Writing to (L)Earn

There’s a quote from the author, Charles Finch, that I return to whenever I finish an important piece of writing, like an article, pitch email, or, just recently, my first novel. It reminds me of my greatest ally as a writer. “To me, the single biggest mark of the amateur writer,” Finch says,” is a sense of hurry.” “Hurry to finish a manuscript, hurry to edit it, hurry to publish it.

Hey there, it’s John here. Since we’ve had a recent influx of newer readers and writers, I figured I could write a post for those at the beginning of their writing and audience building journeys. Now, ask yourself honestly: Are you subscribed to email lists from unpublished authors who only talk about writing? The answer is most likely no. And if you do follow a few, it’s because you’re a writer yourself, not because you’re a reader. Why is this? Because readers want finished work they can enjoy.

Hey it’s John here. And today I’d like to talk about something a bit different, like making a living from writing as an artist. By “artist,” I mean writing that isn’t focused on creating “content” to build an email list, sell products and services, and generate a following that will bring me more potential customers to increase my sales.

I’ve been re-reading David Benioff’s City of Thieves novel recently. It follows Lev, a 17-year-old, trying to find a dozen eggs in 1942 Leningrad. (If “Benioff” sounds familiar, that’s because he co-wrote HBO’s Game of Thrones adaptation). Lev was trying to find the eggs at the orders of a Russian secret police colonel. Here’s the catch: It was close to impossible to find eggs in World War II Russia, according to the novel’s setting.

"Publish every day!” “Learn to write faster in just one hour!” “Send 100 email pitches daily!” Writers following this advice are competing in the wrong game entirely. That’s because they’re trying to win a race where AI tools can already outrun them. Hey there, it’s John, and I've since learned that sustainable income doesn't necessarily come from being a prolific content creator. Instead, it’s all about solidifying these two foundations.

Hey there, it’s John here. When I started writing online, I knew that growth would not be linear. I almost never experienced linear growth where you did things you’re “supposed” to do and you got nicely rewarded for it. Life is fond of throwing curveballs. Even when I read the overused “stay consistent” advice, I knew consistency in writing doesn’t guarantee steady growth in followers or income. Still, I found myself surprised by the actual experience. For months, my articles only got dozens of views.

Hey there, it's John here. I’ve been communicating with various readers in the past few weeks. Many of them have heard the usual advice on building an audience. So we talked about why some writers build devoted audiences while others still struggle to get noticed, even when they follow the same methods. I think the most interesting idea is that most “build your audience” advice assumes you already have something worth saying.

Hey there, it’s John here. Today, I’d like to talk about a response I got from a reader from a recent story. This reader/writer asked me about balancing writing and personal responsibilities: "When you have a goal and responsibilities, a dream and a job that clash, which one do you choose?" she wrote. "Because splitting your focus between them isn't easy even if you know which one you'd like to pursue." I get where she’s coming from because I used to feel the same.

Hey, it’s John. In a writing retreat I attended as a scholarship awardee, we analyzed why certain personal stories grab readers while others fail to engross and capture readers. One pattern kept emerging: the most engaging pieces didn’t just focus on what happened or the emotions around it. Instead, they showed, through the story, how the writer made decisions that had a big impact on their life and the story they’re telling now. This doesn’t mean circumstances or results don’t matter.

Hey there, it’s John here, from the Writing to (L)Earn team. It’s the middle of the year, so you don’t hear people talking about “resolutions” or “new year, new me” stuff. But here's what I realized today (it's my birthday as I write this post, by the way): A friend called to wish me happy birthday and mentioned he's planning to "rebrand himself" when his birthday comes around in a few months. Better eating habits, more exercise, a tastefully selected wardrobe, the whole package.