3 ideas that helped me write consistently for 52 weeks
Hello friend
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It is the 52nd edition of this newsletter. I never imagined I’d finish 1 year of writing every week.
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The biggest block I had was:
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​I don’t have a niche. I am not an expert in anything.
How could I write every week? How do I come up with new ideas every Wednesday?
As I reflect on the last 1 year, 3 ideas stand out that helped me stay consistent.
1. Lead by curiosity to beat the uncertainty
You might not be an expert in anything, yet.
But, everyone is curious about something.
These could be ideas that keep you up at night. These could be topics that others might term too boring.
But the beauty of the internet is you will find your tribe sooner or later.
Everything might feel uncertain in the beginning.
But, once you start chasing your curiosity and expressing it with your work, your people will find you and connect with you.
2. What is most personal is the most universal
This is the biggest lesson I learned during Write of Passage (an online cohort-based writing course that led to the birth of this newsletter).
When you start writing online, one of the easiest ways is to write from your personal experience.
But, it is scary to be vulnerable.
What if it is too personal?
What will other people say?
Won’t it sound like a personal diary?
I used to feel the same until one Wednesday when I faced writer’s block for 5 goddamn hours without typing a single word.
This is when I decided to articulate and share a deeply personal story.
Honestly, I thought it was more of a personal rant and gibberish instead of something valuable to the reader.
Yet, that edition remains the most popular so far in terms of the replies and the real conversations it triggered with people in my circle.
This is when I truly experienced that the most personal is the most universal.
3. It is not the niche but the streak that matters
Last but not the least, this single idea has prevented me from slacking more than others.
Sometimes, it is not about the niche.
It is about doing stuff you like consistently without worrying about anything.
There have been days when I was sick but I wrote for the sake of writing so that I don’t miss the streak.
This is true, especially for beginner content creators.
Ask yourself: What is something you can do on a day-to-day basis without getting exhausted or bored?
In my case, I have many interest areas and consume a lot of information online. So, I find it easy to come up with topics to write about in the newsletter.
Plus, I am not doing it daily yet.
So, I barely have any excuse to miss the weekly streak.
Moreover, your replies and kind words of encouragement are like an energy booster when I don’t feel like writing.
Sometimes reading those replies alone helps me continue the streak!
So, thank you for being on this journey with me. 🙂
Here is to many more streaks and editions of this newsletter!
Until next time
Love
Vishal
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