Like every other writer who attended the summit, my expectations were reeking like a teenager’s hormones.
I mean, if you entered the summit hall at Ibadan on July 16th, 2022 right before the event commenced, you’d literally perceive the expectations. Ha ha.
The best part? No one returned home disappointed. The summit was value packed. We learned, unlearned, and relearned.
I could write about the whole summit from the moment I stepped in.
Starting from when I finally met my 2 years virtual mentor, the organizer, Mr. Daniel Emmanuel. My heart knew so much joy. I’d longed for it. What an honor.
However, if I write from A to Z, you may miss the main ideas I want you to pick.
So, enough about me already. This one’s for you.
I have highlighted seven profound strategies no one told you about gaining visibility, building influence, and making money as a writer.
But first, read what Mrs. Oluchi Emmanuel, the wife of the host, wanted every writer to know about their mindset.
Mrs. Oluchi Emmanuel opened the floor with a powerful topic, The Mindset of a Successful Writer.
She started by revealing how the digital world connected her with her husband, Mr. Daniel.
Wait, did she shoot her shot? Well, go on here and get the full gist, will you? It’s a funny but divinely orchestrated story.
Now, where were we? Yes, the mindset.
As you may have heard, the mind is the place where imaginations are birthed and dreams accomplished before they even become a reality.
As such, a writer must pay special attention to this powerful tool (the mind) if they want to become influential and profitable writers.
That is, if you’re a writer, you must have the right mindset that your pen and voice are mighty because that is only when they will count, and you, be valued.
In her words, “As a writer, you can’t be lenient with words. What happens inside of you, is what manifests outside.”
You must let go of the negative mindset you’ve cultivated towards writing.
For instance, believing that writing is just a hobby and not a means of livelihood, or making an impact, and income.
The truth is, writing is profitable but only if you believe so.
Mrs. Oluchi Emmanuel gave a solution to breaking old habits. “It takes 63 days to break an old habit,” She said.
The First 21 days–the destruction of the old mindset.
The Second 21 days–installation of a new mindset.
The Third 21 days–integrating new beliefs.
She rounded up by encouraging all writers to repeat a set of affirmative words.
“I’m an influential writer”
“I’m a wealthy writer”
“My pen is powerful”
“My skills are good enough”
Connect with Mrs. Oluchi Emmanuel here
Next On The Schedule Was – How To Make 1,000 Dollars As A Freelance Writer by Mr. Daniel Ayeni.
Mr. Daniel Ayeni is a freelance writer ‘Guru’ who has, over the past 4 years, earned thousands of dollars offering writing services on one of the most competitive freelance marketplaces, Upwork.
While he made it clear that there were several freelance platforms for writers, he focused more on the UPWORK platform.
Here is a summary of what he talked about:
- How to create an Upwork account.
- How to optimize an Upwork account.
- What and what not to include in your Upwork proposals (including what to look for in the client’s profile before sending your proposals).
- How to land your first client and start earning in dollars.
And much more!
Next – Connecting Time
In my mind, I was like, “Yes! This is the part I’ve been longing for.”
The way every writer in the hall started interacting as though we’d known one another for a very long time showed I wasn’t the only one who’d been eager to connect. Lol.
The best part so far? The connection didn’t stop at the summit.
We each still talk and share our ideas. I’m now friends with so many great minds that I may never have crossed paths with if I hadn’t attended the summit.
We took several pictures, shared ideas, and lots more! Who knows, some probably found their soulmates and I would not be surprised to receive a wedding invitation sometime soon. Ha ha
7 Powerful Ideas Every Writer Must Know
You’ve had the appetizer. Now, here is the main dish!
Mr. Daniel, a phenomenal writer who also happens to be a coach, mentor, or both to most of the writers on seats at the summit began by sharing briefly how he started his writing career 6 years ago.
In his words, “An accountant transformed from loving figures to loving words that bring in the figures.”
You can catch up on Mr. Daniel’s background here.
He dived into the topic by highlighting the two types of visibility: organic and paid visibility.
While he spoke in-depth, I’ve picked out the 7 basic things you as a writer need to start doing now to increase your visibility, influence, and profit.
Ready? Go on and have a bite below.
- Have a profitable niche
As a writer, you mustn’t just choose a niche but one that provides a solution for which the world will reward you.
This is where striking a balance between skill, passion, experience, and profitability comes in.
Mr. Daniel advised writers to have a target audience. This makes sense, of course. Even if you sell oxygen, not everyone needs your service.
- Expand your knowledge
Now that you’ve picked a niche, the next thing is to start developing yourself in that niche. This is where learning comes into play.
One way to learn is by reading. He says, “if you can read well, you will write well.” The world is evolving, and so should every writer.
Equip yourself with as much information as you can. Keep growing so you don’t become obsolete after sharing all you know.
Attend seminars, read books, and register for classes. That’s how you become valuable and sought after.
- Create a portfolio (work samples)
Every potential client needs to know you’re capable as a writer before entrusting you with their work.
And one way to prove to them your expertise is by showing samples of your similar past projects. By all means, have them ready.
Okay, so you’re a newbie. That’s fine. Find a relevant topic in your niche and write a killer sample that will wow your prospective clients.
This is how you gain their trust, and of course, their money too ($winks).
- Offer free value
A writer should be value-minded before anything else, and that includes money.
One of the best ways to become valuable is to dish out free values. Your pen and words are powerful weapons. Put them to good use.
Offer free classes. Share free tips on your social media. Just keep offering value. This is an incredible way to showcase your expertise and win potential clients at the same time.
Okay, so no one likes your posts. Don’t be discouraged. Keep posting. Someone’s watching.
“Most of my clients have never liked my posts either, but they reached out to me after seeing what I shared. I’d have lost them all if I had stopped after one post of no likes.” Mr. Daniel shared.
“Keep posting. And remember, someone is watching.” He encouraged.
- Offer a product or service
“Money is an exchange for value.”
Make sure you’re providing value that people are willing to pay you for. Know the challenge of your audience and position yourself/skill as the way out.
For instance, do you have E-books, coaching services, courses, and other products? Do you offer your writing services?
In his words, “Without products or services to offer, no one can pay you as a writer.”
- Market your services/products
It’s not enough to have something to sell.
“You may be the best writer but if no one knows about you, they can’t pay you for it.”
Leverage the digital world to market yourself. Let the world know you have the skills and are ready to help them in exchange for money.
As a writer, visibility is the key to earning from your skills. Don’t hide. Show up consistently, talking about your products or services.
They are for the benefit of others, so you do your target audience a disservice when you don’t market your products or services consistently. Come out of hiding!
And last but not least…
- Build your audience
Where is your audience? Do you know them? Have you found them? Good. Now create a community around them and work every day to keep increasing the number.
Think long term, having in mind that the more the people, the more your income.
Would you like to connect directly with Mr. Daniel Emmanuel for coaching, or any of his other writing services (such as book editing, publishing, and much more)?
Click here for a one-on-one talk with Mr. Daniel.
Dear reader, if you gained this much from mere documentation from one of the attendants of the summit (your beloved writer), imagine the value those who actually attended consumed.
What does that tell you? Don’t miss the next one!
We look forward to seeing you at the next summit! You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
What did you learn from this article? And what one question do you want answers to in your writing career? Feel free to drop your comments in the comment section below. 👇
If you attended the summit, share your experience below. And tell us what you learned that wasn’t shared above.😊
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1 comments On 7 Powerful Ideas Every Writer Must Know – Excerpt From #IWACIbadanWritersSummit
It was indeed a great summit and I missed a lot!