The Mindful Art of Developing A “Give-a-Shit” Plan for Writing Prolifically (And How I Used it to Write 100,000 Words This Month)
Free Box Cutter Co. Issue #47
I write words to make a living. I’ve been at it awhile.
I also write words as part of living. I’ve been at that for decades.
Part of what I mean here — is that weaving words, forming sentences, purposing and re-purposing paragraphs, and formulating thought onto flat surfaces (screen or paper) — has been a big part of how I’ve made a living (through employment) for a good chunk of my adult life.
I shared some of this in a recent Issue (#43): I've Made Over $500,000 From Weaving Words (The Art of Monetizing Your Mind With Today's Hottest Commodity)
But added to this, writing words as part of living has also been a critical part of my life. I make efforts to write daily in a Learning Journal. If not daily, it’s at least weekly. I’ve done this for close to 3 decades.
[Audio version available in Substack Podcasts]
I track thoughts, make little mind maps and sketches, write notes, and do a lot of free writing. It assists me in rolling things around in my head, looking at them from different angles, thinking about options, and trying to uncover hidden biases and habits.
What does this have to do with a “Give-a-Shit” plan and publishing about 100,000 words this month?
That’s the theme of this week’s Box Cutter Free Issue #47.
It relates to the diagram above that opens this Issue. It’s all about carefully choosing how we’re going to give out our limited supply of “shits-to-give” on any given day.
More on this below… 👇
Summary
On track to publish 100,000 words this month
My how-to-write prolifically system
The Cycle of Shits-to-Give
Applying the Cycle-of-Shits
What does 100,000 words published in a month pay?
The Bandura Perspective: “Self-Efficacy” in Writing
Crafting A “Give-a-Shit” Plan for More Writing
On Track to Publish 100,000 Words this Month
This isn’t intended to brag or shout from rooftops.
The intent of sharing this number is to outline some systems and steps I used to accomplish this. All in all, it’s not complicated to share the systems and steps (the interweb is full of these tidbits and tips). However, it can be deeply challenging to implement.
I also wrote about this in a Medium story last week (which has made a whopping $3.64 thus far).
When I wrote and published the story early last week on Medium I was already well over 50,000 published words. On Medium alone, the read time of my October-published stories was over 100 minutes across more than 10 published stories.
In addition to publishing on Medium, I also publish this free weekly issue of Box Cutter - and this past week released Issue #1 of The Solopreneur Series (long form). I often re-purpose components into Medium stories, and sometimes vice versa.
I also write daily on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and my Solopreneur writing business requires more writing (proposals, social media posts, and a regular newsletter). Thus, not all my published writing is under my name.
Based on a quick bit of research, I discovered:
the average non-fiction self-help book is about 50,000 words or so
the number of words in a 5 to 6-hour documentary is about 50,000 words
my approximately 200-page doctoral dissertation (finished in 2021) was about 75,000-85,000 words and I was somewhere close to Draft #33 when I wrapped things up. (That was about 1.5 years of re-writing and writing).
Theoretically, if I were to take all my published words this month, I could publish a decent-sized book. Theoretically, 100,000 words over 30 days is almost 3,500 words per day. And that’s about accurate.
This month, I’ll have written words (with the intent to publish) every day of the month. Some days have been close to 10,000 words — other days maybe just a few hundred.
My ‘How-to-Write Prolifically’ system
My system is not complex… And I don’t mean this rudely or dismissively.
It’s based on this diagram below👇
This is a play on an old Stephen Covey diagram and approach from his highly popular late 1980s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
It’s also based on the illustration that opens this Issue — our jar of daily “Shits-to-Give”.
In our household… we call it, the mindful art of allocating shits to give. We’re careful about where we choose to “give a shit” (And trust me, I get pretty fired up about quite a few things).
In this current media and social media-flooded world, there is an endless breadth of things to give a shit about. But… sort of like theories of willpower —e.g., that we only have so much to give on any particular day.
I believe, in the same line of thinking, willpower is also like only having so many shits to give on any given day.
When we wake up, that cup of coffee or tea is like ingesting our metaphorical Jar of Shits to Give. It’s a finite amount. We must use them carefully.
So if I choose to spill my whole allocation of daily shits first thing in the morning by angrily commenting on the first 20 posts I read on X or on LinkedIn… or some news media article, well… then… the things I might need to actually give a shit about later in the day, are left hanging, undone, lost, shrinking away.
Similarly, if I dole out a bunch of shits trying to get my teenagers to take the perfect lunch to school and eat a breakfast comprised of all 5 food groups, including the 4.9 food groups they don’t like… well… then… the things I should probably actually give a shit about later in the day, are left hanging, undone, lost, shrinking away (before 8 a.m.)
To “give-a-shit” means to give something energy, time, and thinking. But we simply can’t give-a-shit about everything — especially if you’re writing online. If you write online, guaranteed you will get trolls and troglodytes. You will get ridiculous comments and reactions (especially if Facebook is part of your strategy). It’s simply, more often than not, not worth giving some comments energy. In other words, don’t give-a-shit.
The Circles of “Shits-to-Give”
Based on the diagram above.
1. The Centre Circle — Our Individual Circle of Control
This is the crux of the matter.
In each of our lives, there are very few things we can each individually actually control. For the most part, all of us only need to look in a mirror to see what those are. It’s the things extending inwards from the giant organ (kind of like a giant sack) that holds our bodies in one place (e.g., our skin).
Philosopher, writer, and speaker Alan Watts used to say that we are essentially all just sacks of skin wandering around the world.
What we can control largely lies within that sack of skin — and even that is up for debate sometimes. These are things such as our own behaviours, reactions, actions, and attitudes. We simply cannot control other people, their behaviours, or their choices. We can potentially only influence.
2. The Outer Circle — Circle of Influence
Once we jiggle our way beyond our Self, we enter the realm of what we may be able to influence.
While you can’t dictate outcomes in this circle, your actions, attitudes, or efforts can sway them. This can include our kids, spouses, friends, colleagues, neighbourhoods — and sometimes in rare cases out beyond that. Sometimes our pets (unless you have a cat or two…).
This circle is about potentially engaging positive external change. Key to this is recognizing our ability to inspire, motivate, or influence others, so we can make a broader impact without overextending our Self.
But each of us individually must be wise in recognizing the law of diminishing returns. There comes a time when we simply have to draw a boundary on the energy we apply to influencing some thing and some individuals, as the issues have extended out further into the realm of everything else… 👇
3. Everything else…
This is my addition to the circles of influence and control — it’s the rest of the shit. These are areas where if you give too many, or even a few, shits… you will be simply wasting your daily, weekly, monthly allocation of shits to give.
Not for a second am I suggesting ignoring the shitty things out there in the world. Nor, am I suggesting we should be wandering around aimlessly with shit-eating grins on our faces saying “Everything is going to be just fine”. Nor, dropping into some nihilistic worldview bemoaning “Nothing matters!”
Instead, we can simply move back to that centre circle and give more shits to what we can control — and that lies within the sack of skin we call our Self.
Applying the Cycle-of-Shits
“Easier said than done…” many might say.
Indeed.
Much of my professional life has been spent working with marginalized communities and people. That is where I choose to give-a-shit. However, to do this type of work year after year requires very careful management on how one doles out their limited supply of shits-to-give.
The old cliché and airline safety message “apply your own oxygen mask first before assisting others” — holds true here.
If one is not looking after them Self — and not ensuring there’s some housekeeping within one’s own Circle of Control — then this impacts and limits the work in the Circle of Influence. And… in my experience, it also means that many get far too wrapped up in the things outside of either circle.
Giving far too many shits to things that require few of their shits-to-give.
Things like structural and systemic change require years, decades, or longer. I will often say in some of my work, “It took us a solid century to get into this mess… it’ll probably take us two to get out of it.”
Thus, it’s important to engage in the work, but don’t get too attached to outcomes. Don’t give short-term outcomes too many of your shits, when the game is a long game.
And, thus, here we are back at building prolific writing habits and why I’m so comfortable with the amount of published words this month, and what I’ve “made” off of those.
What Does 100,000 Words Published in a Month Pay?
Across platforms, and across my business services contracts, I’m on track to be around $10,000 this month for revenues. (Including part-time teaching I do for a University, instructing Communications courses).
However, pure revenues from just my digital writing are but a small % of the overall amount. I’m on track to make over $200 US this month on Medium. My biggest month yet on the platform—by far — but, over half of that is one Boosted story alone.
“What?!” you shout…
“You will only make about a percentage of one cent this month for each word published?!”
Yup. My prolific writing strategy is not raking me in millions of dollars, not even thousands — based on word counts alone.
The rewards are not just monetary, but they lie in the value of consistency, audience building, long-term credibility — and continued supporting of Self confidence (e.g., focussing on that inner circle from above).
The Bandura Perspective: “Self-Efficacy” in Writing
Albert Bandura was a renowned Stanford U. psychologist. He also came from humble beginnings. He was raised on a rural Alberta farm in Canada. His father was Polish and his mother was from Ukraine — and neither spoke English. He went on to become one of the top-ranked psychologists of the 20th century. (Granted, there is a bias here in that these are almost all white guys — thankfully times are shifting…)
Bandura wrote almost 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles. He is best known for developing social cognitive theory (also known as social learning theory) along with the concept of self-efficacy – the idea that a person’s belief in their ability to succeed can shape how they think, act and feel.
This brings us back to the centre circle from above. For me, the belief in my ability to succeed in what I’m doing — and supporting the choices I (and we) made is foundational. While, yes, the immediate monetary returns from writing 100,000 words this month (for example) might seem minimal, supporting and expanding my personal self-efficacy is invaluable.
Each article, newsletter, story, post, or other form of writing I’m publishing (and thinking through) strengthens my confidence and conviction in my abilities. It builds a strong foundation in the centre circle — Shit I can Control. It also continues to expand the Shit I Can Influence circle.
(It may be expanding “everything else” too… but I don’t give too many shits to that)
Bandura’s research and theories argued that individuals with high self-efficacy – those who believe they can achieve their goals – are more likely to take on challenging tasks and persist in the face of difficulties.
This theory applies perfectly to the realm of digital and online writing — as well as being a Solopreneur. While it might be challenging to sustain momentum, the belief in one's capability to write consistently becomes a self-sustaining driving force.
The act of writing, and of publishing writing, is not just about immediate gains. It's an investment in the future — on several fronts. It’s often about delayed benefits.
With every piece I publish, I am also building an archive, a repository of thoughts and ideas that can be revisited, repurposed, and monetized in all sorts of ways. Each word — each piece, contributes to an expanding digital footprint (or foundation), solidifying my presence and expertise in a growing digital landscape. (think… 5 billion people with access to the Internet, globally).
The immediate payout might seem modest (maybe even minuscule), but the cumulative effect of consistent writing can be huge. Over time, an audience grows, engagement increases, and so does the potential for monetary gains. Like compound interest in finance, and the gains of a healthy lifestyle, the rewards of consistent writing and publishing can amplify over time.
For those wanting writing as part of their ‘making a living’ plans… this is invaluable.
Crafting A “Give-a-Shit” Plan to Produce More Writing
The art and business of prolific writing is more than pounding away on the keys every day.
For me, it’s purposeful design of knowing where, when, and how to allocate my emotional and mental investments. In other words, my shits to give.
What do I choose to give-a-shit about today (or this hour)?— is a regular prioritizing strategy.
I honed some of this process while I was completing a doctorate degree while working full-time (as a senior leader in healthcare) — and teaching part-time at the local community college (as well as coaching volleyball and skiing seasonally). In the six courses I completed as part of the doctorate (over 5 years), I was required to write regular 4,000-10,000 word research papers.
In the final 1.5 years, I wrote (and re-wrote several times) the over 75,000 word dissertation — while co-raising a young double-blended family, and working full-time plus in a demanding senior leadership role in healthcare (inc. through the pandemic).
Again, this isn’t intended to be bragging or a “look-at-me… look-at-me…” strategy. It’s intended to highlight how certain things spewed out across social media… like “set goals” and “prioritize” and “be consistent” and “develop routines” … are easy to say, tougher to back up with real-life experience and a few stats to support.
Because… also factored into the above ‘stats’ of production and prioritizing — were multiple family deaths, being in court due to a complicated blended family, injuries, volunteer commitments, and many difficult dialogues in a complex marriage, family, and professional lives.
All of these are complicated realities and situations where my daily “Shits-to-give” were often at threat of being drained very quickly… on any given day.
A key difference in my life now, however, is that I have walked away from the steady pay cheque every two weeks. A reality in which I was paid steadily without much direct connection to my “daily production”. That’s all different now that I have (we have) set lofty goals directly connected to my ability to weave words — on a daily basis, or at least weekly.
This means I need a solid strategy and system to ensure I’m clear on where and how I’m allocating my shits-to-give.
As such, here are six key areas I focus on to allocate my shits-to-give in relation to writing online.
Prioritizing Passion: I find writing becomes effortless when I’m deeply invested in a subject or project. I’m an anti-niche-down person and instead, focus on topics that ignite some passion in me. These vary. This also ensures some authenticity and enthusiasm in each piece, hopefully, creating some magnetic pull for readers.
Allocating Writing Hours Strategically: Identifying peak creativity hours and reserving them for writing is critical. For me, it’s mornings and sometimes in the evenings. I’m not one to say “guard these” or “routinize them” — but I know that this is when I give the best shits to my writing. I often save more administrative stuff for mid-afternoon, as well as for walks and exercise. I then often have a decent burst of energy and creativity after dinner.
Limit Consumption, Maximize Creation: In this nutty digital age, it’s way too easy to become a passive consumer of content (the death scroller). I don’t necessarily schedule reading and research time, but I try to stay alert to how I’m scrolling. I also know and recognize that sometimes I will begin to lag in creativity and thought. If it fits, I use these times to catch up on reading and dropping some ‘likes’ or otherwise for colleagues. (It’s not called anti-social media…)
Remember The ‘Why’: On challenging days, recalling initial motivations for writing and building online can keep the passion burning 🔥. I am also highly motivated by the fact that I took an abnormal (not so recommended) approach to this writing gig. I went cold turkey and walked away from a good-paying career. This keeps the fires-of-why burning regularly. I can generally answer the multiple “whys?” all the way down the line.
Try to Stay Connected with Like-minded Individuals: Being in the company of fellow writers and creators provides fresh perspectives, mutual motivation, and a sense of community. Their stories, challenges, and achievements can provide that extra push and spark we all might need some days. This is where I’m constantly watching out for good newsletters or other writers and online creators to read, follow and support. (any suggestions?)
Intentional Choices
Boiling it down to some basics, prolific writing is largely about intentional choices: where to channel that passion, when and how to write, and who to surround yourself with.
And probably even more important than the goal-setting… what you intend to sacrifice to get to those goals.
This type of thinking can be applied to many things in life that extend beyond just writing. This can be used to design a household budget, a fitness plan, or any sort of personal change plan.
By strategically giving a shit and allocating carefully your shits-to-give in these areas, you will most likely find yourself primed for a rewarding writing journey — and potentially a bit of revenue along the way.
By no means am I suggesting that anyone needs to mimic the sort of monthly word count or writing output I’ve had this month. I have decades of building up towards this and a joy for researching, synthesizing, and writing about it. I have also intentionally leaped into doing this full-time.
However, it’s the Intentional part that is key. If you can even set a goal of one story published per week on Medium. Or, 3-5 posts per week. Or, one newsletter issues per month. These can be sufficient to push that self-efficacy and confidence.
Often, the most difficult steps are the beginning and early ones.
When I started Box Cutter Co. Issues almost exactly a year ago. I had 0 subscribers. I’m now approaching 400.
When I started on Medium (July 2022), I was writing to crickets for months and making $0. Now I have over 4,600 Followers and am on track for a $200 month.
On LinkedIn, last year, I was at under 1,000 Connections. I’m now at a few short of 4,000.
Bit-by-bit. Word-by-word. Post-by-post. Story-by-story.
I’d love to hear about your shits-to-give strategy and allocation process.
That’s it for Box Cutter Issue No. 47.
If you missed it! The first article in The Solopreneur Series is out.
The next one will be out mid-week.
Please drop a comment, a re-post or re-share, send me feedback, and steal at will.