As I have mentioned before, finding time to watch lengthy videos can be challenging. As someone who values efficiency, I find reading to be a quicker and more digestible way to absorb information. With this in mind, I’ve transformed Nicolas Cole’s enlightening video “How to Achieve Financial Freedom as a Writer” into a written format. His content has been instrumental in helping me hone my hobby in writing, and I share these insights in this more accessible form.
For those who are new to Nicolas Cole, he is an accomplished writer with a rich history of building successful writing businesses. His book, “The Art and Business of Online Writing,” offers a hands-on approach to mastering the craft of online writing. This post intend to captures his wisdom in a quick, readable format that aligns with my own passion for becoming a better writer.
Introduction
In the ever-evolving world of writing, mastering the craft can seem daunting. Whether you’re a content writer, novelist, or blogger, understanding how to refine your writing and build a successful career is crucial. Recently, I came across a video by Nicolas Cole that distilled years of writing and business knowledge into actionable insights. Let’s explore the key takeaways from his video and learn how we can apply them.
Building a Daily Writing Habit
The first step to mastering the craft of writing is to build a daily writing habit. Every outcome you desire is based on the foundation of writing every single day. Want an audience? Start writing online. Want an email list? Start writing online. The key is consistency. Nicolas emphasizes that writing daily is the cornerstone of any successful writing career.
Key Takeaway: Develop a daily writing habit and start publishing your work online consistently.
Start Ghostwriting on the Side
Ghostwriting can be a valuable way to hone your writing skills and build your portfolio. Nicolas highlights that ghostwriting allowed him to quit his full-time job and start making significant income. Selling a high-value service to one client can be easier than selling a low-value product to many customers. Ghostwriting can be your fastest path to building a steady income stream.
Key Takeaway: Begin ghostwriting to quickly monetize your writing skills and build a robust portfolio.
Start a Weekly Newsletter
After writing online consistently for a few months, start a weekly newsletter. Review your analytics to see which topics perform best. Your newsletter should focus on topics that receive the most engagement and that you’re passionate about.
Key Takeaway: Launch a weekly newsletter based on high-engagement topics and your writing passions.
Create an Irresistible Offer
Creating an irresistible offer is a crucial skill. Educate your customers on a problem they didn’t know they had or remind them of an existing problem and the cost of inaction. This skill can significantly impact your success as a writer.
Key Takeaway: Develop compelling offers that address your audience’s needs and problems.
Write a Landing Page and Sell Your First Digital Product
By this stage, you should have an audience, a niche, an email list, and some disposable income from ghostwriting. Your first digital product should be something you’ve successfully done for yourself, packaged for others. Don’t overcomplicate it—take what you’re doing for yourself, package it up, and sell it.
Key Takeaway: Create and sell a digital product based on your own successful processes and systems.
One Product, One Avatar, One Channel to a Million in Revenue
Focus on one product for one specific type of person on one platform until you reach significant revenue. This simplicity allows you to accomplish more by reducing friction.
Key Takeaway: Concentrate on one product, one target audience, and one platform to streamline your efforts and maximize impact.
Reflect Each Year and Always Look for the Next Vehicle
Reinventing yourself at various stages of your writing journey is essential. Reflect on where you are and where you want to go. Make hard decisions to move to the next level, just as Nicolas did when transitioning from a popular Quora writer to a successful ghostwriter and digital product creator.
Key Takeaway: Regularly reflect on your progress and be willing to reinvent yourself to reach new heights in your writing career.
Conclusion
Mastering the craft of writing is a journey that requires dedication, strategy, and the willingness to adapt. By following these seven steps—building a daily writing habit, starting ghostwriting, launching a newsletter, creating irresistible offers, selling digital products, focusing on one product/one avatar/one channel, and continually reflecting and reinventing—you can build a successful writing career. Nicolas Cole’s insights offer a comprehensive guide to becoming a better writer and building a sustainable writing business. Trust the process, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your writing goals.
