Note: this post was originally written as an Atomic Essay as part of Ship 30 for 30 and posted on Twitter. I’ve copied the essay content here so it isn’t just lost in the endlessness of the Twitter feed. Enjoy!
The internet is a wild place isn’t it?
All kinds of people have opinions on what you should write, how you should write, how often you should post, why you do or don’t need a niche and on and on.
The truth? The “rules” are made up.
Are there people who are absolutely killing it online that you can learn from? Undoubtedly.
But learning from someone on the internet doesn’t mean you need to try to become a copy of that person.
No one wants to hang out with a copy of Justin Welsh when they can just go to the source.
If you want to test out different writing or growth methods – go wild, but please – and I can’t stress this enough – put your real personality into your writing.
Humans want to interact with and learn from authentic humans, not regurgitated, generic content.
You get to choose how and what you share, but remember the humans you’re connecting with are imperfect, flawed individuals who are drawn to people who are willing to share their flaws.
Find a way to do this that works for you, whether it’s with humor, emotion or vulnerability.
The bottom line?
When it comes to advice on the internet – take what works for you and leave the rest.
