Everyone should build their network before they need it.~ Dave Delaney
We just concluded the Potent Quill writing cohort and this weekend we’ll begin the peer review process to award prizes of about half a million naira.
I have some interesting insights to share so read on.
You see most people have dreams but the difference is ALWAYS in the EFFORT we put in.
We have been on a learning journey @cmonionline for 4 years.
At times we found flow and at other times it’s been patchy.
But we still work through hours to write.
I edit, publish, read, and share stories from writers in our community.
Supported by friends and Newross & Co, I also pay cash prizes to motivate everyone.
Stories don’t just impress but they also inspire.
Now here is the thing.
I was chatting with one writer who told me he isn’t a fan of social media.
I laughed and asked what a creative hopes to achieve in this era without being active on social media.
He replied that he wanted to finish his novel first as social media is a distraction.
Well, the truth is that social media is unarguably a huge distraction..but you can turn it into a productive tool.
I can audaciously say this because I’ve been there.
Some of you know I built a sizeable audience on FB by writing on socio-political topics.
But at a point, I decided to take a break for two reasons.
1. It increasingly became an unproductive time-consuming addiction and
2. It was time to build a brand by doing more productive and scalable writing.
I did some research and Twitter was the best option.
I know some of you may be wondering why Twitter because it typifies short form whereas writing is about long form.
The answer is simple.
In our attention-crazy world, you need to attract people to your craft through your social media page.
The page should serve as a funnel that channels them via shorts like tweets to your long-form ie published stories.
You may not know but Twitter isn’t exactly like Facebook even though both are for engagement and connection. Twitter has some specific attributes that make it more suitable for your target demographic
It is also a faster way to reach a wider audience.
I will return to Facebook someday because my audience is still there.
They aren’t going anywhere and this is another plus in writing.
By growing organically, you have loyal readers, who ask after you when you take a break.
But for now, I want to concentrate on Twitter.
Last year I devised a strategy.
I schedule 2/3 tweets on Buffer every morning.
Retweet between 5–6 pm
That way my message is published even when I’m offline.
I set my app timer for Twitter and IG to 2.15hr daily limit.
This improves my discipline.
Gradually I have significantly reduced idle scrolling and distraction.
Check out my 21-day Challenge to learn how you can do this.
Since then I have attained a new level of consistency.
I don’t give a hoot about impressions.
If my target is €7/million impressions, I’d rather work at KFC.
I’m also not bothered about immediate results.
I’m looking at 5..10yrs from now.
When I’ll have books, courses and a learning academy.
People will scroll back to my TL in 2024 and understand the importance of consistency.
You see, building a platform is a continuous process.
I know a Facebook friend who wrote daily.
He built a large followership doing satirical political posts.
But he was also writing a book at the time.
When he launched that book he sold a copy for N10k.
Just one politician ordered 1000 copies. Do the math.
Some of us bought 2, 5, 10 copies to support him.
He may have made N30–40 million from that launch.
It’s no small feat to rake in that amount from your 1st book.
However, the truth is that his book didn’t fetch that amount.
I mean we haven’t read even read it to know its worth.
But his platform did the magic, a platform he built for years.
He’s still there, writing daily.
These days there is a better chance that your book will sell if you have a good platform. I also wrote more on this in Author’s Platform: How To Leverage The Digital Media.
You don’t need to wait till you publish that book to start building.
You don’t need to go viral either.
Even if you do, it’s unlikely to earn you authority.
Think of the countless one-hit wonders in the music industry for instance.
A sudden elevation in status is neither commensurate with intellect nor experience.
Authority comes with a portfolio that has earned you credibility over time.
And this largely depends on two major factors I talk about regularly.
(1) Consistency: When you are working towards a target, try not to lose focus until it’s achieved. If you lose focus, there are ways you can regain your motivation, already published here. Successful people aren’t just motivated; they also have consistency in their motivation.
(2) Platform: Get a domain. Medium, Substack, Wattapad et cetra whichever you choose. Read, like, share and engage texts, ideas, resources, books and publications. Take advantage of this community and others you belong to and grow by supporting each other.
Make friends over the internet with people who are great at things you’re interested in. The internet is one of the biggest advantages you have over prior generations. Leverage it!~Patrick Collison
So be deliberate about this because all your hard work will only amount to something if you have a platform that will serve as your launch pad and support system.
As creatives, we want to excel and also get published.
But that is half the job.
Marketing your product is another part because publishing is still a business at the end of the day.
An unknown writer with a masterpiece will likely be snubbed for a notorious celeb like Portable or Bobrisky who may have used a ghostwriter.
You need a platform to attract publishers.
It is the reality of our world today.
And even if you self-publish you still need an audience.
So grow your community on and offline.
Follow and engage those who share your interests.
Post your work, pics and videos.
Put yourself out there, the multimillion-dollar creator economy has no room for shy backbenchers.
It may seem boring or fruitless now but be patient.
Soon enough the pieces will start falling in place.
And clarity will come with hindsight.
Like they say in bodybuilding.
No result?..keep building.
Bad result?..keep building.
Good result?..keep building.
That is how to enjoy the process and if you enjoy the process the end product will often come out great!
Meanwhile, I still have fun on Twitter. But my morning tweets are deliberate, scheduled posts on writing, productivity and self-development.
Let me sign out with a quote.
The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Create it. ~Abraham Lincoln
If you enjoyed this, please share it and hit the follow button to join our community of digital creatives at cmonionline.com let’s grow together.
If you wish to emigrate or collaborate, send an email to admin@cmonionline.com let’s work together.
Thanks for reading.
