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The Art and Business of Online Writing: How to Beat the Game of Capturing and Keeping Attention
★ From the #1 writer on Quora, 15x Top Writer on Medium, and Top 10 columnist for Inc Magazine ★
What are the secrets to writing online?
Why do some writers accumulate hundreds of thousands, even millions of views on their content—and others write and write, only to go unnoticed?
Nicolas Cole, one of the most viral columnists on the internet with more than 100 million views on his writing, is pulling back the curtain. After becoming the #1 most-read writer on all of Quora in 2015, a Top 10 contributing writer for Inc Magazine from 2016 to 2018, and one of the most popular writers on Medium in more than 15 different categories, Cole went on to build a multi-million-dollar ghostwriting company publishing thousands of articles on the internet for more than 300 different Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, C-level executives, New York Times best-selling authors, Olympic athletes, Grammy-winning producers, and renowned industry leaders.
How?
By using his own personal toolkit of writing strategies, headline structures, formats, and proven styles, all of which were mastered over a 10-year period.
“This book contains everything I know about online writing,” says Cole. “From going viral, to building a massive library of content that will continue to pay you dividends well into the future.”
In this book you will
✓ Why you should NOT start a blog—and where you should be writing online instead.
✓ How to beat “the game” of internet publishing—and the 7 levels of success.
✓ How “going viral” on social platforms works (and how to not give up in the process).
✓ The Endless Idea How to never run out of things to write about.
✓ The Perfect How to write headlines people can’t help but want to read.
✓ How to create your own “Content Roadmap,” and position yourself as an influential voice in your industry or niche.
✓ How to turn proven online writing into longer, more valuable assets (books, ebooks, physical products, paid newsletters, companies, etc.).
✓ And the 1 habit very single writer today needs to master in order to become successful.
This book is the Ultimate Guide to writing in the digital age.
What are the secrets to writing online?
Why do some writers accumulate hundreds of thousands, even millions of views on their content—and others write and write, only to go unnoticed?
Nicolas Cole, one of the most viral columnists on the internet with more than 100 million views on his writing, is pulling back the curtain. After becoming the #1 most-read writer on all of Quora in 2015, a Top 10 contributing writer for Inc Magazine from 2016 to 2018, and one of the most popular writers on Medium in more than 15 different categories, Cole went on to build a multi-million-dollar ghostwriting company publishing thousands of articles on the internet for more than 300 different Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, C-level executives, New York Times best-selling authors, Olympic athletes, Grammy-winning producers, and renowned industry leaders.
How?
By using his own personal toolkit of writing strategies, headline structures, formats, and proven styles, all of which were mastered over a 10-year period.
“This book contains everything I know about online writing,” says Cole. “From going viral, to building a massive library of content that will continue to pay you dividends well into the future.”
In this book you will
✓ Why you should NOT start a blog—and where you should be writing online instead.
✓ How to beat “the game” of internet publishing—and the 7 levels of success.
✓ How “going viral” on social platforms works (and how to not give up in the process).
✓ The Endless Idea How to never run out of things to write about.
✓ The Perfect How to write headlines people can’t help but want to read.
✓ How to create your own “Content Roadmap,” and position yourself as an influential voice in your industry or niche.
✓ How to turn proven online writing into longer, more valuable assets (books, ebooks, physical products, paid newsletters, companies, etc.).
✓ And the 1 habit very single writer today needs to master in order to become successful.
This book is the Ultimate Guide to writing in the digital age.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
February 12, 2021
I’ve mentioned several times before that Nicolas Cole is my role model for writing online. He is vocal about writing every day, not editing your work for the first few months, posting as much content as possible, and analyzing your stats to understand what kind of content works best.
This book is like the eye-opener I didn't know I needed. It taught me so many important concepts like:
- The importance of consistency.
- The power of having a backlog and being able to repurpose it into several platforms.
- The need to define your own niche and be the KING of that niche.
- How and why to be present on various platforms.
Overall, this book is the best I've read on this topic and can't recommend it enough. :)
This book is like the eye-opener I didn't know I needed. It taught me so many important concepts like:
- The importance of consistency.
- The power of having a backlog and being able to repurpose it into several platforms.
- The need to define your own niche and be the KING of that niche.
- How and why to be present on various platforms.
Overall, this book is the best I've read on this topic and can't recommend it enough. :)
August 19, 2021
The book could have benefited from images, and more specific examples.
Nicolas Cole discusses copywriting, claiming that most people are wrong about what it entails. But he never defines what it is. He tends to debunk common myths without giving his own definition or truth.
He advises us to write first on social platforms, so we can use data to determine which content buckets are most popular. But he never says how to get that data. Is it a Like count? A Favorite & Retweet ratio? Google Analytics? Trending virality? He never gets into details about what data he looks at, or how he uses it. Without more specific information, it's hard to take action.
He claims paywalls and online chapter-by-chapter reveals are the future of fiction and the publishing industry. But he never discusses how to reach children that don't have purchasing power, or online savvy to find the authors they enjoy. Or how to convince schools, libraries, educators, and parents to share that writing with their kids.
Finally, he gives several pages of example article ideas centered around a few example content buckets, but all of the headlines assume the form of massively capitalized "X Habits" or "X Things" litanies of opinions:
- How Anyone Can Be More Productive With These X Small Shifts In Their Morning Routine
- X Little-Known Ways to Make Yourself More Productive On A Daily Basis
- These X books Are Filled With Timeless Productivity Hacks Everyone Should Read (Or At Least Keep On Their Shelf)
Never mind the rampant capitalization of insignificant articles and prepositions. These headlines just list generic thoughts rather than targeting specific user problems. He encourages writing, "This 1 Book On Productivity Will Inspire You To Stop Working After 3 p.m.," and other "X Things" or "This Trick" type of spammy titles that purposely withhold information to draw in the reader. Just say the name of the book! Or target the habit. The kinds of headlines and articles being pushed are the type of SEO-gaming junk food you see all over Forbes, Buzzfeed, Bleacher Report, and ad-loaded sites that are just farming for clicks to draw you in.
The internet doesn't need for clickbait. Stay far away!
Nicolas Cole discusses copywriting, claiming that most people are wrong about what it entails. But he never defines what it is. He tends to debunk common myths without giving his own definition or truth.
He advises us to write first on social platforms, so we can use data to determine which content buckets are most popular. But he never says how to get that data. Is it a Like count? A Favorite & Retweet ratio? Google Analytics? Trending virality? He never gets into details about what data he looks at, or how he uses it. Without more specific information, it's hard to take action.
He claims paywalls and online chapter-by-chapter reveals are the future of fiction and the publishing industry. But he never discusses how to reach children that don't have purchasing power, or online savvy to find the authors they enjoy. Or how to convince schools, libraries, educators, and parents to share that writing with their kids.
Finally, he gives several pages of example article ideas centered around a few example content buckets, but all of the headlines assume the form of massively capitalized "X Habits" or "X Things" litanies of opinions:
- How Anyone Can Be More Productive With These X Small Shifts In Their Morning Routine
- X Little-Known Ways to Make Yourself More Productive On A Daily Basis
- These X books Are Filled With Timeless Productivity Hacks Everyone Should Read (Or At Least Keep On Their Shelf)
Never mind the rampant capitalization of insignificant articles and prepositions. These headlines just list generic thoughts rather than targeting specific user problems. He encourages writing, "This 1 Book On Productivity Will Inspire You To Stop Working After 3 p.m.," and other "X Things" or "This Trick" type of spammy titles that purposely withhold information to draw in the reader. Just say the name of the book! Or target the habit. The kinds of headlines and articles being pushed are the type of SEO-gaming junk food you see all over Forbes, Buzzfeed, Bleacher Report, and ad-loaded sites that are just farming for clicks to draw you in.
The internet doesn't need for clickbait. Stay far away!
July 1, 2022
This book felt like word salad and not very well organized. It also ended up not being the topic I was looking for. The title and/or description of this book didn't clearly explain what it was about. I guess the assumption is that everyone already knows who Nicolas Cole is and what he does. I didn't. Also his business/work/writing style doesn't match mine. I'm glad he finds so many out there willing to read and pay for that kind of online article, because I can't stand them. I did find a few useful pieces of advice, such as "practice in public" and "do both" (work projects and passion projects).
June 23, 2021
This book should be required reading for all online writers.
The author goes into incredible detail providing the specific tactics for online writing. He also provides example after example for each tactic that is discussed. After reading this book, the art of online writing feels more like a formula that can be applied to all forms of content creation on the internet.
This is one of the most value packed books I’ve read.
The author goes into incredible detail providing the specific tactics for online writing. He also provides example after example for each tactic that is discussed. After reading this book, the art of online writing feels more like a formula that can be applied to all forms of content creation on the internet.
This is one of the most value packed books I’ve read.
December 30, 2022
Great, easy to read book about writing online that covers the whole process. A fundamental to anyone thinking about starting to write online.
Was missing some depth for me on areas like copywriting and social media post writing.
Was missing some depth for me on areas like copywriting and social media post writing.
March 23, 2022
Great tactical and systematic look at online writing
March 20, 2024
The Art and Business of Online Writing
writing everyday… maybe i could use AI for help for prompts
level 1 -> level 2 -> level 3…
finding things in everyday work to be able to discuss
self-aware to verbalise
niche < general life lessons
Blog = Public Diary
- monetize via ads
or
- sell something
website = business card
bring traffic to your website versus to a blog initially if you are building a business
online writing is based on 1 variable: “Sharing thoughts, stories, opinions, and insights on a platform that already has an active audience.”
The first scenario for starting a blog is if you are a business selling some sort of product or service, and revenue is the primary outcome you are looking to drive.
The second scenario for starting a blog is the solopreneur, the digital marketer, the fitness coach, the individual who is less concerned with sharing his or her own individual insights and perspectives, and instead wants to use writing as a marketing mechanism for their internet business.
Online writing approach…
Use data to improve your writing.
Use your writing as a data mining machine.
1. Writing online reduces risk
2. Writing online helps you find your voice
3. Writing online builds an audience
4. Writing online will give you insight into what people want
Practice in public
“Level 1: Conscious vs Unconscious”
“You have to start opening your eyes to the way the game is played, who your competition is, and what they’re doing that is capturing (and keeping) people’s attention—so that you can do the same.”
“Level 2: Choose A Category”
“The entire—and I mean this quite literally, the ENTIRE—art and business and “game” of online writing is rooted in understanding what category you’re actually competing within”
“Categories are how we organize information in our minds. Know your category and you’ll know where readers “fit” you into their own minds.”
“Level 3: Define Your “Style” (Where Do You Sit On The Writing Spectrum?)”
“The secret to creating a unique writing style is by doing what would be considered “unexpected” in your chosen category.”
“I cannot stress enough here how impossible it is to know these things about yourself and your own writing at the very beginning. My recommendation here would not be to sit at your desk and think endlessly about what your unique style is. My recommendation would be for you to get started writing, publishing, gathering data, “practicing in public,” and studying The Ladder of your chosen category.”
neistat vlog but infomative
“Level 4: Optimize Your Writing Style For Speed”
“Instead of taking the time to give all this backstory, or make the reader wait and wait for me to “get to the point,” I would just start with the main point instead.”
“Level 5: Specificity Is The Secret”
“A lot of aspiring writers shy away from naming their writing that specifically, because they fear putting themselves in a box. But especially when you’re first starting out online, a box is exactly what you want. You want people to know where to put you on the bookshelf in their mind.”
“Level 6: Engineering Credibility”
“There are three different layers of credibility.
The first layer is Implied Credibility
“Implied Credibility is how much “Better” or “Worse” your content is than everyone else’s in your chosen category. ”
The second layer is Perceived Credibility
fame.
“The third layer is Earned Credibility.”
“Earned Credibility is nothing more than a signal of experience. The way I like to describe Earned Credibility is: imagine you stumble across someone’s Instagram page. There’s a clean profile picture. There’s a great bio. And then there are four pictures, all posted from three years ago. Immediately, you are going to think to yourself, “Ah, this is nobody.” Their lack of effort, lack of consistency, and lack of content tells you everything you need to know about how seriously they’re “playing the game.”
“What makes a badge of credibility valuable isn’t really the badge itself. It’s how the writer chooses to wear it.”
“Level 7: Create Your Own Category”
audience x genre x tone
Ch4: Where you should be online writing
Social media site must have:
- large user base
- relevant to chosen category
- provides analytics into your target reader’s behaviors
1. quora
2. medium
3. linkedin
4. wattpad
5. twitter
6. amazon
Platform life-cycle:
1. new platform invented, early audiences flock
2. website gains traction, early users become influencers
3. website is established and decade-long journey begins
4. advertising model is launched and user reach falls
5. business model established, reach is throttled, new platform time!
Ch5. How writing on social platforms works
creating > consuming
Stage 1: just start writing
Stage 2: write consistently for 6 months and then make a decision
goal 1 - see if you can be consistent (hacks don’t mean shit if you aren’t consistent)
game of roulette! spin as much as you can
goal 2 - start gathering data about what your most popular categories are
- content buckets
- uni student
- london
- seo specialist
- personal interests? business/exploring/finding new ways of life
goal 3 - pay close attention to writers at the top of the hierarchy of the social platform
COPY!
Question everything, why do they do this?
Stage 3: Once you’ve proven you can be consistent, go on fire!
- audience hacking (working with someone in same industry)
- trend jacking
- engagement hacking (engaging with audiences of other writers)
- hashtag stacking
- publishing hacking (republishing old content with a few changes, build relationships with websites and major publications, get around duplicate rule,
Ch6.
5 types of writing:
1. actionable guide
* quality
* voice
* organization
* positioning (angle of attack)
* audience specific
* experience
2. opinion
* data
* quotes
* insight
* stories
* clarity
3. curated list
* specificity
* speed
* examples
* structure
* subheads
* introduction
4. story
* openers
* transitions
* characters
* language
* category
5. credible talking head
* association (name dropping)
* context
* arguments
* perception
Ch7. How to write headlines people can’t help but read
1. what is it about
2. who is this for
3. the promise!
who is this piece of writing for?
what is the size of this audience?
proven headline formats:
- big numbers
- dollar signs
- credible names
- this just happened
- success story
- things that shouldn’t go together
- for the industry
- topic within a topic
- question/answer
- X number
Ch8. Structure
Intro:
1. what is this about
2. is this for me
3. what are you promising and how confident am i that you’re going to deliver on that promise
1/3/1 structure
1 strong opening sentence
3 description sentences
1 conclusion sentence
1/5/1 also works…
1/3/2/1 or 1/5/2/1
optimize for speed and rate of revelation
1/4/1/1 (conclusion on penultimate, why conclusion matters is final)
you can double up a 1/3/1 with a short subheading between
1/3/1 + bullets
1 + subhead + content…
The types of introduction structures that work well are:
1/3/1
1/5/1
1/3/2/1
1/5/2/1
1/4/1/1
1/3/1 + 1/3/1
1/3/Subhead/3/1
1/3/1 + Bulleted List
1 + Subhead
Main points:
- 800 to 1200 words max per article
- more main points = less explanation
- less main points = more explanation
if MP < 3 :
1/2/5/3/1
if MP > 3:
1/3/1
1/1/1+
short/long/short/long
repetition
first/second/third
bold half sentences (the first part of the sentence for example)
Conclusion:
- the cliff
- mini paragraph
- summary
- strong opinion
Ch9. how to talk about yourself
* the more you promote yourself, the less people listen
* the less you promote yourself, the more people listen
- make the reader the main character
- the golden intersection = answering the reader’s question x telling them an entertaining story
- the humble brag
- always bring back to the reader’s wants, needs, and desires
- only mention information that is truly relevant to the topic at hand
- make the thing you want to draw attention to part of the larger point
- use casual language
- make whatever it is you’re promoting the setting for the story
Ch10. content roadmap
- volume wins
- timely approach, riding a wave of mass attention
however, these have a very short shelf life
- timeless approach, universal principles
3 content buckets:
1. general audience (e.g positive habits etc…)
2. niche audience (e.g how to create seo agency)
3. company/industry audience (industry tips as seo owner)
Endless Idea Generator:
1. what type of writing is this
1. actionable guide
2. opinion
3. curated list
4. story
5. credible talking head
2. what idea am i communicating within this piece of writing
1. explanation
2. habits
3. mistakes
4. lessons
5. tips
6. stories
7. timely events
3. why me?
1. credibility 1 (expert)
2. credibility 2 (experience with experts)
3. credibility (my opinion, well articulated)
Content roadmap template
1. List 3 buckets
2. List 3 topics under each bucket
3. Use endless idea generators under each topic
Repetition is how people remember you…
Ch11. how to turn proven online writing into more valuable assets
Writing becomes a business as soon as you start:
* capturing email’s
* making money from advertising revenue
* making money from paid subscriptions
* selling products and/or services
Start a website when you know:
1. what people want to read about from you
2. how to position topics to resonate with your target reader
3. already have your reader’s attention elsewhere and want to move them deeper into your library of content
DIRECT A READER FROM content to even more valuable, longer, more extensive resource.
5 ways to make it a Pillar Piece:
1. combine content
2. curate expert opinions
3. add statistics
4. tell personal stories
5. provide more examples
turn pillar pieces into email courses, newsletters and free downloads
additional ways to curate attention:
1. one hyper-specific problem
2. curate credible case studies
3. early/exclusive content
4. different levels of audience
5. templates and worksheets
why do people buy books?
* specificity
* convenience
* depth
The best products and services are a reflection of your proven, high-performance forming topics.
“The art of online writing is all about letting readers tell you what it is they want more of, and what they’re willing to pay for.”
3 ways to monetize:
1. ads
flaws: people hate ads, trust, volume required, volatile
2. paywall model, charge for access to your content
challenges: build attention, exclusive content needs to be amazing, paid content requires more attention to detail
3. services (do what you do good for others)
writing everyday… maybe i could use AI for help for prompts
level 1 -> level 2 -> level 3…
finding things in everyday work to be able to discuss
self-aware to verbalise
niche < general life lessons
Blog = Public Diary
- monetize via ads
or
- sell something
website = business card
bring traffic to your website versus to a blog initially if you are building a business
online writing is based on 1 variable: “Sharing thoughts, stories, opinions, and insights on a platform that already has an active audience.”
The first scenario for starting a blog is if you are a business selling some sort of product or service, and revenue is the primary outcome you are looking to drive.
The second scenario for starting a blog is the solopreneur, the digital marketer, the fitness coach, the individual who is less concerned with sharing his or her own individual insights and perspectives, and instead wants to use writing as a marketing mechanism for their internet business.
Online writing approach…
Use data to improve your writing.
Use your writing as a data mining machine.
1. Writing online reduces risk
2. Writing online helps you find your voice
3. Writing online builds an audience
4. Writing online will give you insight into what people want
Practice in public
“Level 1: Conscious vs Unconscious”
“You have to start opening your eyes to the way the game is played, who your competition is, and what they’re doing that is capturing (and keeping) people’s attention—so that you can do the same.”
“Level 2: Choose A Category”
“The entire—and I mean this quite literally, the ENTIRE—art and business and “game” of online writing is rooted in understanding what category you’re actually competing within”
“Categories are how we organize information in our minds. Know your category and you’ll know where readers “fit” you into their own minds.”
“Level 3: Define Your “Style” (Where Do You Sit On The Writing Spectrum?)”
“The secret to creating a unique writing style is by doing what would be considered “unexpected” in your chosen category.”
“I cannot stress enough here how impossible it is to know these things about yourself and your own writing at the very beginning. My recommendation here would not be to sit at your desk and think endlessly about what your unique style is. My recommendation would be for you to get started writing, publishing, gathering data, “practicing in public,” and studying The Ladder of your chosen category.”
neistat vlog but infomative
“Level 4: Optimize Your Writing Style For Speed”
“Instead of taking the time to give all this backstory, or make the reader wait and wait for me to “get to the point,” I would just start with the main point instead.”
“Level 5: Specificity Is The Secret”
“A lot of aspiring writers shy away from naming their writing that specifically, because they fear putting themselves in a box. But especially when you’re first starting out online, a box is exactly what you want. You want people to know where to put you on the bookshelf in their mind.”
“Level 6: Engineering Credibility”
“There are three different layers of credibility.
The first layer is Implied Credibility
“Implied Credibility is how much “Better” or “Worse” your content is than everyone else’s in your chosen category. ”
The second layer is Perceived Credibility
fame.
“The third layer is Earned Credibility.”
“Earned Credibility is nothing more than a signal of experience. The way I like to describe Earned Credibility is: imagine you stumble across someone’s Instagram page. There’s a clean profile picture. There’s a great bio. And then there are four pictures, all posted from three years ago. Immediately, you are going to think to yourself, “Ah, this is nobody.” Their lack of effort, lack of consistency, and lack of content tells you everything you need to know about how seriously they’re “playing the game.”
“What makes a badge of credibility valuable isn’t really the badge itself. It’s how the writer chooses to wear it.”
“Level 7: Create Your Own Category”
audience x genre x tone
Ch4: Where you should be online writing
Social media site must have:
- large user base
- relevant to chosen category
- provides analytics into your target reader’s behaviors
1. quora
2. medium
3. linkedin
4. wattpad
5. twitter
6. amazon
Platform life-cycle:
1. new platform invented, early audiences flock
2. website gains traction, early users become influencers
3. website is established and decade-long journey begins
4. advertising model is launched and user reach falls
5. business model established, reach is throttled, new platform time!
Ch5. How writing on social platforms works
creating > consuming
Stage 1: just start writing
Stage 2: write consistently for 6 months and then make a decision
goal 1 - see if you can be consistent (hacks don’t mean shit if you aren’t consistent)
game of roulette! spin as much as you can
goal 2 - start gathering data about what your most popular categories are
- content buckets
- uni student
- london
- seo specialist
- personal interests? business/exploring/finding new ways of life
goal 3 - pay close attention to writers at the top of the hierarchy of the social platform
COPY!
Question everything, why do they do this?
Stage 3: Once you’ve proven you can be consistent, go on fire!
- audience hacking (working with someone in same industry)
- trend jacking
- engagement hacking (engaging with audiences of other writers)
- hashtag stacking
- publishing hacking (republishing old content with a few changes, build relationships with websites and major publications, get around duplicate rule,
Ch6.
5 types of writing:
1. actionable guide
* quality
* voice
* organization
* positioning (angle of attack)
* audience specific
* experience
2. opinion
* data
* quotes
* insight
* stories
* clarity
3. curated list
* specificity
* speed
* examples
* structure
* subheads
* introduction
4. story
* openers
* transitions
* characters
* language
* category
5. credible talking head
* association (name dropping)
* context
* arguments
* perception
Ch7. How to write headlines people can’t help but read
1. what is it about
2. who is this for
3. the promise!
who is this piece of writing for?
what is the size of this audience?
proven headline formats:
- big numbers
- dollar signs
- credible names
- this just happened
- success story
- things that shouldn’t go together
- for the industry
- topic within a topic
- question/answer
- X number
Ch8. Structure
Intro:
1. what is this about
2. is this for me
3. what are you promising and how confident am i that you’re going to deliver on that promise
1/3/1 structure
1 strong opening sentence
3 description sentences
1 conclusion sentence
1/5/1 also works…
1/3/2/1 or 1/5/2/1
optimize for speed and rate of revelation
1/4/1/1 (conclusion on penultimate, why conclusion matters is final)
you can double up a 1/3/1 with a short subheading between
1/3/1 + bullets
1 + subhead + content…
The types of introduction structures that work well are:
1/3/1
1/5/1
1/3/2/1
1/5/2/1
1/4/1/1
1/3/1 + 1/3/1
1/3/Subhead/3/1
1/3/1 + Bulleted List
1 + Subhead
Main points:
- 800 to 1200 words max per article
- more main points = less explanation
- less main points = more explanation
if MP < 3 :
1/2/5/3/1
if MP > 3:
1/3/1
1/1/1+
short/long/short/long
repetition
first/second/third
bold half sentences (the first part of the sentence for example)
Conclusion:
- the cliff
- mini paragraph
- summary
- strong opinion
Ch9. how to talk about yourself
* the more you promote yourself, the less people listen
* the less you promote yourself, the more people listen
- make the reader the main character
- the golden intersection = answering the reader’s question x telling them an entertaining story
- the humble brag
- always bring back to the reader’s wants, needs, and desires
- only mention information that is truly relevant to the topic at hand
- make the thing you want to draw attention to part of the larger point
- use casual language
- make whatever it is you’re promoting the setting for the story
Ch10. content roadmap
- volume wins
- timely approach, riding a wave of mass attention
however, these have a very short shelf life
- timeless approach, universal principles
3 content buckets:
1. general audience (e.g positive habits etc…)
2. niche audience (e.g how to create seo agency)
3. company/industry audience (industry tips as seo owner)
Endless Idea Generator:
1. what type of writing is this
1. actionable guide
2. opinion
3. curated list
4. story
5. credible talking head
2. what idea am i communicating within this piece of writing
1. explanation
2. habits
3. mistakes
4. lessons
5. tips
6. stories
7. timely events
3. why me?
1. credibility 1 (expert)
2. credibility 2 (experience with experts)
3. credibility (my opinion, well articulated)
Content roadmap template
1. List 3 buckets
2. List 3 topics under each bucket
3. Use endless idea generators under each topic
Repetition is how people remember you…
Ch11. how to turn proven online writing into more valuable assets
Writing becomes a business as soon as you start:
* capturing email’s
* making money from advertising revenue
* making money from paid subscriptions
* selling products and/or services
Start a website when you know:
1. what people want to read about from you
2. how to position topics to resonate with your target reader
3. already have your reader’s attention elsewhere and want to move them deeper into your library of content
DIRECT A READER FROM content to even more valuable, longer, more extensive resource.
5 ways to make it a Pillar Piece:
1. combine content
2. curate expert opinions
3. add statistics
4. tell personal stories
5. provide more examples
turn pillar pieces into email courses, newsletters and free downloads
additional ways to curate attention:
1. one hyper-specific problem
2. curate credible case studies
3. early/exclusive content
4. different levels of audience
5. templates and worksheets
why do people buy books?
* specificity
* convenience
* depth
The best products and services are a reflection of your proven, high-performance forming topics.
“The art of online writing is all about letting readers tell you what it is they want more of, and what they’re willing to pay for.”
3 ways to monetize:
1. ads
flaws: people hate ads, trust, volume required, volatile
2. paywall model, charge for access to your content
challenges: build attention, exclusive content needs to be amazing, paid content requires more attention to detail
3. services (do what you do good for others)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2024
Every writer in the digital era should read this. Packed with great information and ideas.
May 13, 2023
A must-read for those that simply must write.
December 29, 2022
I read this off a recommendation from Ali Abdaal. Though I'm not interested in becoming a writer, it was pitched as a book that would help any online creator.
Cole has a lot of great info on how to build an online presence and begin monetizing it. The biggest takeaway I had was how most creators try to monetize too early. Cole put a heavy emphasis on building an audience and figuring out what they want before ever asking for a dollar. I found myself recognizing some of the tactics used by the successful creators I follow.
~40% of the book is writing advice that isn't applicable to other mediums, so I mostly skimmed those sections. It was interesting to see how online writing differs from conventional writing, as most of his advice surrounds how to keep the fried attention span of readers engaged.
If writing online is part of your career path, you are exactly who this book is for. If you are a content creator in a different medium, you will like the business side of this book. If you are neither, this book isn't for you.
Cole has a lot of great info on how to build an online presence and begin monetizing it. The biggest takeaway I had was how most creators try to monetize too early. Cole put a heavy emphasis on building an audience and figuring out what they want before ever asking for a dollar. I found myself recognizing some of the tactics used by the successful creators I follow.
~40% of the book is writing advice that isn't applicable to other mediums, so I mostly skimmed those sections. It was interesting to see how online writing differs from conventional writing, as most of his advice surrounds how to keep the fried attention span of readers engaged.
If writing online is part of your career path, you are exactly who this book is for. If you are a content creator in a different medium, you will like the business side of this book. If you are neither, this book isn't for you.
August 2, 2022
One of my favourite books on writing!
This book helped me break my self-limiting belief that I can't write and publish every day.
This book is the ultimate guide to writing in the digital age. Gone are the days of traditional avenues of publishing. Whether you like it or not, the world now is online. And if you want to build a successful writing career, that's where you need to be. It's high-time we shift our perspectives regarding Writing, and this book helps you do that.
Highly recommend it.👍
This book helped me break my self-limiting belief that I can't write and publish every day.
This book is the ultimate guide to writing in the digital age. Gone are the days of traditional avenues of publishing. Whether you like it or not, the world now is online. And if you want to build a successful writing career, that's where you need to be. It's high-time we shift our perspectives regarding Writing, and this book helps you do that.
Highly recommend it.👍
March 1, 2022
This is a GREAT read for anyone who wants to level up their non-fiction online writing.
The book has a great mix of strategic and tactical advice.
Also, has a LOT of examples and templates that you can use to get started. It's been a while since I've been so hooked with a non-fiction book.
Recommended for anyone who wants to build a business out of their online writing.
Flow: 5/5
Actionability:5/5
Mindset: 4/5
Some of My Highlights:
"The most popular answers, the one with the most views, upvotes, and comments, weren't 'answers', as much as they were stories."
"I focused all of my energy into making my answer the most relatable to whoever was experiencing (or wanted to experience) similar things in life."
"That piece of feedback was harsh. But it was also the moment I learned the difference between 'their' and 'they're'-and I remembered it for the rest of my life."
"The more unexpected the style, in the context of your category, the more likely you are to stand out."
"If your story is reliant on the reader making it past the first few pages, then chances are, your story doesn't need those pages."
"Either the writer isn't being specific enough about their category, or the content of their writing isn't speaking specifically to their target reader."
"Implied Credibility is how much 'Better' or 'Worse' your content is that everyone else's in your chosen category."
"The average column on a major publication receives less than 1,000 views."
"The vast majority of contributing writers don't get paid at all, simply because the volume they produce isn't enough to warrant paying them."
"The number of hours I spend consuming should never equal or exceed the number of hours I spend creating."
"You don't become a writer by reading other writers. You become a writer by writing- a lot."
"The writers who become successful aren't necessarily the most talented writers. The writers who become successful are the most consistent writers."
"The minimum amount you should be writing and publishing new material online is once per month."
"My true 'recommended minimum' however is to publish something once every other week."
"Question everything. Nothing a creator does repeatedly is accidental."
"Engagement Hacking is where you engage with the audiences of other writers, introducing them to your own writing."
"The usual mistakes writers make here is they try to fit too many ideas into one single piece of content."
"What makes these headlines so powerful isn't that they're 'creative' or 'clever.' They're powerful because they are clear in their intentions.
The book has a great mix of strategic and tactical advice.
Also, has a LOT of examples and templates that you can use to get started. It's been a while since I've been so hooked with a non-fiction book.
Recommended for anyone who wants to build a business out of their online writing.
Flow: 5/5
Actionability:5/5
Mindset: 4/5
Some of My Highlights:
"The most popular answers, the one with the most views, upvotes, and comments, weren't 'answers', as much as they were stories."
"I focused all of my energy into making my answer the most relatable to whoever was experiencing (or wanted to experience) similar things in life."
"That piece of feedback was harsh. But it was also the moment I learned the difference between 'their' and 'they're'-and I remembered it for the rest of my life."
"The more unexpected the style, in the context of your category, the more likely you are to stand out."
"If your story is reliant on the reader making it past the first few pages, then chances are, your story doesn't need those pages."
"Either the writer isn't being specific enough about their category, or the content of their writing isn't speaking specifically to their target reader."
"Implied Credibility is how much 'Better' or 'Worse' your content is that everyone else's in your chosen category."
"The average column on a major publication receives less than 1,000 views."
"The vast majority of contributing writers don't get paid at all, simply because the volume they produce isn't enough to warrant paying them."
"The number of hours I spend consuming should never equal or exceed the number of hours I spend creating."
"You don't become a writer by reading other writers. You become a writer by writing- a lot."
"The writers who become successful aren't necessarily the most talented writers. The writers who become successful are the most consistent writers."
"The minimum amount you should be writing and publishing new material online is once per month."
"My true 'recommended minimum' however is to publish something once every other week."
"Question everything. Nothing a creator does repeatedly is accidental."
"Engagement Hacking is where you engage with the audiences of other writers, introducing them to your own writing."
"The usual mistakes writers make here is they try to fit too many ideas into one single piece of content."
"What makes these headlines so powerful isn't that they're 'creative' or 'clever.' They're powerful because they are clear in their intentions.
October 2, 2023
If you're serious about building a following for your writing or business content in our digital age, Nicolas Cole (and his band of swashbuckling online writers at Ship30for30 including Nathan Baugh and Dickie Bush) are THE online writers and entrepreneurs to be learning from.
Nicolas Cole has all the credentials - he's built a massive following on Quora, Medium, Twitter, and been published in leading magazines including Inc. and he's founded a hugely successful ghostwriting business, and academies for online writers, ghostwriters, and digital marketers.
There's no-one with more expertise for writing in the digital space.
This book spills the secrets on Coles meteoric success - a method he's proven in his own life, and one which many writers in his highly-regarded online courses have emulated. (Just look at the testimonials on Ship30for30 if you don't believe me!)
Of course, one could just look through Cole's catalogue of Quora posts, Medium articles and Tweets to see this in action. But, Cole has thoughtfully curated his most successful posts and explained the techniques and structures that make them work so that you don't have to hunt for every article and study it on your own.
The book is full of engaging true stories that put these principles in perspective and trust that the method works.
The Art and Business of Online writing offers far more than its monetary value in worth.
Even if you're the busiest of students or underpaid copywriters, or strung-out entrepreneurs, this book needs to be at the top of your list to read. Cole knows his book is full of information and practical takeaways so he's designed it to be read in sections if you can't sit down for a full chapter. I could've sat there for hours and read it cover-to-cover but, knowing I really want to learn from Cole and put his proven methods into practice, I made myself stop after every step that is immediately actionable for me and take notes.
I took my time with this book and I'm glad for it.
What's more, as high as my to-read list gets, I know I'll return to this one as a vital reference material as a develop my online writing skills.
No matter what you write, fiction or non-fiction, marketing, education, or opinions,
if you want to write online,
if you're dedicated to becoming a better writer,
if you want to build a loyal readership,
shove everything off your to-read pile and get a hold of The Art and Business of Online Writing.
Millions have loved it, myself included. You'll find no other how-to-write book that's more worth your precious time.
Nicolas Cole has all the credentials - he's built a massive following on Quora, Medium, Twitter, and been published in leading magazines including Inc. and he's founded a hugely successful ghostwriting business, and academies for online writers, ghostwriters, and digital marketers.
There's no-one with more expertise for writing in the digital space.
This book spills the secrets on Coles meteoric success - a method he's proven in his own life, and one which many writers in his highly-regarded online courses have emulated. (Just look at the testimonials on Ship30for30 if you don't believe me!)
Of course, one could just look through Cole's catalogue of Quora posts, Medium articles and Tweets to see this in action. But, Cole has thoughtfully curated his most successful posts and explained the techniques and structures that make them work so that you don't have to hunt for every article and study it on your own.
The book is full of engaging true stories that put these principles in perspective and trust that the method works.
The Art and Business of Online writing offers far more than its monetary value in worth.
Even if you're the busiest of students or underpaid copywriters, or strung-out entrepreneurs, this book needs to be at the top of your list to read. Cole knows his book is full of information and practical takeaways so he's designed it to be read in sections if you can't sit down for a full chapter. I could've sat there for hours and read it cover-to-cover but, knowing I really want to learn from Cole and put his proven methods into practice, I made myself stop after every step that is immediately actionable for me and take notes.
I took my time with this book and I'm glad for it.
What's more, as high as my to-read list gets, I know I'll return to this one as a vital reference material as a develop my online writing skills.
No matter what you write, fiction or non-fiction, marketing, education, or opinions,
if you want to write online,
if you're dedicated to becoming a better writer,
if you want to build a loyal readership,
shove everything off your to-read pile and get a hold of The Art and Business of Online Writing.
Millions have loved it, myself included. You'll find no other how-to-write book that's more worth your precious time.
January 18, 2023
Nicolas Cole may be an expert on online article writing, but he seems to have made a major mistake by applying the same standards to writing his book. When I buy a non-fiction printed book of a few hundred pages, I expert not to have my time wasted with an unnecessarily casual tone, personal anecdotes that don't go anywhere or make any point, or wasted paragraphs. The author clearly knows what he is talking about, but he writes with the same tone that I have to assume he writes in his online articles for mass audiences to consume.
He also relies far too much on his own experience to support his arguments. In other words, almost everything he says is justified by little more than "this approach happened to work really well for me, so therefore it must be the way all other people should do it too, regardless of their skills, goals, or circumstances." That's not how an expert teaches. That's just incidental success that may not be repeatable in principle for others.
Fifty pages in, I realized I could have captured all the relevant information I had received about online writing in just a few pages. At that point, I began skimming every other paragraph in search of whenever the next relevant piece of information might pop up. Further to my point, the print formatting is terribly amateurish, everything from the font selection to the page footers. It feels painfully self-published.
There are a few sections spread throughout that do a good job breaking down some little-known aspects of online writing, and that's why this book gets three stars despite the general wastefulness of its pages. It's worth skimming if you want a sometimes-interesting perspective from someone who's done a lot of online writing. But a comprehensive and meaningful guide it is not.
He also relies far too much on his own experience to support his arguments. In other words, almost everything he says is justified by little more than "this approach happened to work really well for me, so therefore it must be the way all other people should do it too, regardless of their skills, goals, or circumstances." That's not how an expert teaches. That's just incidental success that may not be repeatable in principle for others.
Fifty pages in, I realized I could have captured all the relevant information I had received about online writing in just a few pages. At that point, I began skimming every other paragraph in search of whenever the next relevant piece of information might pop up. Further to my point, the print formatting is terribly amateurish, everything from the font selection to the page footers. It feels painfully self-published.
There are a few sections spread throughout that do a good job breaking down some little-known aspects of online writing, and that's why this book gets three stars despite the general wastefulness of its pages. It's worth skimming if you want a sometimes-interesting perspective from someone who's done a lot of online writing. But a comprehensive and meaningful guide it is not.
December 25, 2022
I grabbed this book after seeing it recommended in several webs and podcasts and decided to give it a try. I don't write online, but I found the book entertaining nevertheless. I think in the long term it will change the way I interact with online content.
1. The book fulfills the promise it makes: It is full of examples, templates and stories that actually worked, and will continue working.
2. It is deeply personal: the author uses himself as a succesful "case study" for each of the points he makes. He also signals clearly when something he says is an opinion, a fact or an analysis, and most of the time provides convincing arguments.
3. It is logical: He thinks -a lot- about the reader and the online environment where they consume content, and follows his method and analysis based on this premises. The world is first, and then is the writer. Writers cannot succeed if they don't understand the world in which they live. They have to interact with reality in a way that makes sense for the messages to be delivered.
4. It does not give false promises: Beating the game takes a hell lot of work. Every day. For as long as you want to play it. And really beating the game will involve playing different games, in different scenarios, with different skills.
It is worth a read.
1. The book fulfills the promise it makes: It is full of examples, templates and stories that actually worked, and will continue working.
2. It is deeply personal: the author uses himself as a succesful "case study" for each of the points he makes. He also signals clearly when something he says is an opinion, a fact or an analysis, and most of the time provides convincing arguments.
3. It is logical: He thinks -a lot- about the reader and the online environment where they consume content, and follows his method and analysis based on this premises. The world is first, and then is the writer. Writers cannot succeed if they don't understand the world in which they live. They have to interact with reality in a way that makes sense for the messages to be delivered.
4. It does not give false promises: Beating the game takes a hell lot of work. Every day. For as long as you want to play it. And really beating the game will involve playing different games, in different scenarios, with different skills.
It is worth a read.
January 26, 2023
What a ride!
Well, I’ve learned a lot. Most of his ideas I’m still wrestling with, but it’s definitely a book worth its weight in gold.
He clearly know what he is talking about and has a proven track record to back it up. I’ll have to write each day and open the book to see if I’ve implemented all the 1/3/1 rules and so on.
For the coming weeks I’ll refer back to the pages again and again.
Some points I am less enthusiastic about is his ademend belief in the attention economy.
Wikipedia for instance is what, a top 10 website in the world? Wikipedia is all about reading and often has a very slow rate of revelation.
I was hoping he could explore the topic of writing on the internet for people who haven’t lost their attention span, even though it would be for a smaller portion of the population. Likewise, I’ve been writing on Quora for a few days now and it’s absolutely saturated with copy-paste Facebook memes, and between that and racist/sexist comments on there, it seems that Quora is more of a toxic social media platform than a platform for writers. So I don’t quite see his enthusiasm for it.
Nonetheless I’ll apply the tips for my own situation, and my writing will improve with all the great tips contained within his book. I’ll recommend it to anyone. 5 stars
Well, I’ve learned a lot. Most of his ideas I’m still wrestling with, but it’s definitely a book worth its weight in gold.
He clearly know what he is talking about and has a proven track record to back it up. I’ll have to write each day and open the book to see if I’ve implemented all the 1/3/1 rules and so on.
For the coming weeks I’ll refer back to the pages again and again.
Some points I am less enthusiastic about is his ademend belief in the attention economy.
Wikipedia for instance is what, a top 10 website in the world? Wikipedia is all about reading and often has a very slow rate of revelation.
I was hoping he could explore the topic of writing on the internet for people who haven’t lost their attention span, even though it would be for a smaller portion of the population. Likewise, I’ve been writing on Quora for a few days now and it’s absolutely saturated with copy-paste Facebook memes, and between that and racist/sexist comments on there, it seems that Quora is more of a toxic social media platform than a platform for writers. So I don’t quite see his enthusiasm for it.
Nonetheless I’ll apply the tips for my own situation, and my writing will improve with all the great tips contained within his book. I’ll recommend it to anyone. 5 stars
March 21, 2023
Found reading this book thoroughly enjoyable, primarily because of the high rate of revelation (a concept I learned from reading this book.) Unlike other self-help-style books, I found the matter-of-fact tone throughout the book refreshing and more genuine. I think there was a lot of good advice that could apply to all types of writing and I appreciated the emphasis on examples throughout the book. The biggest takeaway from the book for me was the centrality of the audience when thinking about the writing task. Cole emphasized the importance of learning from your audience and writing in venues where you can get consistent feedback from your audience. This advice was particularly helpful in that he pointed to a path through which anyone, regardless of your level of expertise, can pursue some form of professional writing. This is a book I will probably return to when I have progressed farther along my reading journey and want to shift toward more regular writing. In the meantime, I am hopeful that my reviews may start to catch on with folks. :-)
August 30, 2023
The author delivers exactly what he promised for - the art and business of online writing.
Most of the parts in the book focuses on the the art of the online writing. The author explains how to improve our skill of writing by getting faster feedback from users. He also introduces several good techniques and templates that will work for most of the types of digital contents.
Last several chapters focuses on the business part of the online writing. I suspect that some readers might feel disappointed because it's too short compared to the art part. Personally, I think those few chapters served quite well with the topic, not too short nor too long.
The conclusion of this book is very profound, which has been repeated over the chapters - write a lot. The best way to achieve extreme quality is to practice with extreme quantity.
Overall, it's a well-written book. It will make you want to write your first online article once you finish reading it.
Most of the parts in the book focuses on the the art of the online writing. The author explains how to improve our skill of writing by getting faster feedback from users. He also introduces several good techniques and templates that will work for most of the types of digital contents.
Last several chapters focuses on the business part of the online writing. I suspect that some readers might feel disappointed because it's too short compared to the art part. Personally, I think those few chapters served quite well with the topic, not too short nor too long.
The conclusion of this book is very profound, which has been repeated over the chapters - write a lot. The best way to achieve extreme quality is to practice with extreme quantity.
Overall, it's a well-written book. It will make you want to write your first online article once you finish reading it.
January 24, 2022
This is a detailed guide of online writing from 0 to 1, from the psychological warming-up of the novice period, to the self-positioning of the starting period, to the roadmap planning of the growth period, to the advancing development of the maturity period, and finally to the path selection of the harvest period.
Not only for online writing but also for those who are interested in content creation or knowledge service can read this book, after all, it is all about the competition for audience attention and value delivery.
The author, Nicolas Cole, started out as a World of Warcraft PVP player who didn't have much to do with writing but now is a top player on two major content platforms - Quora and Medium, and one of Inc Magazine's top ten contributing writers.
From his perspective, online writing is also a competitive game that is fun to play against others, and only those who can both write consistently and think commercially will survive and thrive in this game.
Not only for online writing but also for those who are interested in content creation or knowledge service can read this book, after all, it is all about the competition for audience attention and value delivery.
The author, Nicolas Cole, started out as a World of Warcraft PVP player who didn't have much to do with writing but now is a top player on two major content platforms - Quora and Medium, and one of Inc Magazine's top ten contributing writers.
From his perspective, online writing is also a competitive game that is fun to play against others, and only those who can both write consistently and think commercially will survive and thrive in this game.
January 25, 2023
This is one of the strongest books I've read in a while about how to succeed in online writing. The author has some interesting "counter to conventional wisdom" points here. For example, he discourages most writers from starting a blog or worrying about SEO - instead, he recommends writing on social platforms like Quora as a starting point.
My favorite parts of the book were the sections exploring how to generate topics for online writing, and different writing structures (e.g., ways to structure paragraphs and sentences to grow engagement etc).
The chapters near the end that cover how actually to earn a living through online writing were a bit less developed, unfortunately. For example, affiliate marketing and copywriting are both briefly described in a few pages. Despite that, this is one of the best online business books I've read in a few years (especially if you focus on the potential offered by writing specifically).
My favorite parts of the book were the sections exploring how to generate topics for online writing, and different writing structures (e.g., ways to structure paragraphs and sentences to grow engagement etc).
The chapters near the end that cover how actually to earn a living through online writing were a bit less developed, unfortunately. For example, affiliate marketing and copywriting are both briefly described in a few pages. Despite that, this is one of the best online business books I've read in a few years (especially if you focus on the potential offered by writing specifically).
January 4, 2023
Everything written in this book is exactly what the title says.
The author made a brilliant headline for his book for sure. Very insightful and on point. His writing style is clear as you can imagine it from one of the top class online writers and I can see that he used lots of his writing methods mentioned in the book himself with bold letters and bullet lists in the book.
I would recommend this book to almost any person who write anything online even if you are not seriously thinking about online writing. One thing worth mentioning is that there are so many information in the book that you can’t just read one time and understand everything. I did skim through a chapter or two because I still can’t relate to that point when I’m not yet started writing anything. I guess it was meant to be read over and over when it’s necessary while you are taking your journey to become an writer.
The author made a brilliant headline for his book for sure. Very insightful and on point. His writing style is clear as you can imagine it from one of the top class online writers and I can see that he used lots of his writing methods mentioned in the book himself with bold letters and bullet lists in the book.
I would recommend this book to almost any person who write anything online even if you are not seriously thinking about online writing. One thing worth mentioning is that there are so many information in the book that you can’t just read one time and understand everything. I did skim through a chapter or two because I still can’t relate to that point when I’m not yet started writing anything. I guess it was meant to be read over and over when it’s necessary while you are taking your journey to become an writer.
February 1, 2023
This book is frustrating because as much as I am pretty confident the author is right, I don't want to believe it. He basically provides a formula for people who want to make money writing online. Many of his steps are quite valuable, and I think this is a very reasonable book. However, it frustrates me that we have created a reading culture that can largely be addressed in one book. Ideally, we all should have different reading preferences, and we do, but I think the author is largely right that there are certain ways you really need to write if you want to have a great deal of commercial success online.
I want to romanticize writing sometimes, but this also does bring you back to a very specific formula for success, and I think he is probably right about that.
I want to romanticize writing sometimes, but this also does bring you back to a very specific formula for success, and I think he is probably right about that.
June 17, 2023
⭐️ 4.5
I absolutely loved this book — So much valuable advice.
As a writer myself, I felt the need to learn about this craft, specifically for the internet. My website's niche is the intersection of software engineering & self development, so most of the tips are really helpful and I'm beginning to apply them to my writing.
The parts that I found the most interesting
— The rate of revelation
— Create an entirely new category of your own
— The 5 types of writing on the internet
— Structuring the article: strategies, main points, structures (1/3/1, 1/5/1, 1/4/1/1, etc)
— How to make it shorter and faster
— The three types of content buckets & pillar pieces
— How to make money
I absolutely loved this book — So much valuable advice.
As a writer myself, I felt the need to learn about this craft, specifically for the internet. My website's niche is the intersection of software engineering & self development, so most of the tips are really helpful and I'm beginning to apply them to my writing.
The parts that I found the most interesting
— The rate of revelation
— Create an entirely new category of your own
— The 5 types of writing on the internet
— Structuring the article: strategies, main points, structures (1/3/1, 1/5/1, 1/4/1/1, etc)
— How to make it shorter and faster
— The three types of content buckets & pillar pieces
— How to make money
April 9, 2024
This is an excellent book for those like me who love to write online. It is an invaluable resource for writing better, thinking about how to write, and capturing your audience's attention. It gives you concrete ideas on how to be successful in online writing and beat the competition. Nicolas Cole even gives you proven recommendations on how to make money writing online. The author emphasizes the importance of working hard and writing a lot. The result will be to be the best in your field. Cole said that you need quantity and quality to succeed as an online writer. In addition, he states that it is also crucial to understand and remember that writing online is a game of capturing attention. I give it five stars out of five.
June 4, 2021
Nicolas Cole is a self-made, self-published writer.
In his book, he shares the story of how he went from being an unknown writer to becoming Quora's most popular writer in a year. He shares what it took and what helped him along the way. This book is a perfect start for those who want to become an author and is dedicated enough to play the long game.
But what he tells you in the book, isn't the real start of his writing career. It started earlier. Much earlier. I had the pleasure to talk to Cole himself and discover the whole process of writing his first book. You can read it here: https://coffeeandpens.com/nicolas-cole/
In his book, he shares the story of how he went from being an unknown writer to becoming Quora's most popular writer in a year. He shares what it took and what helped him along the way. This book is a perfect start for those who want to become an author and is dedicated enough to play the long game.
But what he tells you in the book, isn't the real start of his writing career. It started earlier. Much earlier. I had the pleasure to talk to Cole himself and discover the whole process of writing his first book. You can read it here: https://coffeeandpens.com/nicolas-cole/
October 3, 2022
Sau khi trì hoãn việc viết bằng việc đọc 7749 sách viết về chuyện viết, mình rốt cuộc cũng hiểu rằng: Đọc nhiều và viết nhiều hơn đọc. Nhưng cũng nhờ lang thang đọc mà mình cũng rút ra được:
- Cuốn này là cuốn duy nhất cần đọc về viết online. Giải thích cặn kẽ vì sao làm gì và vì sao không làm gì, làm thế nào cho non-fiction. Người viết fiction cũng nên đọc để biết business bên ngoài việc viết.
- On Writing của Stephen King là cuốn về hướng dẫn viết fiction mình thích nhất.
- Wired for Story của Lisa Cron là cuốn hướng dẫn kể chuyện thuyết phục nhất.
Cả 3 cuốn đều insightful và đầy tính cá nhân.
- Cuốn này là cuốn duy nhất cần đọc về viết online. Giải thích cặn kẽ vì sao làm gì và vì sao không làm gì, làm thế nào cho non-fiction. Người viết fiction cũng nên đọc để biết business bên ngoài việc viết.
- On Writing của Stephen King là cuốn về hướng dẫn viết fiction mình thích nhất.
- Wired for Story của Lisa Cron là cuốn hướng dẫn kể chuyện thuyết phục nhất.
Cả 3 cuốn đều insightful và đầy tính cá nhân.
July 25, 2023
A great step-by-step guide on how to write online and make money out of it. It has practical, feasible tips and tricks that I hope to incorporate in my own writing.
This book made me sign up for Medium and Quora, now the opportunity is all up to me. I want to practice writing and hopefully be good at it. I hope Miss Aiza's 100-day project will keep me inspired for long.
Already published 1 poem in Medium and had 1 clap, I guess that's lucky inspite of being a nobody. Will update the day I published an article and share it to social media, I really have to take this leap of faith, self-belief, and discipline and see where this goes. Good luck to me!
This book made me sign up for Medium and Quora, now the opportunity is all up to me. I want to practice writing and hopefully be good at it. I hope Miss Aiza's 100-day project will keep me inspired for long.
Already published 1 poem in Medium and had 1 clap, I guess that's lucky inspite of being a nobody. Will update the day I published an article and share it to social media, I really have to take this leap of faith, self-belief, and discipline and see where this goes. Good luck to me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2020
Brilliant.
The title says what he's going to deliver to you and he delivers on it.
This is a really comprehensive guide to how to write online. Everything from strategy to mechanics of writing is covered in the book. After reading, you will know exactly what to do if you want to make it by writing online.
Apart from being incredibly educating, it was also really entertaining. I finished reading the entire 333 pages in two sittings.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking to write online.
The title says what he's going to deliver to you and he delivers on it.
This is a really comprehensive guide to how to write online. Everything from strategy to mechanics of writing is covered in the book. After reading, you will know exactly what to do if you want to make it by writing online.
Apart from being incredibly educating, it was also really entertaining. I finished reading the entire 333 pages in two sittings.
I would recommend this to anyone who is looking to write online.
November 7, 2021
Must Have How-To
Paraphrased: “I’ve shared how but most won’t do. Why? Because successful writing requires discipline.”
Cole’s book is loaded with actionable steps, detailed how-to, and clear examples. It took me five weeks to read this book because I’d read a page and pause to implement, often writing for hours while practicing techniques and growing a new following.
Result? A slow, but powerful read for me! During the five weeks, I transitioned from occasional blogger to daily writer|content creator with immediate results.
Highly recommend!
Paraphrased: “I’ve shared how but most won’t do. Why? Because successful writing requires discipline.”
Cole’s book is loaded with actionable steps, detailed how-to, and clear examples. It took me five weeks to read this book because I’d read a page and pause to implement, often writing for hours while practicing techniques and growing a new following.
Result? A slow, but powerful read for me! During the five weeks, I transitioned from occasional blogger to daily writer|content creator with immediate results.
Highly recommend!
November 3, 2022
So many books about writing are about writing techniques or cheap tricks to get your books or content out in front of more people's eyes for a quick sell. The Art and Business of Online Writing gives you a formula to discover what your readers actually want from you so that you can produce and double down on what they really want.
I've been following the formula in my own writing domains for the past few months and see results. If you want to sell your books, create a paid newsletter, or write viral articles and social media posts, then follow the formula in this book.
I've been following the formula in my own writing domains for the past few months and see results. If you want to sell your books, create a paid newsletter, or write viral articles and social media posts, then follow the formula in this book.
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