ALEX MATHERS MASTERYDEN.
COM @ALEXMATHERS84
16 unconventional
writing tips for
joining the top 1%
of online writers
ENJOY THIS SHORT GUIDE
Want to write impactfully so you grow a
strong online presence? Read on...
The
Author
GREETINGS! I'M ALEX.
Alex Mathers is a nomadic English/Austrian writer, dragon, coach and
illustrator, born in Copenhagen in 1984. He spent his twenties building a
global design business and consultancy, working with clients like
Google and Mars.
Now he writes and coaches people to move past blocks and maximise
success, while drawing on the side. He’s amassed an online readership
of over 170,000 and runs two newsletters: The Untethered Mind (mindset
and productivity), and Mastery Den (writing and online brand-building).
He supports people in creating their masterpiece, whether it be a dream
book, a blog, or a creative project, and overcoming their limits.
He lives all over the world, depending on what adventure interests him
next. He has lived in Japan, Georgia, Vietnam, Thailand, Poland, Estonia,
Jamaica and Barbados.
Contact him today for help with achieving your goals and writing
support.
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JOIN THE 1% OF ONLINE WRITERS
15 years of writing online has shown me nuances of
the craft I would have only gained by grinding in the
trenches.
I want you to realise them as you write your own
words, and learn and grow in the process.
But I also know the power of hearing tips from others
who've done it so you can avoid mistakes and get on
the fast track.
The following sixteen tips will help you avoid my
mistakes and propel you into the top 1% of online
writers who attract large audiences…
You can read this booklet in any order. Just make sure
you apply and test the ideas in your own writing.
1. Everything is A to B.
All good, effective communication is about
transformation.
It's not as far-fetched as turning someone from a frog
into a rabbit.
It's about helping them move from one state or
condition (A: fear, confusion) to another, better one (B:
clarity, relief).
Start with making us aware of a problem, and show us
the way towards a solution.
Every tweet, post, newsletter and video you share is A ⮕ B.
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2. Stop telling us shit we
already know.
Assume your readers or listeners have brains.
Don't just write because you have a word count
quota to fill. Tell us something positioned in a
new way.
Creatively combine separate ideas that
position old ideas in a unique way.
An example would be taking what you learn
from Mr Beast videos and applying it to
marketing books.
Another great way to do this is to tell us about
life through your lens and your story.
3. Everything you write
must be a provocation.
It took me a looooooong time to realise this.
When I say 'provocation' I'm not telling you to invite
your reader for fisticuffs around the back of the bike
sheds.
I'm talking about being unexpected at every turn. I’m
also talking about being bold and sharing your opinion,
even if not many people agree.
People do not want to read stuff they expect to read.
They want to have something they can chew on
intellectually. Ultimately, they are dying to be
entertained.
Entertainment is tied to continual provocation and
subverting the readers’ expectations.
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4. Stop writing, and start
creating images.
Powerful writing is not composed of clever
words or ingenious, long descriptive text.
It's made of emotional triggers. And you can't
encourage emotion in the reader without
painting a picture.
This is why stories are so effective at
promoting action. They engage the reader
emotionally. They visualise themselves in the
protagonist's shoes.
Show us what their world could be like. Don't
just tell us what to do.
5. Talk to your followers.
Writing that resonates comes from an understanding
of yourself and your reader.
Talk to them as much as you can about what they
struggle with.
Reach out to subscribers directly, ask questions in your
newsletters, have conversations with people, and send
out polls and surveys.
Your words are a pleasant balm you use to soothe
their qualms.
So find their problems and provide the solution.
This will make them sit up to attention.
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6. Make sure you
understand what
you’re writing.
It might sound silly, but it's very easy to get
lazy and write a sentence that not even you
fully grasp.
If the reader doesn’t get it, they will likely stop
reading there and then, never to return.
Read it back until you fully get it.
7. You'll sink like a duck in
mud if your writing isn't
sincere.
Great writers have mastered the art of sincerity.
This illicits trust and likability, which is why people
would even want to click the like button.
We do this first by fully immersing ourselves in our
own language. You need to feel what you're saying.
You need to channel your giving a fuck into the
words as you write them.
This is why writing with a sense of emotion is so critical.
If you're just going through the writing motions and
don't genuinely care about your reader like they're a
long-lost buddy, you're not for this game.
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8. If you lack confidence in
your ability to cause a
ruckus, you must find it.
There's a little scaly dragon snoozing in the
cave of your mind right now.
He's there to befriend, so he can take you and
your creations higher. Your unity with your
dragon-bud is what your reader is looking for.
You have to find the part of you who's willing
to ruffle some chicken feathers and speak
your damn mind.
You will be dead before you know you have
this in you if you keep churning out tepid
tripe.
Your dragon bud
9. Stop trying to write
everything about a
subject.
So many noob writers start out by trying to squeeze a
million things about one topic inside one article.
That's cray cray sauce. Stop making it hard for you and
the reader. They'll be bored in a heartbeat.
Find an angle. Have it focus on the reader's self-interest
and make it more specific.
Instead of 'Northern Japanese green tea,' write about:
'Why northern Japanese green tea can extend your life
by ten years.'
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10. Write faster.
Most of our writing woes are tied to
inefficiencies and bottlenecks.
We can write in the same way a timid person
enters a dark forest for the first time. We're
resistant, move slowly, and our chests are
tight.
But great writing flows from a loose hand.
The quickest shortcut to loose and more open
and expressive writing is to speed it up.
This is made easier when we allow ourselves
to write more than we need. We can always
edit out the less good stuff later.
For now, you want to let go and fill the page
with text.
11. Have an opinion.
Everything can be seen from multiple sides.
People want to see your side.
They are dying for a resolute perspective, even if you
don’t feel it 100% inside. You aren’t some wet leaf in the
wind.
There’s no traction there.
You are in the business of taking someone by the lapels
and shaking them into action, even if done with class
and grace.
What’s your take?
The more controversial, the more heads will turn.
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12. Don’t worry about
repeating yourself.
On a competitive Internet, you'd benefit far
more by sharing a higher volume of material.
This increases your surface area for more
attention.
I hear too many people holding back from
sharing because they worry they will repeat
themselves.
I repeat myself all the time. I re-share old
ideas. Most don't notice.
Repetition is persuasion - both for yourself as
a worthy creator who shows up and as a
driving force for learning.
13. The best writers
entertain themselves.
If you know exactly what you’ll write before you’ve
started, I’m not surprised you lost interest.
Writing should be a process of exploration and filling
in gaps.
Most of all, it should be a process of discovering yourself
and what bizarre and world-changing ideas you keep
tucked away in that mind of yours.
This is how to look forward to your writing session,
rather than finding excuses to avoid it.
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14. Write about your
genuine passions.
You must aim to write about something that
aligns with a deeper cause that sparks you up.
If you know everything about your field,
you’ll get bored.
What’s your deeper cause?
This comes from knowing your resentments
and peeves.
Where have you seen damage and pain in
your life?
What do you hate about the world?
Start here and write your way to change.
15. Great writing is about
saving the readers’ time.
But Alex, how could you save time if it takes time to read
the damn thing?
First, if you can help people save time and be productive
through your content, super.
But our subject matter isn't always about helping people
save time.
By cutting all the non-essential fluff, getting to the
point, and making your words clear and easy on the eye,
you end up with a more valuable piece that serves the
reader.
They saved time because they didn't read Nathan's
waffly tome...
They found you.
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16. Don't tell us what
we need to hear.
To attract interest, you have a limited second
to appeal.
We know that people need to do hard things to
improve their lives. But this is not what they
want to hear.
They initially want to know that change is
within reach, and that they will become
higher status, more liked, more well-off and
happier in the process.
Package the hard stuff (the bitter pill) into the
fun stuff (the chocolate covering).
Thank you for reading!
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