Spring Cleaning My Online Writing Business
And the three quotes I'm pondering while I do it
It’s the time of year that many of us do a little spring cleaning. There’s been a lot of it going on around here, and not just physically. I’ve been doing a digital declutter and generally cleaning up my online business. Just over a year ago I put in place a massive simplification of the online writing business I’ve been running for almost two decades. This year, I’m simplifying further.
As I regroup and reorganize, I keep coming across quotes and suggestions that seem aimed specifically at me. Maybe the Universe is sending me snippets of divine guidance. Here are a few I’m taking on board.
Social media says: do everything, everywhere, all at once. Reality says: focus on doing one or two things extremely well, in one place, consistently, over a long period of time.
- Mark Manson (in his Your Next Breakthrough newsletter)
This is why I quit my blogs to focus on just three main writing channels. But I kept my social channels, because I’d had them forever and have a fair few followers. I hate Twitter/X these days but I have thousands of followers over there I don’t want to lose. I’ve started a BlueSky account and do nothing with it. My Pinterest is a mess, partly because I found Benable, which does a similar job but looks way simpler and cleaner.
In short: it’s time to tidy up my social channels, delete a few of them, and put a plan in place for any that remain. But mostly it’s time to focus on doing one or two things (writing and publishing, in my case) very well, in one place, consistently, over a long period of time.
If a competent CEO got to run your life for a day, what is the first thing they would eliminate?
- James Clear (in his 3-2-1 newsletter)
I’m still pondering this one. Not because I don’t know what to eliminate but because I’m not sure how to do it. I have work, family and care responsibilities right now that are impossible to abandon and difficult to outsource. I will find a way though. Watch this space.
Choose your customer, choose your future.
- Seth Godin
This one was related to me by my wonderful friend and accountability group member, Sue. It got me thinking. My audience is full of writers who want to change the world, which is great. You (my current subscribers and readers) are the sort of people I want in my future. The sort of people I could hang out with forever.
But how can I best serve you? What kind of future do I want to build for us all? Which type of communities (beyond this Substack) will support us all? What do you need from me?
That’s what I’ll be thinking about this week. Join me. Think about your ideal customer/audience member/reader, and think about how to shape your future (and theirs) for the better.
Some thoughts from others I’ve been enjoying this week
Why You Need a Consistent Writing Routine from
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Growing Their Paid Newsletter from
What Is the Best Budget for a Digital Business?: How to run a low-cost side hustle from
The incredible power that writers have from
What else I’ve been up to this week
Reading: Winter of the World by Ken Follett - a fictionalised but historically accurate portrayal of the lead up to World War 2 which is particularly chilling given what’s happening in world politics right now.
Watching: A video on how to grow my Substack newsletter so I can help more people use their writing to make the world a better place
Learning: Italian with Duolingo (my trip to Rome starts tomorrow)
This week’s Medium post
Friend link as always, so you can read for free if you’re not a member - and this week it’s a quick, one-minute read.
That’s all for this week. If you’re reading this online and you’re not subscribed yet, feel free to subscribe to get future posts straight to your inbox.
This newsletter is 100% free. If you want to support me as I put in the time to create it, you can:
Gift me a book I’d love to read
Buy one of my Success Kits (scroll down for a discount)
Check out my recommended resources
Subscribe to get my Medium stories (if you’re a member)
Send me good vibes and positive thoughts
Many thanks in advance.
Disclosure: Some of the links in my content all around the web are affiliate links. If you buy through me, I may earn a commission. Find out more here.
P.S. Help yourself to my list of free tools for writers and a 50% discount on my Freelance Writer’s Success Kit (discount is ‘baked in’ at that link - no coupon required).
Medium | Gumroad | My eBook | Popular Posts | Resources For Writers
Thanks for the mention.
Thank you for sharing my work!