Five Thing Writers Should Know
We don't all write for the same reasons or have the same objectives. But no matter why we write, there are five things we need to get clear on.
Happy Friday!
Here’s an observation that seems dumb on the surface. In February I wrote 8 posts on Substack and 4 on Medium. Why is that dumb? Because I do pretty well on Medium but don’t earn diddly on Substack because I haven’t turned on paid subscriptions. So I’m doing double the amount, free, compared to where I actually get paid.
More dumb. I know it’s dumb to give our work away free. A writer I respect very much says that all the time. Writers need to stop giving their work away for free. But that depends how we define writer. Some “writers” aren’t writing to write, they’re writing to funnel people to a course or a product. In which case, they probably don’t care about getting paid for the writing because it’s a magnet. To draw people to a paid product.
Here’s the thing. It’s not as dumb as it sounds because I have a long term strategy and what I’m doing works toward that strategy.
I talk to writers every day and you know what I hear most often? Frustration with how to fit all the pieces together. Medium, Substack, social media, a website and they feel scattered and don’t know how all the pieces fit together. And there’s no shortage of advice out there. Everywhere you turn, someone is waiting to tell you what you’re doing wrong, what you “should” be doing on Medium or Substack or wherever.
Those advice-givers never take into consideration that we don’t all have the same motivations or goals. So that’s a thing I’m working on. I plan to add one more day on Substack. Monday is learning from literature. Friday is personal letters and thoughts, and mid-week will be tips and tutorials. I’d like to make a strategy planner for writers that allows for different motivations and goals. Personal, not generic.
We don't all write for the same reasons and we don't all have the same objectives. But no matter why you write, there are five things you need to get clear on.
Maybe you’re clear on all five or maybe you’ve never thought about them. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of the below. I’m kind of hoping to discover thoughts and perspectives I haven’t already thought of in my strategy outline.
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1. Why do you write?
Maybe you love to, simple as that. Maybe it’s because it supplements your income. Or you’re building a list to sell a product. Maybe you’re isolated and love the interaction. Maybe you’re writing to educate people on a topic that’s important to you. Maybe it’s a combination of reasons. Why do you write?
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2. Do you have an objective?
Is there an end goal you’d like to get to? Where do you want writing to take you, or what are you hoping for as a best case scenario as a result of your writing?
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3. How is it going?
If you look at where you are right now, this minute, compared to your objective, how is it going? Do you feel like you’re heading in the right direction?
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4. How does money factor in?
There are people who can say money isn’t a factor. But often, it’s “where” we get paid at issue, not “that” we get paid. For example, maybe you don’t care what Medium pays, but you care very much that your book sells when it’s done. Maybe you aren’t writing a book and you care very much about getting paid for your essays. A lot of writers get weird about money, like talking about it taints their work somehow. But the fact is, we all have bills to pay. So how does money factor into your writing?
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5. What’s your sticking point?
If you look at where you want to get to, and where you are now — what’s the sticking point between the two? What’s holding you back or frustrating you?
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Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
I have two Substacks, Constant Commoner and Writer Everlasting, and I like where I am with both of them. That said, I, too, believe writers should get paid for their work. But on each of my Substacks my wish to create inclusive communities supersedes my wish to make money. Paid subscriptions are optional at both and I try not to ram my wish for paid subscriptions too far down my readers throats.
Still, I wish I had more.
At Writer Everlasting I have 1300 subscribers with only 20 of them paid. At Constant Commoner I have 978 subscribers with 34 paid. Not much, but I'm grateful for all of them, and now and then, a few times a month, I get individual donations at Ko-fi or PayPal. I don't beg for any of them.
I'm wondering, Linda, why you don't just offer optional paid subscriptions? With your skills and your knowledge I think you would get more responses than you might imagine. Is there a reason you don't?
I like this thoughtful post! I try to be mindful that the advice I offer is what has worked for me and other writers with other objectives might not find it as useful. This comes up in editing often. Just as it's important for writers to develop a thick skin about changes, editors have to develop a thick skin about having their suggestions overruled (I might have to write an article on that). I'm particularly interested in your long term strategies and your best practices for getting various platforms to work in harmony. I did 20 Medium articles in February and 7 posts for Substack (3 of those were old material from Medium). My long-term goals are to get enough of a following so I can publish the fairy books I wrote for my kids. Mainly, I just want those to be available somewhere so I can grab copies to read to my grandkids (wishful thinking). I'm drawn to writing because I like to sort out the delusional beliefs that sabotage our lives that we maintain without even realizing it. I'm a cave explorer and the cave is my subconscious. I suppose that's why I resist joining a traditional work environment... I keep spending my time contemplating better ways of doing things. Some say I never get anything done.