How I Built An Audience of 25,000 With Zero Writing Experience
5 dead simple strategies anyone can use
25 months ago, I had no idea what I was doing.
I wrote my first post in January 2023, and it was painfully bad. Those first few months were embarrassing. Readers were scarcer than a gym-goer on January 15th. I felt invisible.
But I kept going.
Now? I make $5,000/month from my writing — alongside my main job. And have a ridiculous number of followers.
It wasn’t easy.
I made every mistake possible. Spent months experimenting with every tactic I could find. But eventually, I discovered how to grow. And hit on the strategies that worked.
Here’s how I went from being ignored to making money doing what I love.
1. Write for 6 months and ignore the results
Most writers quit too soon. They expect success overnight.
Reset your expectations. This is a long game. A tough one. But good things happen to the most unlikely of people. I’m proof of that. The hardest part? Surviving the valley of despair. The phase where no one reads your work, your audience is stuck at zero, and self-doubt eats away at you.
The goal in the beginning isn’t to get famous. It’s to keep going. Redefine success as hitting publish. Nothing else matters.
I nearly quit at 6 months. I was obsessed with results. Refreshing stats. Questioning if I was wasting my time. A brutal mistake. Then I took a break. Gave myself space. And came back stronger.
Now? Writing has changed my life. If I’d given up, I’d still be stuck with no freedom. So here’s my advice: Write when no one is watching. When no one cares. Do that long enough, and one day, they will care.
And you’ll be unstoppable.
2. Invest in yourself
I’ve spent $900 on courses.
I’m cautious with money. So I never imagined I’d do something so crazy. But it has brought me so many rewards.
I’ve bought courses from Eve Arnold, Nicolas Cole & Kieran Drew. I quickly saw an improvement in my skills. And gained a $450 ghostwriting contract. Upgrading your skills leads to growth. Become so good they can’t ignore you. Then use your transformation story to attract readers.
Last month I joined a Substack Mastermind group with the big guns. This costs $50/month but is sooo worth it. Mixing with some massive names gives me many priceless insights. (Although I admit I’m struggling with the imposter stuff a little).
Courses are an investment, not a cost. It’s hard to grow if you rely on a diet of free content.
3. Stop writing about everything
This is controversial but I’m going to say it.
No one grows without a focus. Your readers need to know what they are getting. If you write about many subjects they’ll get confused. I get comments from new writers who argue they need to keep broad. But no one succeeds without a niche. Only when you become big can you branch out.
Here’s how I discovered mine.
For 6 months I wrote about everything that interested me:
- money
- property
- happiness
- productivity
- public Speaking
Writing was my stand-out performer. So I focused on that. But I had two worries that held me back.
Would I lose readers?
My views were small so I was nervous I’d lose the few readers I had. But 2 months after going all in on my niche I started to gain followers.
Focus gains readers.
Would I run out of things to say?
I had a few ideas in the pipeline. But could I write about the same topic for years? It seemed unlikely. I wasn’t sure how others managed this. But now I know.
Constraints release creativity.
When you focus, you tell your brain what to look for. Ideas appear when walking or showering. I’ve written 500,000 words. But have 57 more ideas waiting in Evernote. Keep growing and you’ll never run out of things to say.
Your niche grows with you.
4. Start a newsletter
All the top writers said the same thing.
You need a newsletter if you want to grow. So I launched The Compelling Writer. To help writers build their skills.
Social media is a shaky foundation to build on. Your audience can be stolen from you overnight. Growing a loyal email list protects your business. I have 7554 subscribers.
This gives me a strong foundation to start making money. Top writers struggle to sell on social media. Email is how they make their money. I’ve made $25,000 in 12 months from selling courses.
Start on social media. But then build your list.
5. Create a high-impact freebie
I took my best-performing content. And developed it into a free email course. I used this to promote my newsletter.
The results have been extraordinary.
Around 6500 writers have taken this course in 18 months (there’s a link at the end if you want to check it out). And I’ve seen an incredible retention rate of 92%. Most freebies lead to a high % of unsubscribes.
This brought me 2 powerful rewards.
Being a course creator raises your credibility
Creators who have launched a product are seen differently.
Creating online is like playing a video game. You upgrade to the next level by completing key tasks. You enter the next level when you have a product. To progress you need the support of creators who are ahead. Building a digital product is a shrewd way to get on their radar.
A magazine editor who did the course loved my style. So offered me a writing contract for $475. I’m not planning to become a freelance writer but didn’t mind getting paid $125/hour!
Upgrading your credibility has massive benefits for your business.
Self-belief boost
Every time I look at the 1500 people who have taken my course. Or I speak to others about my course. I walk a little taller.
My self-belief is sky-high. Action always has this effect. Every step of progress fuels your confidence. Launching a course is a tangible activity. This raises your self-belief and makes you stronger.
(I’ve written a full case study about my lead magnet here)
Growing a part-time business is possible. If you’re brave and make the right decisions. So what are you waiting for?
I’ve gained 16,000 followers in 12 months. And make $5000/month. If you want my 5-step writing system. Join 6517 other writers and get it here:
