The formula behind *high-value* (one-of-a-kind) writing
And the GPT to help you do the same
Many people question why their newsletter or socials are not growing as fast as they want. They’ve tried all the hacks and even resorted to paid ads, but nothing is working.
Often because it’s of one small fact, and it’s a bit of a stinger to admit but it’s this: the writing just isn’t that good. It’s not good enough.
In today’s world, the bar is higher than ever to get attention. So if you want to stand out, this is the formula behind what I call *high-value* one-of-a-kind content.
Let’s go!
Step 1: Find the right problem to solve
We’ve discussed finding the right problem and applying different writing frameworks. What is critical is that you are speaking about something people care about.
The best writing in the world about something nobody cares about is likely to flop.
But there are several other ‘basic’ concepts we need to go over before you can get onto the next bit of what makes up ‘high-value’ writing. Without these basic concepts, you spoil any hope you have of making an impact.
These things set up the ‘potential’ of your writing. With these things ticked off, you allow your content to go further. Here are the basic things you want to make sure you cover:
Clear beats clever — make it easy to follow and straightforward; you lose people trying to be clever.
Specific beats general — don’t go broad; pinpoint the thing to write about and delve deep.
Simplicity beats jargon — use the simplest words you can find and avoid any jargon.
Curated beats random — the way your writing looks is important. Mix up the structure, use bullet points, and design your writing.
Time beats popular — write about the things you know rather than the things that are trending but you have no experience in; authenticity matters.
After that, we can get onto the fun bit.
Step 2: S.O.V - speed of value
Your first job with your writing is to prove to your reader that being here is worth their time.
When someone is reading your work, they have two big questions:
Trust: Can you help me solve my problem?
Proof: Can you prove it?
Maybe your writing piece is 5 minutes long, and it’s free. You might be fooled into thinking that everybody should be reading your work because you spent ages on it, and it’s free — so why wouldn’t they read it?
That’s not how it works.
I thought for a long time that was *exactly* how it worked, but it turns out it’s not (and I wasted a lot of time in that mentality). Just because you wrote the thing doesn’t mean that people are going to immediately read it. There’s so much of content in the world — far too much for any one person to consume.
It means that if you want to stand out, you have to be exceptional. So exceptional that it will fill you with fear — you’re going to have to put your best work into the world, give it everything you’ve got, and expect nothing in return.
For paid content, it’s got to be that plus something else. So incredible content (content so good you would pay for it) plus more access, extras, or an increased frequency.
It’s your job in the first few paragraphs (and ideally sentences) to prove that you:
a) Know what you’re talking about
b) Provide value
The general rule of thumb is the quicker you can provide value, the more likely people are to read to the end. And if they’re reading to the end, they’re building trust with your brand.
And the more of that you do, the more likely you are to sell something to them later down the line.