Chapter 1: The Beginning of My Writing Journey

In pursuit of personal and professional growth, I decided to follow Mark Manson's advice: write two articles each week for an entire year. This decision led to unexpected challenges and astonishing results.

While searching for guidance on my life's direction, I stumbled upon an article titled "7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose." Intrigued, I clicked on it and soon found myself downloading an ebook called Life Purpose: How to Find Direction and Create Your Calling. Before I knew it, I was on a subscription list, becoming a paying member of a platform led by a familiar name—Mark Manson, the renowned author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.

Manson's insights into life were compelling, but I was specifically interested in his approach to building a career. I aspired to create a career where I could work on personal projects, share my thoughts, and earn money in the process. It was fascinating how he established a viable income through self-development.

Setting the Goal: Writing Consistently

When you join Manson's platform, you gain access to various courses, one of which focuses on blogging. Although this course seems to be no longer available, it recommended a simple yet powerful strategy: write two articles a week for a year. This approach helps create a substantial body of work that keeps readers engaged and establishes credibility over time. Attracting traffic to a website is challenging, and once you have it, retaining that audience is crucial.

Thus, I made a commitment: starting on March 8, 2021, I would write and publish 104 articles by the same date in 2022. Here's how I tackled this challenge, the obstacles I faced, and the outcomes that followed.

The Writing Process: Getting Started

For me, the act of writing was relatively straightforward. I had been journaling almost daily for a year or two. Additionally, I participated in a program called Self Authoring, where I reflected on my past, present, and ideal future. This experience allowed me to pen a memoir (which, admittedly, was less than stellar) and develop a deeper understanding of storytelling.

I have a tendency to become engrossed in activities, and once I began writing, it became a habit. However, I learned from various writing coaches that the initial hurdle for many aspiring writers is simply sitting down to write. This is likely why the most common piece of writing advice is simply: "just write." Since writing came naturally to me, I can only suggest that if you wish to be a writer, you must write. Everything else follows from there.

Learning the Art of Article Writing

Transitioning from journaling to article writing was a significant shift. While my journal entries were private, articles were meant for public consumption, creating a disconnect where I sometimes lost my voice in an effort to sound intelligent.

Writing self-help articles follows a fairly predictable formula: a catchy headline, engaging subheadings, high-quality visuals, a captivating introduction, personal anecdotes, supporting evidence, and a clear call to action. The challenge was to convey this structure while remaining authentic to my unique voice.

I initially shared my early articles anonymously on Reddit, where feedback was harsh but constructive. Although I faced criticism, I recognized its value; I hadn’t yet found my voice and was trying too hard to impress.

Courage to Publish Under My Own Name

Mark Manson's platform, markmanson.net, emphasizes the importance of writing under your own name. Readers seek authenticity and a connection with real people. However, after receiving severe criticism on my first few articles, I hesitated to share my work publicly. Over time, I learned that committing to the writing process helps diminish the fear of judgment.

To take the plunge, I purchased my domain and created a simple blog using Wix (which I later regretted, opting for Squarespace instead). My site had just one page: a straightforward introduction to my blog, devoid of any frills or distractions.

Unfortunately, no one knew about my blog; it didn’t even rank on Google. However, with each passing week, I continued to publish my two articles there.

Spreading the Word About My Blog

The catalyst for my journey to self-discovery was a pivotal moment when I sold my previous business. I retained access to my email list, and I envisioned sharing my writing journey with those followers. However, the prospect of sending an email to inform them about my new path was daunting. I spent countless hours drafting and revising my message before finally sending it out—only to accidentally make it unreadable due to a typo.

To my surprise, no one seemed to care, and hardly anyone even noticed. This experience highlighted the challenge of transitioning from simply writing to actively promoting my work.

Finding a Revenue Model

While my primary focus was on writing consistently, I set a financial goal of generating $3,000 a month by the end of my year-long writing experiment. Although I was passionate about writing, I recognized the importance of establishing a sustainable income.

Fortuitously, I had time to explore various income avenues. I relied on my Veteran's benefits for basic living expenses and had proceeds from my previous business sale to support me while I figured out how to monetize my writing.

By now, I had become comfortable with the writing process. My twice-weekly schedule felt manageable, and I was beginning to embrace the idea of sharing my work with others.

To increase traffic to my blog, I started posting my articles on Medium, copying and pasting with minimal formatting. This approach quickly paid off, as one of my articles went viral, netting around $600. I continued this strategy, consistently earning between $300 and $600 monthly from Medium alone, without any reliance on social media.

The best part? I used Medium to funnel traffic to my blog, where I encouraged visitors to subscribe to my email list in exchange for a free ebook. It was a win-win situation, even if I hadn’t yet met my initial financial goal.

Am I as successful as Mark Manson, with a book deal and a luxurious lifestyle? Not quite, but I’m thrilled to be getting paid to focus on my personal development and share my journey with others. Ultimately, I’ve discovered how to navigate the question, "What am I doing with my life?"—by committing to writing two articles every week for a year.