Want to be a profitable writer? Do these 10 things.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to make money from my writing.

I tried everything. Bought courses from gurus who promised "six-figure writing businesses." Went into debt for a creative writing degree. Built subscription models, fancy websites, premium services.

None of it worked. My engagement was terrible, my income was zero, and I was frustrated as hell.

Looking back, I realize I was making it way too complicated. All those courses and systems and strategies missed the simple truth about profitable writing.

People will pay for writing that actually helps them.

The Wrong Things I Focused On

I spent years obsessing over the perfect website design, the ideal posting schedule, the right social media strategy. I studied conversion funnels and email sequences and content marketing frameworks.

Meanwhile, I was ignoring the most important question: What do people actually want from my writing?

I was so focused on making money that I forgot to be useful.

The Simple System That Actually Works

After years of overcomplicating everything, I finally found a system that works. It's embarrassingly simple:

Write about what you know. Put it behind a paywall. Build an email list. Be consistent.

That's it.

Start With Medium

Forget building your own blog from scratch. I spent two years perfecting a WordPress site that made me exactly zero dollars.

Medium gives you everything you need: an existing audience, built-in monetization, and zero technical headaches.

Yes, you don't own the platform. But you know what? When you're making no money and have no audience, platform ownership is a luxury you can't afford yet.

I went from zero to 150 followers and $50 in my first month on Medium. Not life-changing money, but it proved something important: people will pay for useful writing.

Write About Your Actual Interests

Here's the advice that should be obvious but somehow isn't: write about things you're genuinely interested in.

Pick three topics you could talk about for hours. Things you know well, care about, and have real experience with. Those are your niches.

Stop trying to chase trending topics or "profitable" markets. Your passion and knowledge are your competitive advantages.

When I finally started writing about minimalism, military experience, and simple business systems (things I actually cared about), my engagement exploded.

Stop Giving Everything Away for Free

This is where most writers go wrong. We think we have to prove our worth by giving everything away for free.

That's bullshit.

You're undervaluing yourself. When I paywalled my Medium stories, two things happened: I started making money AND my readership increased.

Free content signals low value. Paid content signals that what you're sharing is actually worth something.

Build Your Email List From Day One

Email is the only audience you actually own. Everything else you do should feed your email list.

I recommend ConvertKit. Simple interface, great features, and it grows with you.

Don't wait until you have a "big enough" audience. Start collecting emails from your first published piece.

Get a Domain Name

Spend $12 on a domain that reflects your brand. It adds legitimacy and gives you a professional foundation to build on.

You don't need a fancy website yet. A simple landing page works fine. I use Carrd – it's cheap, looks professional, and takes minutes to set up.

Consistency Beats Everything

None of this works without consistency.

Pick a schedule you can actually maintain and stick to it. If you say you'll publish weekly, publish weekly. If you promise a Monday newsletter, send it every Monday.

Your audience will remember if you disappear. More importantly, consistency is how you get better at writing.

Share Your Work Without Shame

Stop hiding your writing. Share it on social media. Some people won't like it. Who cares? They weren't your people anyway.

Find one person who connects with your work. That's a win.

Connect With Other Writers

Writing in isolation doesn't work. Find other people on similar journeys and actually engage with them.

Not in a fake, transactional way. Genuinely connect. Read their work, offer thoughtful comments, ask questions.

This kind of engagement can't be bought. It can only be earned through authentic interaction.

Keep Doing All of This

Finally, repeat this process over and over.

Keep writing articles. Keep sending newsletters. Keep promoting your work. Keep engaging with others.

It's going to take time. It's going to require work. But it's absolutely worth the effort.

The Long View

I'm still building my writing business. I'm nowhere near any finish line. But I finally have something I didn't have before: momentum and a clear path forward.

You can do this if you focus on the fundamentals. Nothing is outside your reach if you're willing to do the work consistently.

The question isn't whether you can build a profitable writing business. The question is whether you believe in yourself enough to start.

What's the one thing you know well enough to write about that could help someone else? Start there.

Thanks for reading!

Hi, I'm Joe. I help creators share their unique voices simply and effectively. Here's how I can help you:

• One email, Monday thru Friday
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