Hi Reader,
There's no shortage of online courses, lists, coaches, templates, and software collections that purport to give you the tools you need to succeed as an online writer.
Just one problem: they're barking up the wrong virtual tree.
Because it's not tools you need. It's skill. And there's a huge difference between the two.
A quick example: The "Framework" hustle
A short example from my own life might be helpful here.
Recently, I was looking for a way to expand my writing reach online. I've got a handful of followers on Medium but I wanted to branch out onto LinkedIn. So, against my own advice, I started looking for an online course that could provide me with some guidance as I ventured out into the wilds of social media. (I know. What the hell was I thinking?)
I found one offered by a very popular online creator who's had notable success on LinkedIn and I broke out my credit card. The price was reasonable and I dove into the course.
There was, admittedly, a lot of material. It was packed with spreadsheets, templates, schedules, software suggestions, and more.
I made use of all of it, drafting about two months worth of "content" for LinkedIn that complied with the framework I'd just bought.
And then...crickets. None of the stuff I wrote registered with anyone at all.
I'd fallen prey to the oldest trick in the book.
A hollow promise
See, I'd forgotten that most important of lessons.
You can find someone to tell you when to publish. You can find someone to tell you what analytics platform you should use. You can find someone to tell you how you should come up with ideas, or when to engage with other creators, or how to build relationships online.
But what you won't find anywhere is reliable, individualized advice on what to write.
You're totally on your own with that. Which is unfortunate, because that's the only decision that ultimately matters.
The frameworks, schedules, templates, formulas, and software tools are all just the container. You've still got to fill them with content that people actually care about. And that - populating the templates and resources with stuff that resonates with your audience - takes a great deal of skill.
And you can't buy skill. You can develop it, over time and with great effort. But you can't get it from an online course or coach or free lead magnet.
The course I bought gave me exactly what was advertised: a systematic approach to publishing content on LinkedIn. But it was a hollow promise.
Because people aren't interested in being offered an "approach" or framework of content. Those are just skeletons. They want the meat on the bones.
They want substantive content, which doesn't come from a $97 collection of short videos and a handful of spreadsheets.
A humble suggestion
For what it's worth, if you're looking to make a splash on your favorite platform, I'd suggest focusing less on the tools that you use and more on the content you make.
Take a deep dive into the material you write, or the videos you make, or the audio you record and carefully analyze how your work is being received by your audience.
Discover the topics and styles that resonate with your biggest fans and explore those areas until you find an approach that works for you and your audience.
In other words, ignore the tools for a second and closely consider what you're filling those frameworks and templates and content calendars with.
That's the stuff that your audience cares about. That's the stuff that your audience will pay attention to. They don't care in the slightest if you posted your work online at the optimal hour or if you're leaving enough comments on fellow creators' work or if you used the "right" formula to ideate your latest headline.
They just care about whether your work is interesting, informative, entertaining, or otherwise valuable in some way.
Thanks for reading,
Steve
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