How I Wrote 300 Articles In 12 Months. 5 Tactics That Made It Effortless

How I became a relentless writing machine

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I never thought this would happen to me.

In the last 12 months, I wrote 300 articles and built a $5,500/month writing business. All while working a normal job. It still feels surreal. But I’m not special. You can do this too.

You just need this key. Consistency.

Writing 300 posts in a year makes it hard to fail. But let’s be real. Becoming consistent is tough. Everyone says just write consistently. But no one shows you how.

I struggled when I started. But I eventually cracked the code. And it was these five tactics that transformed my writing. And they can do the same for you.

Ready to become a productivity wizard? Let’s go.

1. Start stupidly small (then dominate later)

Every writer I coach makes the same mistake.

They dream too big. After failing for months, they suddenly decide: Tomorrow, I’ll wake up at 5 AM and write for three hours straight. Even though their last writing streak barely lasted four days!

So I gently ask: Why not start with 30 minutes at 7 AM? They scoff. That’s too easy. It’s not enough. But here’s what they miss. The goal isn’t to do it tomorrow. The goal is to do it for 12 months.

Nobody fails because they started too small. But plenty fail because they started too big. I began with 30 minutes a day. One article a week. After three months, I felt comfortable, so I cranked it up. Three articles a week. Now I created 7 a week.

Starting small doesn’t mean aiming small. It means staying in the game long enough to win.

2. Ditch motivation (build a bulletproof routine instead)

Your enthusiasm will betray you.

Today you’re fired up. But tomorrow you won’t be. The only way forward is to build a system. We don’t wake up and decide how to take our coffee. Or whether to brush our teeth. We do it because it’s automatic.

Writing works the same way. We don’t rise to the level of our goals. We fall to the level of our routine.

Here’s 5 keys I’ve used to build a writing routine that sticks:

Write when you’re at your best
You don’t need to write daily. But you do need to write regularly. Choose the time when your mind is sharpest. Morning. Late night. Whenever you feel alive.

Make writing automatic
Don’t rely on willpower. Attach writing to something else. Your morning coffee. The moment your kids are in bed. The end of your workout.

Create a trigger and the habit will follow.

Stack your habit
One habit leads to the next. Step into the routine, and it carries you forward. My mornings:

Shower → Coffee → Pray → Write.

No decision required.

Bribe your brain
In the beginning, your brain will fight you. Give it a reason to cooperate. Give yourself a small reward when you’re done. Your favorite book. A great coffee. A short walk.

Make consistency feel good.

Set yourself up for success
You don’t need a cabin in the woods. But you do need a space that makes writing easier. Music? Silence? A clean desk? A messy one? Find what works and build your fortress.

A writer without a routine is a writer who won’t last. Make writing automatic, and watch what happens.

3. Flip your mindset

The harshest critic in writing isn’t the world — it’s the voice telling you it’s not good enough.

No matter how much progress you’ve made. You’ll find yourself fixating on how much further you have to go. It’s easy to look at others and feel like crap. But comparison is the fast track to self-doubt.

Tattoo this across your forehead: You fail only if you stop writing.

Here’s a simple trick to keep your energy flowing. Look behind more than you look ahead. Celebrate every ounce of progress. Set input goals — how many writing sessions you’ve done, how many posts you’ve published. Focus on what you can control, and relish those wins. They’ll fuel your next steps.

I used to track my follower count every day. On days when I felt like nothing was moving, I’d look back at a random date in the past. Then calculate how much I had grown. It always gave me a boost. Then, just for fun, I’d project my growth rate three months ahead. It reminded me all I had to do was keep showing up. And success would eventually find me.

See your progress, and let it reignite your motivation.

4. Feed your brain (or starve your writing)

Ideas are the fuel that drives your writing.

When I’m excited about what I’m creating, the words come easily. There’s an energy that practically flows from my fingertips. But when I hit a wall. When the idea just isn’t there. It feels like pulling teeth. Slow and painful.

The key is having overflowing bank of ideas. You don’t want to be stuck wondering what to write about. So I make it a habit to consume quality content daily. Jotting down any good ideas I come across in Evernote.

I also pay close attention to my readers. The comments they leave. That’s where the magic happens. People will tell you what they want to read. They’ll highlight problems, ask questions, share frustrations. It’s a goldmine for ways to connect with them.

Don’t sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. You’ve got to go after it. Hunt for those ideas like your writing depends on it — because it does.

5. Crush the real enemy (it’s not the algorithm)

You need to face your biggest problem.

And it’s not:

• your readers

• the algorithm

• your boss or family

It’s you.

When I started writing I thought my biggest battle would be the blank screen. Or finding the secret to growth. Or crafting the perfect sentence. I was shocked to discover the internal enemies I needed to fight:

• procrastination

• perfectionism

• insecurity

This is a battle you have to win.

Study yourself. Notice your reaction. Try out a few solutions. Each person is different. But here’s a few ideas that have helped me. Use what’s helpful.

Realise no one cares

It’s so nerve-wracking to publish your thoughts.

We imagine people mocking our efforts. Friends, family or our boss laughing behind our backs. This stops us writing. But the brutal truth is no one cares.

Everyone is obsessed with their own life. The few sentences you post are irrelevant.

Write something terrible

Reset your expectations.

Your goal is to write. To publish. If it’s terrible that’s ok. You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. Persistence is an essential trait.

And relax. You don’t have to get it right the first time. This is not brain surgery.

To get ahead. Set yourself to write for 12 months. Use these strategies to become consistent. Knowing if you do. Good things will happen.

Derek

PS. You’ve only got a couple of days to book your place at this free Substack masterclass. I’ve gained 2,500 following the advice of Sinem & her team. So I know this stuff works. Grab your spot here.