How my Experimenting with Writing is Paying Off

Diversification is key to earning in the thousands and that is why I’m running a Substack challenge for Coffee Times

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I’m a journaler turned personal story writer or perhaps social media blogger turned contract writer might be a better description?

As you can see, I’m still not sure how to introduce myself even after a year of writing.

However, what I’ve realized is that there is no lack of opportunities for writers who are interested in earning a side income (in the thousands) if they know how to market their brand the right way.

In my case, the starting point for building a successful side hustle was Medium. It gave me my identity as a writer and I credit those editors (who rejected me because my writing was not up to par with their “boutique publications” and those who selflessly worked with me to make me a better writer) for giving me a solid base to build my network from.

Again in my case writing on Medium is one of the several sources I earn a consistent income from writing. That is because I did a lot of initial research until I came up with a strategy that works for me.

How do I do it?

There is a lot of advice out there about how to earn money through writing. However, I tend to listen to credible sources, and by that, I mean not the flash in the pan types but those that have many years of experience under their belt and the results to show.

And that is what recently led me to Substack.

Most of you have heard about Substack. I, for one, see tremendous potential in it as a means of growing an email list that can prove to be an asset down the road. And what’s more, it is EASY to use with an option to monetize as well as you can collaborate with brands to write sponsored content.

Win, win, win, or what?

So I decided to run a Coffee Challenge to motivate other writers, like me, to take the plunge into exploring the myriad benefits of starting a Substack newsletter.

Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, a veteran blogger, was kind enough to share some valuable tips on how to start a Substack newsletter in a question-answer style format:

Me: Miz V, the most common question I get is why start a Substack newsletter. What are some good reasons in your opinion?

Miz V: Newsletters let you directly connect with your readers. They may not always see what you post on social media or other platforms. Newsletters give you the space to convey what you want to say with links and images. Like a one-on-one conversation with your reader to keep them updated on special offers, exclusive information, and so on.

Me: What are some important aspects of an effective newsletter?

Miz V: Here are 5:

• Keep it brief

• Tell a story

• Focus on the reader

• Add a call to action

• Design it well

Me: I guess the next question would be, how do I get people to subscribe to my newsletter?

Miz V: These are my suggestions:

• Publish consistently

• Keep it conversational

• Tell your friends, peers, family

• Post on social media

• Collaborate with other writers who have newsletters

• Ask your subscribers to share with their friends Invite feedback.

For more details on how to participate in Coffee Challenge 6 and the cool cash prizes to be won ($100, $50, and $25) — check out this article:

The deadlines have been extended to give participants more time and the new dates are:

Prompt response deadline: May 15th

Testimonials deadline: May 25th

Announcement of winners: May 30th.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my Substack, WriteEZ, in order to receive important updates.