11 tiny pieces of advice about how to resonate with a loyal audience I wish I knew before I started writing

Mastery Den, Saturday Edition, 4.5-min read.

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15 years of writing online has shown me nuances of the craft I would have only gained by grinding in the trenches.

I want you to realise them as you learn, write, create and grow.

But I also know the power of hearing tips from others who've done it so you can avoid mistakes and get on the fast track.

Here they are:

Stop telling us shit we already know.

Assume your readers or listeners have brains.

Don't just write because you have a word count quota to fill. Tell us something positioned in a new way.

Tell us about life through your lens and your story.

Don't tell us what we need to hear.

To attract interest, you have a limited second to appeal.

We know that people need to do hard things to improve their lives. But this is not what they want to hear.

They initially want to know that change is within reach, and that they will become higher status, more liked, more well-off and happier in the process.

Package the hard stuff (the bitter pill) into the fun stuff (the chocolate covering).

Everything is A to B.

All good, effective communication is about transformation.

It's not as far-fetched as turning someone from a frog into a rabbit.

It's about helping them move from one state or condition (A: fear, confusion) to another, better one (B: clarity, relief).

Every tweet, post, newsletter and video you share is A ⮕ B.

Everything you write must be a provocation.

It took me a looooooong time to realise this.

When I say 'provocation' I'm not telling you to invite your reader for fisticuffs around the back of the bike sheds.

I'm talking about being unexpected at every turn. People do not want to read shit they expect to read.

They are dying to be entertained. Entertainment is tied to continual provocation and subverting of expectations.

You are not a writer or a communicator. You are an image-maker.

Powerful writing is not composed of clever words or ingenious, long descriptive text.

It's made of emotional triggers. And you can't encourage emotion in the reader without painting a picture.

This is why stories are so effective at promoting action. They engage the reader emotionally. They visualise themselves in the protagonist's shoes.

Show us what their world could be like. Don't just tell us what to do.

Talk to your followers.

Writing that resonates comes from an understanding of yourself and your reader.

Talk to them as much as you can about what they struggle with.

Your words are a pleasant balm you use to soothe their qualms.

This will make them sit up to attention.

Don't worry about repeating yourself.

On a competitive Internet, you'd benefit far more by sharing a higher volume of material.

This increases your surface area for more attention. I hear too many people holding back from sharing because they worry they will repeat themselves.

I repeat myself all the time. I re-share old ideas. Most don't notice.

Repetition is persuasion - both for yourself as a worthy creator who shows up and as a driving force for learning.

Make sure you understand what you're writing.

It sounds silly, but it's very easy to get lazy and write a sentence that not even you fully grasp.

You can be sure the reader won't either.

Read it back until you get it.

Great writing is about saving the reader's time.

How could you save time if it takes time to read the thing?

First, if you can help people save time and be productive through your content, super. But our subject matter isn't always about helping people save time.

By cutting all the non-essential fluff, you end up with a tighter, more valuable piece that serves the reader.

They saved time because they didn't read Nathan's waffly tome - they found you.

You'll sink like a duck in mud if your writing isn't sincere.

Great writers have mastered the art of sincerity. This illicits trust and likability, which is why people would even want to click the like button.

But Alex, how on Earth can I be more sinseeya?

It's 'sincere,' butthead! We do this first by fully immersing ourselves in our own language.

You need to feel what you're saying.

You need to channel your giving a FUCK into the words as you write them. Wake up.

If you're just going through the writing motions and don't genuinely care about your reader like they're a long-lost buddy, you're not for this game.

If you lack confidence in your creative power, you must find it.

There's a little scaly dragon snoozing in the cave of your mind right now.

He's there to befriend, so he can take you and your creations higher. Your unity with your dragon-bud is what your reader is looking for.

You have to find the part of you who's willing to ruffle some chicken feathers and speak your damn mind.

You will be dead before you know you have this in you if you keep churning out tepid tripe.

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