten articles let alone 350. And I sure as hell didn’t think well over a hundred of those articles would net between 10,000 and 300,000 views, I’d attract attention from mainstream publications, receive invitations to teach at MBA programs, and land a book deal.

But after I found my voice and rhythm, that’s exactly what happened. Taking the time to learn how to write effectively has completely transformed my career.

Like anyone, I made some mistakes when starting out. But looking back, I also made some smart decisions. Here are five of the best ones I made that allowed me to move from zero to one and make a living from my words.

1. I forced myself to NOT publish often

I thought I’d done the impossible. When my dad returned a draft I’d sent him for feedback, instead of the page being covered in his signature red ink, it was remarkably white.

But then I kept reading.

And my smile immediately flipped upside down the moment I saw the following words in all caps at the bottom of the page — “Would you want your writer crush to read this?”

I wanted to fight back. I wanted to tell my dad the world had changed. I wanted to tell him for people to see my work, I had to publish a lot of it. But the moment we got on the phone and he said the only person putting pressure on myself to publish quickly was me, the more I knew he was right.

Some people learn more by publishing fast and often, while others advance by taking their time and picking the messages they want to get right the first time. This isn’t a jab at the former and praise for the latter. I’m simply stating the fact that we all operate differently.

Think about what kind of writer you want to be as well as which kind of writer you already are. There is no wrong answer to these questions. Only your answer.

I want people to click on my articles because my name is attached to them and not because I got the occasional title right. For this to happen, I need to take my time as my best thoughts and tightest lines don’t begin to crystallize until my third or fourth draft.

But don’t let what I do influence you.

Run your own race and define your own pace.

Just keep in mind that if your goal is to post 30 articles in 30 days, you waive the right to complain as your propensity for speed may not compete with those who have chosen patience.

2. I refused to kill my darlings

Everywhere we turn we’re told to follow Stephen King’s advice and kill our darlings.

I’m big on editing and making sure every single word serves a purpose. But there is absolutely no need to kill your darlings when all you need to do is copy and paste them into a document that houses all of your other solid thoughts that didn’t make the cut for a particular piece.

After being in this game for a while, it’s become abundantly clear that the ticket to writing success is found in the notes you keep. The simple action of keeping a “Killed Darlings” file will make your life so much easier going forward. Not only will it save you time from trying to force a square sentence into a well-rounded article, but reviewing your list of cut darlings when you’re not feeling inspired can spark ideas for new articles.

Keep a story idea document, a title idea document, a memory document, a quotes document, and most of all, a solid thoughts document.

When you sit down to write, you’ll be working off of puzzle pieces instead of starting each time staring at a blank page.

3. I chose my teachers carefully

I once asked a big-name writer for feedback on a story I’d written. His response: “It’d be easier if I just wrote it for you!”

I’ll never forget that answer. Just because someone is great at something, doesn’t mean they’re the best teacher for you.

So instead, when starting out, I contracted a guy who didn’t have nearly as big of a name but had a reputation as a solid editor and teacher. Even though I was brand new to the writing world, within two months of working with the guy my work was featured in Fast Company, INC, Thought Catalog, Elephant Journal, and Thrive Global. Today, this investment of a few hundred dollars and ten hours of working together is still paying off.

If you’re new to the writing world, think hard about the type of teacher that is best for you. I want someone who is deeply involved in the craft of writing and has also built a reputation as someone with a knack for helping people reach their goals.

People love to say there aren’t any shortcuts to success. But when it comes to writing, you can absolutely cut the line.

All you have to do is surround yourself with teachers who will help you learn how to write well.

4. I said to hell with marketing

“Don’t spend a second of your time marketing your work. Focus solely on learning how to write so well that other people feel inclined to share it.”

When I began writing, I was given this piece of advice. At the time, I was juggling a two-year-old and a small team at my communication consultancy. My friends’ advice was the exact permission I needed.

Spending my days on social media was not how I wanted to use the little free time I had. I figured if I could get to the point where other people thought enough of my work to share it, I’d always have a job.

When I think of my friends who make a living writing, most of them have had a similar moment — one where they realized writing is the long game and they committed to blocking the noise for a bit to focus solely on improving their craft.

Pick one aspect of writing you’d like to get better at and take a few months to learn everything you can about it. Maybe it’s how to tell captivating stories, write in a more conversational tone, or craft copy that inspires readers to take action. Don’t worry about your potential riches or growing a sizeable audience and lean into improving this beautiful skill of writing that will never go out of style.

If you can’t shake the notion that your work needs to be more visible, pick just one platform to publish on.

Learning how to write words that pull people toward you is a much better strategy than spending your time pushing average work onto people.

5. For every article I published, I got on the phone with another writer

Every week for the past seven years, I’ve gotten on a call with a writer whose words I connected with. But instead of going after Elizabeth Gilbert or Robert Greene, I reached out to people who were around the same level as me or a year or so ahead.

This was one of the best decisions I’ve made not only professionally, but also personally. Over the years, some of these people have become regular fixtures in my life. We’ve also grown out our careers together which has made writing that much more meaningful.

Some people are better off on their own and don’t like to work with other people. If that’s you, that’s fine. But if you’re not, don’t make writing a solitary pursuit as the best things in life rarely are.

If I’ve learned anything during my journey, it’s that the key to long-term creative endeavors is doing whatever the hell you can to make it not feel like work.

Making friends and sharing ideas has not only helped me to solidify my thoughts, but it’s the best way I’ve found to extend the fun.

Writing is the long game

I got lucky when I began writing. In the forgotten world of 2016, the notion of making money as a writer wasn’t nearly as mainstream as it is today. Not having financial rewards on my radar made it so much easier to take my time and focus solely on the messages I wanted to see in the world.

Today, it can be challenging to block the noise. But fight like hell to play the long game and focus on getting as good as you can in your craft.

The best part about pursuing artistic pursuits is there’s no such thing as retirement.

The faster you get the basics right and figure out what works best for you — the longer you’ll get paid to play.

—Michael, with John & Darius