So much truth in what you say here. I would love to make some money here, but my main goal is to write quality stuff that people might like - maybe something to make someone smile or think.
I needed to hear this. I need to stop complaining about poor stats on Medium and come up with a plan — even if that means giving up on writing and going back to programming.
Checking my stats, my top story (grief-related) got 28K reads. In my top 5, 3 are tech-related and 2 are about grief. Why did I not think about that before? 😆
Initially, I chose to write about grief, having lost my wife to breast cancer, and my top story is one such piece.
Later, I republished a few old blog posts about vintage computers.
Many deeper and more complex tech stories I’ve seen on Medium have few claps. That put me off going in that direction, but it may be worth reconsidering.
I like the idea of a tutorial that starts with charging the reader to determine what outcome they want, Linda. Or, as my project management course taught back in the 1980s, “What is the problem we are trying to solve?” If you cannot define the problem, how can you know when you have solved it, much less what steps you should take?
Going along with this nifty you don't know what questions to ask it's hard to find a solution. I think that's where i am right now. I simply don't have enough experience to ask how to find success in online writing.
The sooner writers treat their newsletter like a business, the clearer these goals become. I'm not talking about about $$$ here (though, that's obviously nice): I'm referring to things like:
+Consistency
+Customer service
+ID'ing your target reader (what's in it for them?)
+Who your work is for...and who it's not for.
One exercise I've used that's really helped is filling in this sentence:
(My newsletter) is for (who?) so that (desired outcome)
I got that from one of the "salespeople" on Medium, but it sure has come in handy!
Yup. And people read stuff like that, think we all have to be selling something. Like, fill in that sentence the way Stephen King would not the way an internet marketer with a course for sale would. Then it starts to make sense.
I guess my destination, as you put it, is that some editor or publisher will stumble across my Substack and think, oh boy, this is great. Not only that, she has posted weekly since the beginning of this year, so obviously, not a one-trick pony. After that, the vision ahead tends to dim, and I'm not sure what I'm expecting to happen. At the moment, I'm pleased with engagement of any kind, but also want more of same. I wish more people would comment.
Pretty sure that's exactly it. It's people trying the old "follow for follow" here. I've even had people comment on notes or posts "I've subscribed to yours, can you subscribe to mine".
This is incredibly helpful and confirms what I learned from Freelance writing. Even if you get that one in a million odd post that goes viral, you still have to show up and do the work. You still have to know where you're going and what the purpose of writing for money means to you. Wanna quit that day job and be a full time writer? It's like any other business, you have to have a plan. I retired from my day job four years ago and have been working out exactly what it is I want to do with my writing. I've narrowed it down ... I am not a freelancer. I don't write that way. I am a novelist ... thats the long game .... need a day job for that. While I make novel writing a priority, I still has to give a percentage of my time to managing the day to day things in life. Even after the novel is finished, there is a whole other business of editing, publishing and marketing ... how do I want to do that? what form does that take? How involved in the marketing do I want to be ... because this drives the type of publishing I opt for.
If you're writing to get your thoughts out and muse about life ... A worthy pursuit, but it's not a business starter, unless you do the work to make it one.
Anyone remember Jimmy Buffet? Read his books or read a book about him. Jimmy was behind the scenes obsessed with his business. He had to be a businessman to make it work. He mentioned that it was a hard decision to make, pay deeper attention to his music writing, or give some of that attention to the business of growing his music.
I have chosen to write my novel, focus on the quality, then when it is done I'll move into the business of marketing, selling and publishing of my novel. It's all in how you structure the business of writing.
Thanks Linda. You're responsible for helping me clarify what it is I have been doing these past few years.
Oh absolutely… I know who my audience is… but the crafting of the novel takes time and research… then there are revisions and editing and beta readers. it’s a long game. It’s also the work of producing a product for the industry of writing. At the heart, I am writing a story I have created. At the outer edges I am polishing my work to make it marketable. All of it requires a deliberate plan of action to get from concept to sales.
I think my one comment would be that editing and publishing comes after the novel is done, but ideally marketing is during. That's why traditional publishers publish a book a year or two later. To market and build interest before the book drops. But now that we have the internet, there's no reason the marketing timeline can't be moved up to happen while it's being written.
That makes sense … I think it also depends on the type of novel. Mine is fiction and is nowhere ready for any preliminary marketing. But I definitely could be wrong about that too. I will definitely give it serious consideration.
Thanks for all the inspirational outside of the box thinking.
I think the limitation might be that you're thinking of your book. Instead of thinking about people who love the kind of fiction you write. Make sense?
This is really good thought provoking questions. I think my SubStack is mostly to let me keep the conversation going after the podcast episode ends. I don't have many podcast listeners, or SubStack followers, but it's a good start to be asking these questions of myself
Great read, Lnda! I resonate ith you - on every point- I loee to arite- and yes- my objective is readers- BUT--- readers who want to engage(not the many- ) But - hey -- het- I'll take the readers!
I appreciate your post here. Think about goals--destination. I surely enjoy readers who comment on my stories. I like to know that maybe I touched a nerve and these readers will stay on the journey with me. Maybe find an interest in more of my work. I have a book in the wings, unpublished so far, that I would love to eventually get out there to people who will find hope & courage in that story. Maybe my readers here will stay tuned.
In over 2.5 years of writing and posting relentlessly, I have seen a vastly greater number of aspiring digital writers fizzle out, then carry on and build something sustainable and maybe even a little profitable.
I'm thinking and wondering more these days if maybe more folks could find solid niches writing about the mindsets required to become 'successful' writing online.
'Survivor Bias' is booming in digital circles.
Writing and posting are only part of the equation. And, as you cleverly point out - the "why?" and "what for?" are critical. Along with, the addition of "what's realistic?" and in what time frames.
If one comes to the digital writing realm looking to satisfy a need for recognition and acclaim...(esp. in under 12 months) there's a 99.99999% chance of quitting and walking back to a job (or securing that second job).
On both Medium and Substack I'm a bit of a ready-fire-aim writer. So I'm ALL ears to any wisdom you have to impart about strategy, Linda. A blindfolded five-year-old could beat me at checkers.
I just write and hope new people come along besides the older ones. (And that they'd be willing to get a paid subscription). That's all I want to do.
I’m biased of course but I’d love to hear your thoughts about growing a following on Substack. Specifically when it come to fiction 😱
Not biased at all! That's what I'm looking for is to know where more of my readers are struggling or frustrated. And thank you. :)
I'd love to know how to convert free subscribers and followers to paid. so I'm looking forward to reading your advice. Thanks for this.
So much truth in what you say here. I would love to make some money here, but my main goal is to write quality stuff that people might like - maybe something to make someone smile or think.
Well, I like your work, Mimi. I think it's great, and I'm so pleased when you comment on mine in return. It's one of the (unpaid) perks of Substack.
I do love certain writers, and you are one of them! It is such a joy to read honest, genuine work.
Ah shucks! Thanks so much.
I needed to hear this. I need to stop complaining about poor stats on Medium and come up with a plan — even if that means giving up on writing and going back to programming.
Do you write about programming on Medium? Just curious. lol
Very little. Mostly life stories, grief, autism, family…
Checking my stats, my top story (grief-related) got 28K reads. In my top 5, 3 are tech-related and 2 are about grief. Why did I not think about that before? 😆
I imagine you already know this, but the “tech” side of Medium is really big.
Thanks for reminding me about this!
Initially, I chose to write about grief, having lost my wife to breast cancer, and my top story is one such piece.
Later, I republished a few old blog posts about vintage computers.
Many deeper and more complex tech stories I’ve seen on Medium have few claps. That put me off going in that direction, but it may be worth reconsidering.
I like the idea of a tutorial that starts with charging the reader to determine what outcome they want, Linda. Or, as my project management course taught back in the 1980s, “What is the problem we are trying to solve?” If you cannot define the problem, how can you know when you have solved it, much less what steps you should take?
Right? I so agree, Jack.
Going along with this nifty you don't know what questions to ask it's hard to find a solution. I think that's where i am right now. I simply don't have enough experience to ask how to find success in online writing.
Huge +1 to all of this.
The sooner writers treat their newsletter like a business, the clearer these goals become. I'm not talking about about $$$ here (though, that's obviously nice): I'm referring to things like:
+Consistency
+Customer service
+ID'ing your target reader (what's in it for them?)
+Who your work is for...and who it's not for.
One exercise I've used that's really helped is filling in this sentence:
(My newsletter) is for (who?) so that (desired outcome)
I got that from one of the "salespeople" on Medium, but it sure has come in handy!
Yup. And people read stuff like that, think we all have to be selling something. Like, fill in that sentence the way Stephen King would not the way an internet marketer with a course for sale would. Then it starts to make sense.
Exactly!
I guess my destination, as you put it, is that some editor or publisher will stumble across my Substack and think, oh boy, this is great. Not only that, she has posted weekly since the beginning of this year, so obviously, not a one-trick pony. After that, the vision ahead tends to dim, and I'm not sure what I'm expecting to happen. At the moment, I'm pleased with engagement of any kind, but also want more of same. I wish more people would comment.
Preference: Medium tutorial first
Thanks, Mark. We are tied so far. lol
I don’t understand the people who subscribe to hundreds of newsletters. Who has time to read them all?
My guess(?) is that they're hoping you'll see they've subscribed and in turn subscribe to them.
I laughed. It's everywhere. When I see that, I think oh, I'm on the throwaway account you don't actually read, is that it?
Pretty sure that's exactly it. It's people trying the old "follow for follow" here. I've even had people comment on notes or posts "I've subscribed to yours, can you subscribe to mine".
Ah yes, I hadn't thought of that lol.
This is incredibly helpful and confirms what I learned from Freelance writing. Even if you get that one in a million odd post that goes viral, you still have to show up and do the work. You still have to know where you're going and what the purpose of writing for money means to you. Wanna quit that day job and be a full time writer? It's like any other business, you have to have a plan. I retired from my day job four years ago and have been working out exactly what it is I want to do with my writing. I've narrowed it down ... I am not a freelancer. I don't write that way. I am a novelist ... thats the long game .... need a day job for that. While I make novel writing a priority, I still has to give a percentage of my time to managing the day to day things in life. Even after the novel is finished, there is a whole other business of editing, publishing and marketing ... how do I want to do that? what form does that take? How involved in the marketing do I want to be ... because this drives the type of publishing I opt for.
If you're writing to get your thoughts out and muse about life ... A worthy pursuit, but it's not a business starter, unless you do the work to make it one.
Anyone remember Jimmy Buffet? Read his books or read a book about him. Jimmy was behind the scenes obsessed with his business. He had to be a businessman to make it work. He mentioned that it was a hard decision to make, pay deeper attention to his music writing, or give some of that attention to the business of growing his music.
I have chosen to write my novel, focus on the quality, then when it is done I'll move into the business of marketing, selling and publishing of my novel. It's all in how you structure the business of writing.
Thanks Linda. You're responsible for helping me clarify what it is I have been doing these past few years.
I somewhat disagree. Know who the audience for your novel is first. Don't write for only yourself, and hope someone else will like it.
Oh absolutely… I know who my audience is… but the crafting of the novel takes time and research… then there are revisions and editing and beta readers. it’s a long game. It’s also the work of producing a product for the industry of writing. At the heart, I am writing a story I have created. At the outer edges I am polishing my work to make it marketable. All of it requires a deliberate plan of action to get from concept to sales.
I think my one comment would be that editing and publishing comes after the novel is done, but ideally marketing is during. That's why traditional publishers publish a book a year or two later. To market and build interest before the book drops. But now that we have the internet, there's no reason the marketing timeline can't be moved up to happen while it's being written.
That makes sense … I think it also depends on the type of novel. Mine is fiction and is nowhere ready for any preliminary marketing. But I definitely could be wrong about that too. I will definitely give it serious consideration.
Thanks for all the inspirational outside of the box thinking.
I think the limitation might be that you're thinking of your book. Instead of thinking about people who love the kind of fiction you write. Make sense?
That does make sense. It also gives me some ideas of how I can turn that into Substack content.
I appreciate your insight. You’ve given me a lot to consider.
This is really good thought provoking questions. I think my SubStack is mostly to let me keep the conversation going after the podcast episode ends. I don't have many podcast listeners, or SubStack followers, but it's a good start to be asking these questions of myself
That's the best time to ask them, for sure.
Please do Substack first :)
Thanks Spikey, I appreciate that :)
Ah, crap. I really need to getting around to changing my name!
Great read, Lnda! I resonate ith you - on every point- I loee to arite- and yes- my objective is readers- BUT--- readers who want to engage(not the many- ) But - hey -- het- I'll take the readers!
I appreciate your post here. Think about goals--destination. I surely enjoy readers who comment on my stories. I like to know that maybe I touched a nerve and these readers will stay on the journey with me. Maybe find an interest in more of my work. I have a book in the wings, unpublished so far, that I would love to eventually get out there to people who will find hope & courage in that story. Maybe my readers here will stay tuned.
🔥 Great piece, Linda.
In over 2.5 years of writing and posting relentlessly, I have seen a vastly greater number of aspiring digital writers fizzle out, then carry on and build something sustainable and maybe even a little profitable.
I'm thinking and wondering more these days if maybe more folks could find solid niches writing about the mindsets required to become 'successful' writing online.
'Survivor Bias' is booming in digital circles.
Writing and posting are only part of the equation. And, as you cleverly point out - the "why?" and "what for?" are critical. Along with, the addition of "what's realistic?" and in what time frames.
If one comes to the digital writing realm looking to satisfy a need for recognition and acclaim...(esp. in under 12 months) there's a 99.99999% chance of quitting and walking back to a job (or securing that second job).
On both Medium and Substack I'm a bit of a ready-fire-aim writer. So I'm ALL ears to any wisdom you have to impart about strategy, Linda. A blindfolded five-year-old could beat me at checkers.