Question from a subscriber wanting to write a newsletter
Question from a subscriber wanting to write a newsletter but is stuck in the "what to write about stage"
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Hey Rainar,
Just wanted to say I absolutely loved the email. The way you built up the story is super engaging.
I have been thinking of starting a newsletter myself, but I keep getting stuck at the “what to write about” stage. If someone is unsure about what would actually be valuable or beneficial for readers, how would you suggest they go about figuring out their “why”?
Would love to hear your take on this.
Keep up the great work
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I know that this is a common problem to have. Many of us want to write online and a lot of you should. Writing is one of the best things you can do for yourself (even if no one reads it).
But why do you get stuck in this stage? In most cases, before starting out it’s easy overthink and complicate things. After writing online for years (since 2013), here’s my take on this:
Why do you want to start writing?
Before you start writing online, it's important to understand why you want to start writing. The answer to this is important as it can drive you to write every single day for the rest of your life OR make you give up in two days. Many people I know start writing online and give up after two posts. Once the dopamine fades from likes on your first blog post, you realise it's hard to do it consistently.
So ask yourself this “why... why do you want to write?”
Please don’t skip this because it’s important.
Normally, there’s a selfish reason and a selfless reason
The selfish reasons include - thinking clearly, building a personal brand, improving authority on a topic etc.
The selfless reasons include - enabling people in your place, advocating for change, educating those who don't have access etc.
2. What do you want to write about?
The best thing you can write about is something you have experience with. In other words, write what you know. You don’t need to be an expert. You only need to be two steps ahead of your audience. A general rule of thumb is writing to the version of you who knew nothing when starting out.
For example, if I wanted to start a newsletter on running I would write to the version of me who started running in university.
That kid couldn’t run 400 meters to save his life. That same kid went on to run 21 KMs in ~ 2 hours. Would that entice him? hell yes.
So here’s a guide to help you.
Ask yourself this:
How did you become who you are today?
What got you there?
What is the average person not doing to get there?
3. Write with the reader in mind
For example, this post is answering a problem my subscriber is facing. I took it as an opportunity to write about it.
Ask your friends, colleagues, family members on what problems they face in an area you can help.
Make a list. Identify common topics that you can address.
And then?
Start writing.
Yes. That's the important bit.
Common questions I hear on running are
how do I start running
where do I run
what shoes do I wear
what should I eat
do I need a watch
These are questions your ideal audience thinks about.
Frame your answers, format them a bit and publish.
You don't need to buy 20 books on 'writing well'.
Just. Start. Writing.
It will suck at first. There’s no avoiding that but we’ll talk about that another time.