# Linked Book Notes - [[Step by step process for creating great article titles]] - [[Three questions you should ask every time you sit down to write]] - [[How to create a reader acquisition flywheel with your online writing]] - [[LEAN Writing]] - [[Three content buckets every online writer should write in]] - [[5 phases of a social platform]] ## New highlights added 15-02-2023 at 8:05 AM Treat your writing like a lean start up. Test ideas through Twitter. Harbor down on the things that do well. A tweet can turn into a atomic essay, into a evergreen blog post, into a ultimate guide, into a email course, into a course, into a paid service. Use Keywords everywhere to validate trends and search. Are people actually looking for the niche thing you want to write about. ##### Chapter 3 How The Online Writing Game Works: 7 Levels Of Success All writing exists on a spectrum, and that spectrum looks something like this. Educating <<<>>> Entertaining On the left-hand side you have writing that informs and explains (textbooks, news, nonfiction, etc.) and on the right-hand side you have writing that captivates and entertains (true stories, fiction stories, etc.). ([Location 776](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=776)) - Note: I’m in the middle of the spectrum. I educate but a big purpose of mine is also to entertain. The secret to creating a unique writing style is by doing what would be considered “unexpected” in your chosen category. ([Location 792](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=792)) - Note: Personal knowledge management and gamification are distinctly lacking in personality and humor among people that write about it. I give that unexpectedness through my writing. Again, I’d like to clarify that what I’m advocating for here isn’t to “dumb your writing down.” Some writing styles actually stand out because of their slow Rate of Revelation. And so the answer isn’t just to go “faster.” The point is to understand that the internet moves fast, and then reflect on the role “speed” can play in your writing style, in the context of your chosen category. ([Location 860](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=860)) Writing for (or being featured in) a major publication does not automatically guarantee “millions of views.” ([Location 1162](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1162)) When you write for a major publication, you don’t have the freedom to write whatever it is you want to write about. ([Location 1184](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1184)) Writing for a major publication does not mean you get to promote yourself all day long. ([Location 1204](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1204)) Social platforms will always exceed major publications in terms of reach. ([Location 1236](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1236)) On major publications, you don’t “own” your own audience. ([Location 1254](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1254)) In order to do these three things as quickly as possible, it’s best to begin writing on a social media site that 1) already has a significant user base, 2) is relevant to your chosen category, and most importantly, 3) provides you with analytics into your target readers’ behaviors. This is where writing on your own blog, or even someone else’s website, falls short. ([Location 1312](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1312)) Some websites, publications, and social media platforms last a few years. Some last a decade. ([Location 1375](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1375)) The life cycle tends to look something like this: ([Location 1380](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1380)) Phase 1: New website or platform is invented—early audiences flock. This is going to be a crash course in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing. The overwhelming pro to “starting early” on an emerging platform is that as the platform grows, so do you. ([Location 1381](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1381)) Phase 2: Website or platform starts gaining traction—early users become “influencers.” ([Location 1393](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1393)) Phase 3: Website or platform is established and begins a decade-long journey to profitability. ([Location 1409](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1409)) Phase 4: Advertising model is launched and user reach starts falling. ([Location 1428](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1428)) Phase 5: Business model is established, reach is throttled, and it’s time to find a new platform. Once a social platform has fully integrated advertising into its model, organic reach will only continue to decline. ([Location 1450](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1450)) As a writer, you can either continue investing all of your time into your original platform, and if the platform is providing you with enough upside (reach is still great, audience is still growing, and content is still generating a profit—either directly via products or indirectly via exposure), then you should stay put. Or, you can diversify, and start moving your audience somewhere else. ([Location 1459](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1459)) Between 2017 and today, I have accumulated more than 55,000 followers on the platform, and generated more than 20,000,000 views on my writing on Medium alone. The important nuance here is that I have written very little *new* material on Medium—55,000 followers and 20 million views have come as a result of simply republishing all my old Quora content, as well as my 409 Inc Magazine columns (crediting the publication at the bottom of each post, of course) on a daily basis. ([Location 1481](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1481)) ##### Chapter 5 How Writing On Social Platforms Works (And How To Not Give Up) I have a rule I live by, and it goes like this: “The number of hours I spend consuming should never equal or exceed the number of hours I spend creating.” ([Location 1528](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1528)) In order to set expectations properly, let’s walk through the different stages of growth you will experience when writing on a social platform. ([Location 1542](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1542)) Stage 1: Just Start Writing ([Location 1544](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1544)) Stage 2: Write Consistently For 6 Months And Then Make A Decision ([Location 1581](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1581)) The writers who become successful aren’t necessarily the most talented writers. The writers who become successful are the most consistent writers. It’s impossible to know whether or not you have something meaningful to say, or if a platform is worth writing on, unless you give yourself six months to find out. ([Location 1583](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1583)) Start gathering data about what your most popular categories are. In your first six months of writing online, you should be less concerned with “establishing” yourself and more focused on “discovering” yourself. ([Location 1631](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1631)) if you wanted to “beat me” at the game of online writing, and acquire all the achievements I’ve acquired, all you would need to do is: ([Location 1691](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1691)) Publish something new every single day (because I publish something new every single day). ([Location 1693](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1693)) Write fast-paced articles that use short paragraphs, declarative language, and subheads for every main point. ([Location 1694](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1694)) Combine actionable advice for the reader with personal stories from your own life that illustrate how you gained the insight you’re sharing in the first place. ([Location 1695](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1695)) Collaborate with professional photographers, build your personal brand, and attach pictures of yourself with the articles you write. ([Location 1696](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1696)) Publish more than 3,000 articles online over the next five years. ([Location 1698](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1698)) Contribute dozens of articles to Inc Magazine, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Business Insider, The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, TIME, and more, to build your Perceived Credibility. ([Location 1699](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1699)) Land a few speaking gigs, and capture pictures of you speaking to illustrate more Perceived Credibility. ([Location 1701](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1701)) Speak on 100+ different podcasts, illustrating even more Perceived Credibility. ([Location 1702](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1702)) Stage 3: Once You’ve Proven You Can Be Consistent, Pour Some Gasoline On Your Fire And Go KABOOM! ([Location 1715](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1715)) ##### Chapter 6 How To Always Write Something People Will Want To Read: 5 Forms Of Proven Writing There are five types of writing on the internet. Form #1: Actionable Guide Form #2: Opinion Form #3: Curated List Form #4: Story Form #5: Credible Talking Head ([Location 1952](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1952)) The usual mistake writers make here is they try to fit too many ideas into one single piece of content. Instead of writing the single best article on “How To Land Your First Client As A Freelance Photographer,” they write an article that touches a bit on clients, and a bit on lenses, and a bit on accounting, and a bit on photo editing. ([Location 1982](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=1982)) ##### Chapter 7 The Perfect Post: How To Write Headlines People Can’t Help But Read What makes a great headline is getting someone to understand three things at the exact same time: What this piece of writing is about Who this piece of writing is for The PROMISE: the problem that will be solved, and/or the solution being offered This is what’s known as The Curiosity Gap. The Curiosity Gap is what tells the reader what this piece of writing is about, who it’s for, and what it’s promising—all without revealing the answer. ([Location 2161](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2161)) there is a way for you to get the best of both worlds, and that’s by using niche topics to answer universal questions. ([Location 2252](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2252)) The way I write and rewrite headlines is I first try to say whatever it is I’m trying to say, in as many words as I need to say it. ([Location 2383](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2383)) - Note: Interesting how he writes it in so many words. Is there a reason for why he tries to make such long titles? On YouTube the title cuts of at fifty characters which might be a reason for the shorter titles. “The 8 Things You Should Do On A Daily Basis In Order To Become The Best Person You Can Possibly Become, No Matter What Obstacles Are In Your Way” Next, I think hard about whether or not I’ve really nailed down the PROMISE. Can I PROMISE more? What else does the reader want? What are their emotional wants, needs, and desires related to this specific problem or piece of advice? ([Location 2384](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2384)) “The 8 Things You Should Do On A Daily Basis In Order To Get More Done, Achieve Your Goals, And Start Living Your Best Life” Then, once I feel like I have clarity around the PROMISE, I look for words that are still too vague. I want the reader’s eyes to skim my headline and latch on to two or three words that speak directly to the categories of their interests. “The 8 Things You Should Do On A Daily Basis To Be More Productive, Achieve Success, And Gain True Financial Freedom” Finally, I’ll go through my headline and edit out as many tiny connecting words as possible. Less is more. “8 Daily Habits That Will Make You More Productive, Achieve Success, And Gain True Financial Freedom” ([Location 2388](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2388)) If I get to the end of the exercise and I like the headline in its final form, I’ll go and write the piece. And if I went through the steps and felt like I didn’t end up with something powerful enough, I’ll start back at the beginning. ([Location 2397](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2397)) ##### Chapter 8 The Art Of Writing Online: How To Structure The Perfect Post 1/3/1 The 1/3/1 structure is the best place to start. In 1/3/1, you have one strong opening sentence, three description sentences, and then one conclusion sentence. Visually, this is a powerful way to tell the reader you aren’t going to make them suffer through big blocks of text, and that you have their best interests in mind. ([Location 2460](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2460)) Here’s how it works: This first sentence is your opener. This second sentence clarifies your opener. This third sentence reinforces the point you’re making with some sort of credibility or amplified description. And this fourth sentence rounds out your argument, guiding the reader toward your conclusion. This fifth sentence is your strong conclusion. ([Location 2463](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2463)) Here’s an example of the 1/3/1 structure from my article, “How Do Some People Succeed So Quickly? They Approach Life Like This.” Life is all about perspective. The exact same situation can be perceived in very different ways by two different people. One might see loss — the other, opportunity. One might feel like a victim — the other, a change-maker. Which means, as far as “absolute” truths are concerned, the first step to becoming who you truly want to be in life means accepting the fact that how you see the world might not be the whole picture. So, if our life experience is based upon the way we see the world, then here are some small but incredibly impactful mental shifts that can help you see things from a new perspective. The last sentence of the 1/3/1 article should be both a conclusion and a transition into the next section of the article—your Main Points. ([Location 2476](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2476)) 1/5/1 The 1/5/1 structure is the same as the 1/3/1 structure, just with more room for description and clarification in the middle. ([Location 2490](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2490)) This first sentence is your opener. This second sentence clarifies your opener. This third sentence reinforces the point you’re making with some sort of credibility or amplified description. This fourth sentence builds on that credibility or description, giving added context or new information. This fifth sentence explains to the reader why you’re telling them what you’re telling them. And this sixth sentence drives home the point. This seventh sentence is your strong conclusion. ([Location 2493](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2493)) Here’s an example of the 1/5/1 structure, from my Inc Magazine article, “Being A Freelancer Is Not The Same As Being An Entrepreneur. Here’s Why.” The dream before you take the leap to become a full-time entrepreneur is to have “work-life balance.” I remember back when I was working my 9-5, a little over a year ago. I had to commute an hour to work each way, which made my commitment closer to an 8-6. And then some days I would need to work late, which meant I wouldn’t leave until 7, or sometimes 8. I’d finally make it home, throw my backpack onto my bed, and sit in my desk chair with the sullen realization that the day was over. I had enough time to cook dinner and do a little late-night writing before passing out and repeating the same dance all over again. Becoming an entrepreneur, I thought, would give me more time to enjoy some of my other passions. ([Location 2503](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2503)) 1/3/2/1 & 1/5/2/1 The basic structures of online writing are 1/3/1 and 1/5/1. ([Location 2516](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2516)) Online writing benefits from clearly separated thoughts and statements, which is why I recommend using variations of the 1/3/1 and 1/5/1 structure if you need the extra space. ([Location 2520](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2520)) - Note: You can do a 1/3/2/1 structure if you need for instance. 1/4/1/1 Why the 1/4/1/1 structure works so well is because now your single-sentence conclusion packs two punches instead of one. ([Location 2536](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2536)) Here’s how it works: This first sentence is your opener. This second sentence clarifies your opener. This third sentence reinforces the point you’re making with some sort of credibility or amplified description. This fourth sentence rounds out your argument. And this fifth sentence speaks to the emotional benefit of the reader. This sixth sentence is your conclusion. And this seventh sentence is why that conclusion matters so much. ([Location 2538](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2538)) 1/3/1 + 1/3/1 Now, let’s say you need to write a hefty introduction. (I use the word “need” very specifically here, because unless there’s a real reason for your introduction to be longer than seven-or-so sentences, you should err on the side of brevity and kill a few more of your darlings.) A “trick” for making a long introduction seem short is by repeating the first 1/3/1 structure over again, connecting them with a subhead. ([Location 2563](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2563)) Here’s how it works: This first sentence is your opener. This second sentence clarifies your opener. This third sentence reinforces the point you’re making with some sort of credibility or amplified description. And this fourth sentence rounds out your argument. This fifth sentence is your conclusion. Now, here’s a new first sentence as a second opener. And this second sentence clarifies your second opener. This third sentence reinforces the new point you’re making—with some sort of credibility or amplified description. And this fourth sentence rounds out the second point of your argument. This fifth sentence is the big conclusion of your introduction. ([Location 2567](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2567)) 1/3/1 + Bullets Once you’ve mastered the basics of writing clean, organized, and rapid introductions, you can then start to step out of the box and use other writing techniques to get readers flying down the page. ([Location 2620](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2620)) The Art Of Writing Main Points ([Location 2685](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=2685)) This is why I’m such a big believer in The Cliff as a writing mechanism for the internet. Everything you write should, in some sense, feel like both a stand-alone piece and a piece within your larger library. ([Location 3198](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3198)) Lazy writers do this by saying things like, “Which is why, if you want to know more, you should check out my website, and if you want to hear what I really think about this topic, you should check out my YouTube,” blah blah blah. Readers hate that shit. ([Location 3203](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3203)) ## New highlights added 20-02-2023 at 7:54 AM The single most effective way to “promote” yourself without promoting yourself is to use you, your company, or your product as context to the thing you’re explaining to the reader. ([Location 3329](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3329)) Lastly, every time you sit down to write, I encourage you to ask yourself these three questions: ([Location 3727](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3727)) “Does this idea fall within one of my three content buckets?” (If not, what can you tweak so that it makes more sense in the context of your library?) ([Location 3729](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3729)) “Will this piece stand the test of time?” (If not, what can you change to make it less timely and more timeless?) ([Location 3730](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3730)) “Have I already written about this?” (If yes, how can you re-tell those same stories, insights, opinions, etc., in a way that gives the reader a new and different experience?) ([Location 3731](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3731)) Once you have a Pillar Piece written on a specific topic, you should then direct readers over and over again to this Pillar Piece in your relevant social content. This becomes your “Reader Acquisition Flywheel.” Write content in each of your three Content Buckets. Use data to decide which specific topic deserves its own Pillar Piece. Create a Pillar Piece on your website. Continue to write about that proven topic in social environments, and regularly link to that Pillar Piece in everything you write that is relevant. ([Location 3829](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3829)) The same way you want to turn proven articles into Pillar Pieces, you also want to turn proven articles and Pillar Pieces into longer, more valuable resources and products. ([Location 3859](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3859)) If you’re seeing one Pillar Piece is getting significantly more traffic than the others, you should consider turning that in-depth piece into an even longer, even more valuable downloadable PDF worksheet or guide, or even a 7-day email course for beginners, etc. ([Location 3861](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3861)) I am not exaggerating when I say I have probably written more than 1,000 articles on the internet just on the topic of writing online. I have written about it on Quora and Medium. I have created Pillar Pieces and downloadable resources on my website. I have spoken on podcasts. I have held workshops and presented at masterminds and conferences. Almost every single piece of insight in this book, I have shared somewhere else already for free. ([Location 3944](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B08GZK274F&location=3944)) - Note: We get this book for convenience, specificity, and depth.