The other day, I had a discovery call with a potential client who was looking for a newsletter ghostwriter. This is one of the services I provide that generates the bulk of my business income. When I asked him how he stumbled upon my services, he said, “Google.” He searched for a “Newsletter Ghostwriter,” and according to him, I was “well-placed.” That threw me off a bit. I was expecting him to say LinkedIn, Substack, or even X, but Google? So I googled “Newsletter Ghostwriter,” and an article I wrote on LinkedIn a year ago about ghostwriting newsletters came up “above the fold.”This got me thinking about all the over-complicated marketing efforts I indulge in to put myself out there and get more leads. I do a lot, from sophisticated marketing tunnels to reels, YouTube shorts, podcasts, and professionally edited videos. I spend a lot of time marketing, but sometimes, something right there in front of you can do the trick—something as simple as a Google search. Suddenly, all these thoughts swirl in my head. How often do I publish on my website and other platforms? Do I use the right keywords that make my content discoverable? Am I busy chasing shiny objects and not doubling down on what’s actually working? There are a lot of things to think about and consider. P.S: There are a few days left to sign up for a live cohort on Maven, where I'll share all my tricks of the trade and show you how I monetize my writing to pay my bills. The cohort is designed to cater to a diverse range of writers, including freelance writers, content creators, and writers. No matter your background or experience, you're welcome to join and learn how to monetize your writing. The cohort, which will start May 6, will include three live sessions a week for three weeks. If you want to find ways to monetize your writing, then this cohort is a good fit. You can sign up here. I hope to see you there. ​ Keep creating. ​
🖼️ Photo of the week🤩 Things that wowed me🎙Podcast: I learned so much about marketing and standing out as an entrepreneur from this fascinating interview with serial entrepreneur Daniel Priestley on the Diary of a CEO podcast. I loved what he said about the waiting list hack. 📚 Book: I loved the novel The Center by Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi. It has everything I look for in a book: good writing, a great plot, smart dialogue, and mystical elements. It might be one of my favorite reads so far this year. 📹 YouTube: I really enjoyed listening to Kristina God's interview with author Sarah Fay I learned so much about growing a Substack subscription that I ended up being a paid subscriber of both Kristina and Sarah’s publications (I’m a sucker for supporting authors, sue me!) I loved what Sara said that, as writers, "we have never had anything like Substack before. This really made me excited about the future of writing and content creation. P.S: If you want to support my writing business and become a free or paid member of my Substack publication, here is the link.​ ✍🏻 Quote: "The great.....is a succession of little things that are brought together" - Vincent Van Gogh 🎙️ Read and Write with Natasha podcast​ Audiobooks are booming. In my latest episode of "Read and Write with Natasha" podcast, I talk with Becky Parker Geist, CEO of Pro Audio Voices. You can listen to the full episode here.
​ 🎥 The YouTube experimentLast year, ghostwriting made up 80% of my income. Watch this video to learn how.​ Interested in ghostwriting? Check out my self-led course, "Make Income from Ghostwriting," in which I share my tips and tricks for finding clients. ​Watch this episode on my YouTube channel, and please don't forget to subscribe. (I'm trying hard to get monetized, so if you could help me, I would appreciate it!) 📚 Published workI published a number of articles on Substack. Here are some of my latest:
Connect with meDo you need help with your digital media strategy? Are you looking for someone to write your newsletter? Are you trying to get published and looking for a book coach to guide you through the murky publishing world? Do you need a ghostwriter? Let's chat! 📧 Email me at natasha@natashastynes.com ​
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I'm a Jordanian-American author and journalist with over two decades of experience. I have been published in the Washington Post, Nature, Elle, Esquire, among others. I'm also the recipient of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award Literary Conference for my short story Ustaz Ali. I publish the weekly newsletter "The Writing Goldmine," in which I give tips on monetizing your writing and the content creation journey.
Hi friends, It has been a while. A lot has happened in the last few months—the good, the bad, and the ugly—but let's focus on the good—or at least try to since it's Friday. The best part of the past few months was that my short story, The Agency, was included in a beautiful anthology of stories from the Middle East titled Stories from the Center of the World, which was published by San Francisco-based publisher Greenlights. Grab a copy if you want to lose yourself in the stories from the...
Many of you here know I write for a living- a dream job, to say the least. I have been doing it as a full-time job for over three years now, and I must say that the rewards outweigh all the stress and obstacles that come along the way. My income is divided between client work, commissioned articles, ghostwriting products, coaching, and teaching. It took me over three years to understand the business side of things, and I'm still learning and growing, and enjoying every second along the way....
Hi Reader I have great news! I have been getting a lot of questions and requests for a ghostwriting course, so I'm happy to tell you that "Make Income from Ghostwriting," my mini-course, is now ready for only $79.99. Ghostwriting makes up 80% of my income, and it can do the same for you. My mini-course is designed to guide you through every step of the process, from understanding the ghostwriting basics to securing high-paying projects. You can take this course at any time and at your own...