If you're trying to make a living with your writing, I've learned some important things the hard way.
The hardest? Being a writer isn't enough.
You also have to be a marketer. Understanding your audience, crafting headlines that actually work, finding readers who care about your work. No one discovers great writing by accident anymore.
You have to be a publicist. You’re your own PR team. Pitching yourself to podcasts, building relationships with other writers, posting on social media even when you'd rather be writing.
And you have to be a designer. Your newsletter layout, book cover, social presence all communicate before your words do. Bad design kills good writing faster than you think.
Most writing advice focuses on craft. Better sentences, stronger characters, clearer arguments. But craft alone won't pay your bills.
I spent years thinking if I just wrote well enough, readers would find me. I was wrong.
The writers making a living aren't necessarily the most talented—they're the ones who've mastered these other skills too.
The good news? You don't have to be world-class at marketing, publicity, and design. You just have to be competent enough that they don't sabotage your writing.
The brutal truth is this: your words are only as powerful as your ability to get them in front of the right people.
Ready to build all the skills that matter? Join me at nicheof.one where we're figuring it out together.