# Mastering the Art of One-Hit Wonders: A Writer's Journey
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Chapter 1: The Path to Your First Success
Achieving a significant milestone in writing often feels daunting due to the fears that can hold individuals back. Whether it's making a career shift (which may not be advisable), approaching someone you're interested in, or publishing an article you deem unworthy, these fears can be paralyzing. The debate continues about how many pieces you need to produce before hitting a breakthrough. Personally, my first 50 articles earned me less than a dollar. Interestingly, the first time I saw any notable income was with my 132nd piece.
You can check out my most lucrative article here, which focuses on enhancing student memory, currently earning $107.43, in case you're curious. When you're just starting out, the number of articles you have is too limited to identify meaningful patterns. Even after 170 articles published behind the Medium paywall, I still feel I'm not quite there, but let’s keep moving forward.
Chapter 1.1: Recognizing When to Move On
My experience without notifications on Medium led me to doubt the value of my time on the platform. Ironically, the article I wrote on March 19, 2024, turned out to be one of my top-performing pieces that month. As Albert Einstein famously said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
New writers must focus on improving headlines, hooks, and calls to action. It's insufficient to simply write more; it’s crucial to identify and address your weaknesses. Initially, you may not even be aware of these weak points. Here are some aspects to consider:
- Headlines: Potential readers need clarity on who the article is for and what they will gain from it. If this article were titled "Get Started, Keep Going, Get Better," the ambiguity would likely lead you to abandon it mid-sentence.
- Hooks: These should be present in various parts of your writing. If your opening sentence doesn’t entice readers to continue, we have a problem.
- Skimmability: Despite numerous rejections from publications, I initially thought the reviewers were overly selective. However, feedback from the editor of my highest-earning article changed my perspective on formatting. They pointed out that my subtitle was too vague and that I was wasting valuable space.
- Rhythm: Having a PhD or a high IQ doesn’t guarantee good writing. If your sentences are bogged down with complex vocabulary, it can hinder the reader's experience. Aim for clarity and maintain a lively pace.
- Storytelling: If your hook fails to provoke at least three questions from your audience, you’re likely making statements rather than crafting engaging hooks.
Chapter 1.2: The Formula for Repeating Your Success
As a novice writer, you don't choose your niche; you uncover it. Write passionately until you gather enough insights to redirect your focus. After your first notable success, things start to get thrilling. At this stage, it’s essential to delve into resources like Nicolas Cole’s "The Art and Business of Online Writing" and Matthew Dicks’ "StoryWorthy," as they will enhance your chances of replicating your success.
The true advantage comes when you have enough traction to analyze your readers' interests. Although I'm unsure what the tipping point is, once you accumulate a certain number of views, patterns begin to emerge that might surprise you.
Before achieving enough reads to apply this analysis, I would have categorized my articles into four main themes: ADHD, teaching, training, and writing. Surprisingly, none of these themes resonated with my readers' interests.
To uncover what your audience cares about, check the statistics page for your stories.
“There are two types of writers today: those who use data to inform their writing and those who fail,” says Nicolas Cole. According to my audience's preferences, my most profitable articles center around education, psychology, and science.
With my article "No You Don’t Have ADHD" being my most popular, it’s no wonder that it merges education, psychology, and science with personal storytelling. When considering revenue, focus less on what you want to write and more on what people are eager to read.
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This piece was published on August 27, 2024, in Long. Sweet. Valuable. publication.
