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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.tayosolagbade.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule 
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IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS newsletter is published online on the “reincarnated” version of my Self-Development (SD) Nuggets blog. I continue to put finishing touches to the content. If you encounter ANY bad/dead links, and you can spare the time, email it to me via tayo at tksola dot com. Thanks in advance
No. 157: Deciding What You Need to Write – or Speak – About (3 Strategies You Can Use)
As an expert-who-speaks (or writes), the topic, subject, or theme you choose to focus on can be a crucial determinant of your success.
If your audience loves it, you’ll become a “hero” who demystifies it for them. Otherwise, you may get largely ignored…until you can do better.
Today’s issue was inspired by a question sent in by a friend “D”, after she’d read my writing/blogging category article published last Saturday (30/08/2014) titled “To Succeed, You Need a Reason for Writing“.
“D” explained that she had always loved writing – and that it had been a passion of sorts since she was a kid. However, in order to take her writing to a more formal level, she wanted to know how to “figure out” WHAT to write about(?)
An Excellent Question: It Got Me Thinking Back to When I Started Writing…
I deliberately took my time to think about her question – reflecting on how I began my own writing on a formal basis back when I was a 27 year old brewer in Guinness Nigeria.
Then I thought about the stories of many other experts and how they had started out writing – in some cases they’d also explained WHY they had begun writing.
That mental journey has pointed me to the most critical consideration that I believe one needs to keep in mind in order to accurately decide what to write about.
Now, rather than simply send her my reply, it occurred to me that there might be others looking to also choose a subject to write about.
Indeed, I have written several articles (like this one) about my belief that MORE people need to write.
What I however failed to realize is that my readers may actually be keen to do as I suggest, but may be struggling to decide what to focus their own writing on.
Thankfully, D’s question has helped me to put that into consideration. So, I’ve used her enquiry to prepare this article, and at the end, I announce a special paid coaching service offer. (See further down).
I’ve Tried to Come Up With a Practical Answer: So I Suggest 3 Strategies…
To decide what to write about, you may find it useful to…
1. Think About What Drives You (i.e. Your Magnificent Obsession)
[Hint: I consider this the most important way to decide what to write about. You simply cannot go wrong. And it often determines what you do in using the 2 other strategies I discuss later. Click HERE to read an article I wrote few years back, which reveals insights offered by a billionnaire about the importance of having a Magnificent Obsession.]
Most of us have dreams and aspirations that drive us. When they are positive, and worthwhile, very often, that’s what it means to have a Magnificent Obsession (MO).
In my Self-Development Bible™, I outlined 10 key strategies that I have successfully used – over 2 decades – to DEVELOP needed competencies to excel in ANY vocation I ventured in life.
From my time in school, right through paid employment, and over the past decade as an entrepreneur, I have repeatedly and successfully applied those strategies with great success, such that people kept (and keep!) saying: “Tayo, you are amazing, how do you do it?!”
In that book, the first strategy I recommend for the intending achiever (in writing or any other vocation) is:
Develop a MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION (MO).
Below, is a screenshot of useful excerpts that explain what a Magnificent Obsession is:
I strongly recommend writing about anything and everything related to YOUR MO. But do it creatively, ALWAYS in a way that will make it interesting for your target audience.
EXAMPLE: My Magnificent Obsession is Using Self-Development to Achieve Performance Improvement (i.e. Finding Newer & Better Ways to Do What I Do, and Helping Others Do Same)
I am obsessed with learning new and better ways to do things I have an interest in or passion for. And my obsession drives me to share solutions I discover (and/or develop) with others, to help them improve in their personal and work lives.
This explains why I never get tired of creating new problem solving products/services needed by my target audiences, and writing about how to make the most of them.
I am able to do it all seemingly effortlessly, because it leads directly to the fulfilment of my Magnificent Obessiona.
To find YOUR OWN Magnificent Obsession, do some deep soul searching.
Make out quality quiet time to be alone to do this if needed.
What you learn will point you towards what you’re likely to be able to – tirelessly – write about so passionately and compellingly, that readers who need it will be unable to resist!
My Self-Development Bible™ has a full chapter that describes how to develop a Magnificent Obsession that can help you.
If you subscribe at www.tayosolagbade.com, a download link to it (and over 10 others) will be delivered to the email address you supply via an auto-response message.
Useful Note: Burt Dubin, in advising experts-who-speak on choosing their topic recommends in one of his articles, that you should “listen to your feelings”, and focus on that which will not remain unsaid i.e. your message for the world.
Those who signup for Burt’s Speaking Success System, get taught – and helped – to do this.
Indeed, Burt helps each client identify a flagsship subject to offer defined target audeiences. And then he helps you prepare, package, promote and present your message to them.
Many tutored by Burt have gone on to great success as speakers. And most acknowledge that helping them identify WHAT to speak about was how Burt helped them succeed.
Click here to learn more about Burt’s Speaking Success System. He offers an elaborate range of products and services for experts-who-speak, and those aspiring. NB: I represent Burt as Sole Agent for marketing his products and services.
2. Read – and Think – Frequently About What Drives You
This strategy should be guided by what you identify your MO to be.
Good writers are often great – even voracious – readers.
Judging from my experiences, to make knowing what to write about easy, you MUST invest major time and effort in reading.
“One must spend time in gathering knowledge to give it out richly…” – Samuel Johnson
What you read provides you raw material from which to creatively come up with new ideas to discuss based on the theme of your MO.
Now, if you correctly identify your MO from no. 1 above, I can tell you that knowing what to read, and actually reading it will NOT take you much effort. Indeed, you will find that you derive immense please from doing so.
Your experience doing this can only be different if you fail to correctly narrow down to your MO. So, be sure you get that right first!
My Example: I readily develop interest in reading and talking about anything related to performance improvement or finding better ways to do what my target audiences do.
For instance, any bits of information or news relevant to helping farm businesses spend less to make produce and/or sell more, always gets my interest.
But I don’t just read and tell others. Instead I immediately think about possible implications of what I read, for my Farm CEO clients I know. Sometimes I pick up the phone and call them to discuss possibilities.
This attitude was what led me to write my popular article on Poultry Farm Performance Calculations. And it eventually led me to develop my Poultry Farm Manager software (in which the 3 Key Performance Indicator calculations described in my article) are auto-computed based on daily entries of farm data.
Today, I get enquiries from Farm CEOs within and outside Africa for that app, and more are going ahead to make sales (see 16 video tutorials created for a recent buyer here).
3. Tap Into Your Personal Experiences & Where Possible, Those of Others
This is probably the easiest way to decide what to write about. Anytime I have interaction with prospects or clients, be it offline or on the web, it’s often a potential writing opportunity. This is why many of my articles tend to be based on such situations.
But sometimes I actually write to share specific experiences based on reflection on lessons learned or insights gained. There are times when I use my experiences, and others times when I use my observation of experiences some other persons had.
What matters is ensuring that useful VALUE is distilled for the reader to benefit from. There should be something worthwhile to take away from reading it. This implies you must be able to analyze experiences and distil useful knowledge or insights from them.
I must add here that writing based on your (or other people’s) experiences can often help you connect most effectively with your readers.
Many times I’ve noticed that such experience based (story telling) pieces are the ones that have made readers contact me about solutions I offer.
After Deciding What to Write About, Many Will Need A System To Keep Them Accountable!
For those looking to settle on WHAT to write about, FINDING it will just be the first step.
Getting the needed writing done, again and again, and AGAIN can however often turn out to be difficult for most people.
That’s where they struggle i.e. keeping at it!
What I’ve found is that it can get easier to continue writing (and less easy to stop!) if you have a formal audience (e.g. fans/followers) – and at some point even income – accruing from doing it!
They are likely to make it more difficult for a new writer to skip writing as and when due.
For instance, s/he will know those who “follow” his/her writing will come asking “WHY”, if no new write-ups are published for prolonged periods.
Also, if some income (no matter how small) is coming in, s/he is unlikely to give in to the temptation to stop or skip writing (NB: I will be offering – and researching – ideas on ways to earn income, after the startup phase, to each learner).
That’s why my coaching support service involves making learners carry out their exercises on a PUBLIC platform. They’ll they know a lapse will be easy to spot = No hiding place.
And it will all begin with YOU agreeing to make a public announcement that you are STARTING!
Final Words: I Know It Won’t Be Easy, So I Offer a Coaching for Early Writing Take-Off™ Service
Having outlined the 3 strategies above, for deciding what to write about, I realize not everyone can be like me, and find it easy to get started on their own. So, I offer a support service to help you overcome the “inertia”!
This is however not a writing course of any sort. And neither is it a certification program.
Instead it’s a special support service that uses real-world writing tasks/exercises based on YOUR MO, which I will work with the learner to identify.
Each learner will commit to delivering formally agreed “practice” write-ups weekly, which (following review) I will convert on his/her behalf into various formats, into online channels personalised/branded for him/her – by me.
My purpose is to guide interested persons from choosing WHAT to write about, to actually starting up and continuing for the 1st 3 months.
The discipline needed to write useful content consistently is not easy for most people to come by.
Even professional writers periodically battle with it!
And that’s where I aim to add value to people with this confidential coaching service. (To get details, fill/submit this form).
Those who enroll would be required to do a minimum of one 500 word piece per week (for example), under my guidance, using a special platform I will setup for each person.
In essence, I will work closely with you, to help get you started writing SOMETHING you care about, with purpose, on a reasonably consistent basis. Once we agree that you’re able to continue on your own, the formal coaching relationship will end…
Except you choose to keep it going.
Either way, by the time we get to this stage, you will ALREADY have a respectiable body of writign that you will be PROUD to show off to anyone as proof that YOU ARE A WRITER!
If the above benefit interests you, fill/submit this form to request futher details.
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SPECIAL PRODUCT FEATURE
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In this offer, Burt Dubin promises to show you how to generate PASSIVE incomes streams WHETHER YOU SPEAK OR NOT.
Plus, you learn a proven shortcut to top level speaking business success across corporate markets.
So, with diligent persistent application of what you learn you’ll start (as Burt says)…”bringing home high speaking fees”…whether you speak or not…in a matter of weeks….
Sooner than later you’ll find you’re ready to go for Burt’s mentoring at Diamond or higher Inner Circle membership level.
The best part is: every cent of your fee to purchase this product counts toward your membership in Burt’s Inner Circle.
In other words, you effectively get to eat your cake and still have it!
CLICK HERE to get full details of what it takes to make yourself a true speaking business champion in Burt’s Boot Camp V: Inside Speaking Business Success Secrets
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Have a great week :-))
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